6v electrics

Was pondering this at the weekend, why did (do?) small bikes like the
mopeds of old have 6v electrics?

I guess it saps more energy from the engine if its running a generator
to produce higher voltage but is it significant?

 

Smaller, lighter, batteries.

At a guess.

 

And what of those without a battery?

 

The total energy is measured in watts, volts times amps, so there
is no difference in the load on the engine.

Originally 6 volts was the standard for all bikes and cars, partly
because the batteries were cheaper to make that 12 volt.
Over the last 40 or so years it became cheaper to save money on copper
because 12 volt systems can use thinner wiring.

 

Thus spake () unto the assembled multitudes:

6v was also once favoured by Lucas, the prince of darkness, so as to produce
headlamps where the light crept apologetically out from under the headlamp
nacelle, slithered weakly on to your front mudguard before falling exhausted
on to the road surface about 3 feet in front of your bike.

 

But you could get decent light from a 6V system. Or can. They just didn't.

 

Don't forget Wipac.

 

That's the one I didn't want to be reminded of!

 

MZ certainly managed it.

 

I wish I could...

 

273 miles, he said, enigmatically. (Possibly)

 

The Lucas motto was "Home Before Dark"

 

From Joseph Lucas, the man who invented darkness.

 

I've long though that Lucas is unfairly maligned by those who, ridign or
driving around on a 50-year old machine, think that the electics are shite
by design simply because they've survived more or less untouched by human
hand for 50 years and STILL WORK, albeit not very well.

When these systems were new, I rekcon they were probably among the best of
the bunch. Now, after decades of zero maintence and sitting around in a
damp shed, all the connectors are corroded and sap power and doubtless the
generator brushes are stuck and so on. But often those old lucas bullet
connectors can be rejuvenated with a bit of TLC and made to work reliably
again, or at worst, you need to buy a new black rubber connector thing for
them if it's fallen apart.

Study the connectors in a typical jap bike half its age and you'll see
they're not going to last as well: the metal parts are much smaller and
thinner and just as prone to corrode and the plastic sleeving will doubtless
go hard and not seal it correctly.

So, rather than making cheap jokes about "Prince of darkness", consider how
impressive it is that you can have a system, subjected to all manmner of
abuse and crap operating conditions, which still functions *at all*...

 

That's what we used to say when I was a motorcycle mechanic around
1961/2, and what we were alluding to was stuff just of the line innit.

What we said about Mr. Miller doesn't bear (not Bear) repeating - not
even in here.

And as for Wico-Pacy, worms fail me.

 

Not so. They were still in common use on many bikes in the 1970s, by
which time there were much better alternatives.


Now, after decades of zero maintence and sitting around in a

 

<snip>

There was nothing wrong with the lighting on the 750 Commando I had years
ago, I didn't like the up/down indicator switch - but that was mainly
because it made it difficult to remember which way was left & right when I
was pissed.

 

Using the patented Mavis Beacon "Hunt&Peck" Technique, ian field

<G> I hate that bloody thing. I still have to think about it when I'm
sober.

 

One of the unforseen drawbacks of digital watches?

 

Thus spake ian field () unto the assembled multitudes:

My 1973 Tiger 650 was the same. I seem to recall that the indicator switch
was *down* for the indicator below it, and up for "up and over" on the other
side.