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Post by mattb on May 7, 2008 8:48:44 GMT -5
Hi All.
A rather ignorant question: my battery is pretty much dead and I'm thinking I'll just get a battery eliminator from Vanem, however from time to time I have to do work on the lighting components of the bike - eg right now I have no high beam, sometimes the indicators go bung, etc. I'll need to work on these without constantly starting up the bike; how do others do this? Keep a cheap 12v battery (of any kind) on hand? Or is there a basic transformer I can plug into the house power and hook up to the leads?
While I'm at it: you hear different things, but am I right in believing that a dead battery has no more detriment than the loss of lights while the engine is off? Ie there's no effect on starting, etc?
Matt
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Post by stevec5000 on May 7, 2008 9:12:50 GMT -5
You don't have to buy a special battery eliminator since just about any big capacitor will do. You can find one at surplus stores or ham radio swapmeets for a few dollars. For power to use while doing work on the electrical system you could connect a 12 volt battery temporarily or use a plug in 12 volt adapter, also from the surplus store or swapmeet, but I wouldn't use a 12 volt battery charger since they aren't regulated. The lighting system has no connection to the engine's ignition system.
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Post by mattb on May 7, 2008 10:01:45 GMT -5
Thanks Steve. I take it from trawling the detailed and good previous discussions (which go over my head) that this is good for the job, supplied in Aus by Jaycar for $10
10000uF 40V RP Electrolytic Capacitor
Value: 10000uFVoltage: 40VRipple Current: 2.74ASize: 51 x 26mm85oC Rated
Also, sounds like a cheap 12v adaptor is the go then.
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Post by aero on May 7, 2008 10:29:06 GMT -5
Just make sure your power supply can supply at least 6 amps if you're working on your headlamp. If not you will cook the power supply.
I often use a battery charger, they are regulated. They hold their output voltage constant, while the current varies according to the load on it. This means that a very flat battery will draw a high current and is the reason you shouldn't use a car charger on a bike battery as the car charger can supply way too much current. The fuse on the battery charger controls the maxium current, basic but it works.
Optimate chargers work differently, they are constant current chargers, and 'diagnose' faults by monitoring what is happening to the terminal voltage of the battery during charging. There's alittle bit more to them, but thats the basic idea.
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Post by stevec5000 on May 7, 2008 15:48:08 GMT -5
>Value: 10000uFVoltage: 40VRipple Current: 2.74ASize: 51 x >26mm85oC Rated
That seems a bit small but will probably work. A larger one will give you less flicker in the lights.
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Post by caferacercarl on May 8, 2008 3:38:52 GMT -5
and maybe a resettable relay just in case of short, the better aftermarket battery eliminators have them inbuilt, like the "white brothers"unit. just to be sure to be sure as the paddy's would say.
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Post by mattb on May 8, 2008 9:51:10 GMT -5
Well, I got the capacitor according to the place, price and specs above, fitted it...and it works great! Now I have a space for tools and miscellaneous! Somehow it's fun stripping this bike back to even slimmer essentials. Thanks all  Ps One more thing. Would the capacitor mod be likely to work on my SR185? It's an electric start, but I'm thinking of doing an extreme cafe racer strip, and just push-starting the thing (it's very light already). |
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Post by stevec5000 on May 8, 2008 11:13:09 GMT -5
I think the capacitor should work on bikes that have a permanent magnet alternator but not on ones that require battery power to energize a field coil.
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Post by StewRoss on May 9, 2008 6:49:01 GMT -5
Yes, once the 'stripping' starts it never stops...heh, heh... SR  |
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Post by buckraliegh on May 16, 2008 18:14:56 GMT -5
I am also considering a battery eliminator/capacator. I dont think my small town is going to have a ham radio swapmeet anytime soon. Does anyone know a website or a part number for the correct capacator?
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Post by stevec5000 on May 16, 2008 19:19:25 GMT -5
There are a lot of 20000 MFD caps on ebay. A ROCKFORD FOSGATE 1 FARAD filter CAPACITOR like the street racer and drifter crowd uses for their thumping stereos will work although it doesn't have to be one as big as 1 or 2 farads but if it's cheap enough why not?
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Post by chew652 on May 16, 2008 20:16:43 GMT -5
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Post by solo2racr on May 16, 2008 22:23:27 GMT -5
I have been using a 4.5 amp gelcell. The nice thing about them is that you can mount them in any position. I have my battery,reg/rect, and CDI box all under the seat (XR750 Harley seat)  |
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Post by aero on May 17, 2008 6:09:24 GMT -5
There are a lot of 20000 MFD caps on ebay. A ROCKFORD FOSGATE 1 FARAD filter CAPACITOR like the street racer and drifter crowd uses for their thumping stereos will work although it doesn't have to be one as big as 1 or 2 farads but if it's cheap enough why not? I've tried a 6,800 a 10,000 and a 15,000uF caps. The only thing I have noticed is that the cap will store the power for some considerable time. When you switch on the ignition the capacitor discharges rapidly through the system. The bigger the cap I used the bigger the power surge. A one farrad capacitor is a monsterous thing (and bloody danergous in the wrong hands due to the levels you can charge it too). The size and weight alone would rule it out, I saw one of those things for car steoreos and it was the size of a 2 pound jam jar. I've found the 6,800 works well, is small light and cheap. The 15,000 uF caused quite a large surge on switch on, but 'damps' out the flicker at idle better. Above this the price rockets for larger capacitors. As I bought 2 15,000s off eBay for a couple of quid, so I'll use one and keep the other as spare. Nice neat set up with the gell battery BTW |
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Post by stevec5000 on May 18, 2008 12:25:37 GMT -5
I got a big capacitor that's 60000 MFD at 75 VDC at the swap meet for $2.00. Don't know why, I probably already had some in my junk box that I could have used.
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