What type of alternator?

[Andy M]

Does anyone know what type of voltage regulator is fitted to the Wee and how it will react to a reduced load?
I’m looking at my options for heated kit, probably grips, a seat pad and a vest. There is a slight chance (with a pillion wearing the vest) that all three would be used together, giving enough load to start draining the battery.

The best solution would be to replace the headlight and tail light bulbs with LED’s, thus giving spare capacity when needed. However, in the back of my mind I have it that there are two type of regulators used on bikes and that the cheaper sort (shunt type?) doesn’t actually cut off any excess production, it just leaks it away via one of it’s own components. If this is the case, the excess when the heated kit is not in use will be bigger than the system designers envisaged. Would normal use (Summer) without the expected load heat/wear the VR faster or cause it to overcharge the battery?

I’d rather fit a three position switch that locks out the seat heat when the vest socket is on than fry a VR or battery.

Thoughts appreciated

Cheers

Andy

[mjc506]

The stock is a shunt type, and may or may not get hot at low loads.

You can replace them with a MOSFET type R/R which is generally much more efficient and robust. It's about a 30min job (including side panel removal and faff)

http://www.stromtrooper.com/maintenance ... ifier.html

I'd also be tempted to look at HID headlights... not road legal (but then neither are LEDs), but brighter, easier to get spares for, and the strom headlights handle them quite well. You get about 35-40% power saving.

[greywolf]

From the way it acts, the 2012 appears to be a shunt type MOSFET regulator that runs cooler than other shunt types. Permanent magnet alternators can't use field strength control regulators. Wees have about 125-150W of extra power available starting in 2008.

You can't really get LED headlight replacements but 35W HID Bi-Xenon is a good choice for heated gear. HID uses less power and has a constant brightness from 9V-16V. I cut out one headlight in daytime use with heated grips, gloves, jacket liner and sometimes socks when the heat controller is turned up much more than halfway. Having a cycling controller makes a halogen headlight look like it's modulated whereas an HID headlight stays constant as the controller cycles on for a portion of each second.  

While a heated seat may be nice, as are heated grips as they are always available, I see no use for a heated seat pad. If heat is needed, it is needed first for the torso to prevent hypothermia and next for the extremities as the body sacrifices warmth to them to keep the torso warm. The seat is one place I've never felt cold on a ride. I do prefer a heated jacket liner over a vest because my arms are in the wind stream. Heated gloves work better than grips but you never leave the heated grips at home.

[Fatbelly]

I love heated grips, I've had them on my last five bikes. But, to be honest I'm not at all sure they would do anything to prevent hypothermia.

I think the effect is psychlogical. When you get cold you get kind of miserable, you tense up and your concentration goes - especially if you are wet, too. But when you switch on them toasty fingers it kind of "cheers your face up a bit" and you relax and concentrate better.

[Andy M]

I love heated grips, I've had them on my last five bikes. But, to be honest I'm not at all sure they would do anything to prevent hypothermia.

I think the effect is psychlogical. When you get cold you get kind of miserable, you tense up and your concentration goes - especially if you are wet, too. But when you switch on them toasty fingers it kind of "cheers your face up a bit" and you relax and concentrate better.

+1 to that.  I've done Elefant Rallies and silly things in Finland and Norway. This is why I use the seat and grips. In Autumn/UK conditions I use normal bike gear and the grips and seat add comfort. In the really cold stuff you can't rely on anything electrical so dress (and eat) accordingly (pictures of me in my underwear here  https://sites.google.com/site/threewhee ... s/clothing       ). Stuff with wires never lives long enough to even add comfort, while bike mounted does. Getting the wires out from under a one piece is a PITA so I've stopped using it. The wifes heated waist coat makes her comfortable in UK weather suitable for two wheels two up, so that's what I'll think about rigging the bike for.

The LED headlights are here  http://www.m-99.co.uk/Car_Neon_LED_Ligh ... bulbs.html . That said, given the info on the reg/rec/alternator set up I won't be getting any to try.

Thanks Blokes, it's great to talk to people who can remember and settle the nagging doubts.

Andy

[greywolf]

Those are the first dual beam H4 LEDs I've seen and I'm not impressed. High and low beams are differentiated by the placement of a small spot of light in the proper place within the reflector and have a baffle on the front so no direct light shines in the eyes of oncoming drivers. Those LEDs have rings of emitters plus the end. The beam pattern must be awful but the lack of output 1 watt would provide may make it bearable.

I've been running Warm & Safe gloves and jacket liners since 2008. In that time, I've had one glove lose heat. I de-wired it for use as unheated but found out later W&S is known to replace failed equipment beyond warranty time or at least give a discount. I do carry a spare jacket liner and gloves when traveling. A Widder vest I had in 2007 was rubbish.

[Sven]

A very interesting web-site there Andy M.
I spent some time reading the whole lot.
Thanks.

[Keith Cross]

Like Grey wolf I really don't see these LED headlights working properly as the light isn't near the focal pint of the lens and will be scattered in all directions.  It would be interesting to see how Ducati have done it with the new Pengali or whatever its called
I have one HID lamp fitted to my Wee strom and have it switched as its not needed all of the time and use a standard headlight bulb for day time use as the HID can dazzle oncoming vehicles a bit.  I haven't noticed any problems with doing this to date.

Keith C

[Strommer]

Could try fitting LED aux sidelights if it's just for daylight running, then switch off the main beams entirely?

My solutions for coldness are:

1 Heated grips
2 BIG Tucano Urbano muffs under the grips (these can be unrolled to elbow length)
3 Hot water bottle in a poachers pocket on the jacket or a BIG cheap parka as an overlayer
4 Wool insoles and thick wool socks under big, big boots.

If I was going to add more electrickery to anything I'd go for heated insoles, but I do get much colder extremities than other people.  GW is right about keeping your core warm to keep your extremities warm, but some of us just get cold feet from November to March regardless.

Most heated gear will come with a battery pack option anyway, so if you have a few packs there's no need to involve the bike (make up your own packs as the oem ones are usually a rip-off).