The Knowledge - Velocette Owners Club

handlebar switches off a 1960's Honda CB250 and although I know it's not original, I want to be able to
use it in the dark. I have the original bits to refit if I choose. Can I ditch the ammeter?
#4162 It certainly wont hurt to ditch the ammeter, if you think you need an indication of charge then a
voltmeter will do the job just as well but will not affect the electrics, if it goes faulty, as its in parallel
unlike the ammeter, where you loose all your electrics as its in series. As you say modern cars and
bikes don’t have ammeters now and once you ditch the dynamo you can rest in peace with lights you
can see! My ammeter is more affected by vibration than the current going through anyway, it just fills
the hole in the headlamp.
#4169 Keep the ammeter. When, one bad day, it wacks over to 8amps full charge even when you know
that the battery is OK, then you will have the classic indication of regulator failure. It's happened to me
twice now. I guess that MCR-2s and RB-108s or whatever just don't like the vibes given off by 86x86
and yes, I have tried all kinds of rubber mountings. In the end I capitulated and fitted a V-Reg II - end of
all the problems.
L #4667 When I bought my '58 Venom 3 years ago it was running a coil ignition system with a
solid state regulator at 12v in line with the "Dynamo Uprate" article on the site. Last year I went back to
magneto ignition but left everything else alone at 12v. All went well for about a year until last month
when I noticed I had no charge. The cause is clear - the solid state regulator has a molten metal
"blister" on the side. I've checked the dynamo and all seems OK. My first thought is to simply replace
the regulator - I've read the various views on the different manufacturers. Then I had another thought. I
hardly ever ride at night, the only uses my lights get are if the day is particularly dull/raining and the
very occasional short trip at night and whilst it's nice to have bright, 12v lights I wouldn't want to do this
at the cost of shortening the dynamo life. I'm not an electrical engineer but I can't help but think that
running the "6v" dynamo into a 12v system will put addition strain on it. My choice is - a new 12v solid
state regulator or new 6v regulator, battery (probably needed soon anyway), and a set of 6v bulbs. Any
experience out there with running a "6v" generator at 12v for an extended period?
#4672 The big advantage of 12v is to be able to use QI headlamp bulbs which are MUCH brighter... but
if you don't ride much at night this may not be important to you. Also 12v bulbs are freely available,
whereas you have to buy 6v ones from a specialist. My ( homebrew) 12v conversion has run for 30
years and 160,000 miles without dynamo problems.
#4675 On my last Venom I ran thousands of miles at 12 v with a 60w Lucas dynamo and a JG 12v
regulator with no trouble. Soon after I bought my present Venom the 6v K-tec regulator went wrong and
the dynamo failed at the same time, coincidence? I fitted a re-con 6V Lucas 60 watt dynamo with a
CMES 12v regulator together with a small dynamo pulley. Running at 30 mph in top gear on standard
gearing I get a balance of charge showing with a 60/55w Q.I. bulb on dip. Speak to Sean at CMES
01454-323434, he is very helpful and will explain everything in layman's terms if needs be.
#4681 I'm also running the same lighting kit - 60w Lucas CMES 12v regulator - with no problems.
#4683 Does the JG unit work ok with a Lucas dynamo? If it does then it may be that the Miller dynamo
wires have not been altered to suit a JG as is required,
#4684 I converted the wiring myself, the whole system worked fine for a couple of days then stopped
charging. I thought a wire may have come loose so checked it over but every thing keeps pointing
toward the dynamo so I checked to see if it would motor, which it does, I then earthed then F and
connected D to voltmeter, ran bike voltmeter shows about 12 volts,
#4713 I have used V-Reg II regulators, and have had no problems whatsoever with them. They come in
neg or pos earth, and regulate at 6 volts as supplied, but are converted to 12 volts by snipping a small
loop of cable that sticks out of the epoxy surface of the regulator. They are small enough to fit inside
the miller regulator case. Look on www.AOservices.co.uk I speak as I find and have always had good
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