Subject: Re: [Spridgets] generator/regulator

From: "Dean Hedin" <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 28 Apr 2013 19:48:01 -0400

I disagree Mike,

There are'nt even ball bearings in the original generator setup.  Then the
regulator, adjustment would drift as the points wore,
Or they would fuse together totally if the car sat for any amount of time.
It was a mess.

In my mind, the only reason to run the generator is if your doing it for the
concours aspect and you trailer the car to the shows.

With the early cars a reason often given to stay with the generator is to
preserve the tach drive.

I say that the original mechanical tach is also a liability, and it is
easier & better to locate an aftermarket tach with the same sweep 
and transplant it's internals into a junked original tach (which is what I
did) or substitute a later leyland electric tach.

Like Collins, I'm going to post detailed pics of my conversion with the
Honda alternator.  The more "know working options"
the better.

Now, all this being said, it is all because we wish to drive the car without
worry.  But I have kept the original generator
and the tach drive (and a good tach) to hand down to the next owner should
they desire to go back to original.
 
I would say that converting to an alternator was the best thing I ever did.
I did that back when Frank posted those original
instructions.  I have had zero charging issues since that conversion.  I've
gone through one battery since the conversion.
But I suspect the alternator will out live me.

I seem to recall that there was somebody who was inserting alternator guts
into original Lucas generators housings.
Anybody recall who that is?

-----Original Message-----
From: [email-masked]
[mailto:[email-masked]] On Behalf Of Michael MacLean
Sent: Sunday, April 28, 2013 5:45 PM
To: [email-masked]; Michael Rowe
Subject: Re: [Spridgets] generator/regulator

You only need to change to an alternator if you are going to put a heavier
load on the electrical system than normal.B  The original system works very
well running what came with the car.B  A solid state regulator makes it work
better.B  Changing to an alternator is a simpler system though.
Mike
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[email-masked]

Archive: http://www.team.net/archive

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From: Rick Fisk <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 28 Apr 2013 20:56:55 -0400

The original generator setup has a ball bearing on the pulley end of the
shaft.

Sent from my keyboard

On Apr 28, 2013, at 7:48 PM, "Dean Hedin" <[email-masked]> wrote:

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From: "Dean Hedin" <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 28 Apr 2013 21:36:55 -0400

I stand corrected, but I am undeterred.
You need ball bearings at both ends...

-----Original Message-----
From: [email-masked]
[mailto:[email-masked]] On Behalf Of Rick Fisk
Sent: Sunday, April 28, 2013 8:57 PM
To: [email-masked]
Subject: Re: [Spridgets] generator/regulator

[email-masked]

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From: Rick Fisk <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 28 Apr 2013 21:47:30 -0400

Yeah, after 100,000 miles the bushing on the commutator end wears out.  :-)

Sent from my keyboard

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[email-masked]

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From: "Dean Hedin" <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 28 Apr 2013 23:00:00 -0400

Yeah, maybe. IF you remember to lubricate it.  

But I don't know of any alternators running bronze bushings.
But it doesn't matter.  The commutaing brushes won't make past 20,000 miles
anyhow.

If you think you can argue that generators last as long as alternators, 
Well let me tell ya...it ain't happening.  

All I can say is..God Bless Nikolia Tesla.  And thank him for your ignition
system too..

-----Original Message-----
Sent: Sunday, April 28, 2013 9:48 PM

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From: Rick Fisk <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 28 Apr 2013 23:08:47 -0400

Tesla was quite a guy - I'm a fan.  Made Edison look like a money grubbing
putz.

Sent from my keyboard

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[email-masked]

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From: Mark J Bradakis <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 28 Apr 2013 21:28:03 -0600

> All I can say is..God Bless Nikolia Tesla.  And thank him for your ignition
And the electricity in your house, and your cell phone, and ...

mjb.
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[email-masked]

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From: "\" Just Brits \" Shop" <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 29 Apr 2013 01:25:12 -0500

<< On 4/28/2013 10:00 PM, Dean Hedin wrote:
> The commutaing brushes won't make past 20,000 miles anyhow. >>
Dean, I suggest you RUN away from ANY and ALL motor vehicles not DELIVERED
with the new-fangled electrical device known as a alternator. Prolly 
better stay away
anything bigger than a single cylinder 2-cycle motor too. Alternators 
much "fatter"
than said motors would be beyond your "talents" for keeping rotating 
masses in even
a remote 'line' ! !

Sorry to be bearer of bad news (you prob'ly suspected as much tho).

Ed
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[email-masked]

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From: "Dean Hedin" <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 30 Apr 2013 20:43:42 -0400

Tell you what.  My final thoughts on this...after several beers.

I think more LBC's have been set aside to rot away as a result of
generator/regulator issues than anything else.
Yep. That's what I believe.

If more folks were proactive back in the 60's and 70's to convert the cars
to alternators then there would be a lot 
more surviving LBCs on the road today.  Instead, the owners got frustrated,
parked them "out back", and now they have 
a tree growing up through the center of them.  These cars are lost forever. 

Yeah, it's great that some can get by with the the original generator setup.
But these individuals
should not scorn the move to convert to alternators.  It is not in their
best interest, nor is it in the best interest 
of the hobby in general.

I believe that the the popularity and intrigue of the little British sports
car lives and dies by it's presence on the road.
This is confirmed to me every day that I observe a "head turn" as my little
Bugeye blasts by someone.
They can't belive what they are looking at.
  
It's not hard to convert to an alternator.  But more importantly, it's not
hard to convert back to a generator if you want to
later on.  There is no "heresy" here.  It is a trivial thing. Anyone who
would tell you differently is a backwards  
old fart that can't evolve.  Shame on them! 

So don't be an asshole and somehow try to claim that the generator is better
or as good as an alternator.
You can't win the arguemet. Go ahead.  I am ready to defend the alternator.

Mr. Rowe is struggling here.  Spring time is Sprite time.  Can we get past
this?

Make them reliable.  Drive them all you can...   
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[email-masked]

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From: derf <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 30 Apr 2013 20:03:12 -0500

Seems like most I've seen had the first gear worn out because of the lack
of synchro thing.
That, the electrics, and the dual carbs caused a lot of issues.
I'm more of a 71-74 RWA guy, though, so mostly familiar with alternator
types.

On Tue, Apr 30, 2013 at 7:43 PM, Dean Hedin <[email-masked]> wrote:

> http://autox.team.net/mailman/options/spridgets/[email-masked]
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From: Rick Fisk <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 30 Apr 2013 21:20:12 -0400

Worn throttle shafts on the SU's is what I think parked a lot of Spridgets.  I
don't drink.  :-)

Sent from my keyboard

[email-masked]

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From: Jay <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 30 Apr 2013 18:49:51 -0700 (PDT)

There have been some nice Bugeyes that were "parked" in the early 60's because 
they needed a clutch.

jay

________________________________
From: Rick Fisk <[email-masked]>
To: "[email-masked]" <[email-masked]>
Sent: Tue, April 30, 2013 9:26:40 PM
Subject: Re: [Spridgets] generator/regulator

[email-masked]

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From: Pat Elliott <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 30 Apr 2013 19:03:33 -0700

And some were parked because shit happens,,,  but that doesn't detract from Deans point.  Make YOUR car as original, or reliable, or both as you want it..

Jay <[email-masked]> wrote:

>http://autox.team.net/mailman/options/spridgets/[email-masked]

Via tablet---.
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