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1948 Alvis TA14 dynamo charging?
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cheltenham-sable



Joined: 05 Apr 2012
Posts: 22

PostPosted: Tue Nov 20, 2012 8:36 pm    Post subject: 1948 Alvis TA14 dynamo charging? Reply with quote

Just out of curiousity when driving the ammeater shows a reasonable charge the top of the gauge is 20amps some times the gauge looks like its almost stuck here and evan when on tick over after been at high revs but then all of a sudden it will come back down like when its on tick over and show 0 then show about 10-15amps when driving but if i have few revs on for quite while when driving its like it goes to top of the gauge 20amps then stays there for while?

Regards Tom
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Phil - Nottingham



Joined: 01 Jan 2008
Posts: 1252
Location: Nottingham

PostPosted: Tue Nov 20, 2012 11:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Regulator adjustment/contacts sticking - what is the regulator model and what is car

May be a high resistance connection in the charging circuit or failing/dry battery

Not a good idea to use it like this though as may cook the battery or worse Shocked

Even 15a is too high if battery is fully charged
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MVPeters



Joined: 28 Aug 2008
Posts: 822
Location: Northern MA, USA

PostPosted: Wed Nov 21, 2012 2:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Correct, sticking points.

Disconnect the battery, fold a one pound note in half & pass it between the points to polish & clean them.
A ten bob note will work, but it takes twice as long.
Don't even think about using sandpaper or a file.
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ukdave2002



Joined: 23 Nov 2007
Posts: 4100
Location: South Cheshire

PostPosted: Wed Nov 21, 2012 8:56 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

This particular fault is quite common in NOS control box's, caused by oxidation of the points over the many years the unit has sat on a shelf.

Regulator contacts are Tungsten and can be cleaned with wet and dry paper. The cut-out contacts are silver and should be cleaned as MVPeters describes Very Happy

Dave
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47Jag



Joined: 26 Jun 2008
Posts: 1480
Location: Bothwell, Scotland

PostPosted: Wed Nov 21, 2012 12:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Mike & Dave,

Now where are you guys going to find a Pound note nowadays? I think the Bank of Scotland is the only bank printing them and we sell them for £5 Laughing

Art
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MVPeters



Joined: 28 Aug 2008
Posts: 822
Location: Northern MA, USA

PostPosted: Wed Nov 21, 2012 2:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

If you run an antique car, you're supposed to keep an antique pound note in the antique Owners Manual in the antique glove box.
If you run out of antique petrol, one antique quid will buy you plenty!

Only the Scots could print money worth five times the face value - please teach me the trick.
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colwyn500



Joined: 21 Oct 2012
Posts: 1745
Location: Nairn, Scotland

PostPosted: Wed Nov 21, 2012 2:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

MVPeters wrote:
If you run an antique car, you're supposed to keep an antique pound note in the antique Owners Manual in the antique glove box.
If you run out of antique petrol, one antique quid will buy you plenty!

Only the Scots could print money worth five times the face value - please teach me the trick.


If a ten-bob note takes twice as long as a pound, perhaps the £5 a shot quid note does it five times as quickly.

I do have a couple in the glove-box; been there for ages, I thought they were worthless.


Last edited by colwyn500 on Wed Nov 21, 2012 8:21 pm; edited 1 time in total
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cheltenham-sable



Joined: 05 Apr 2012
Posts: 22

PostPosted: Wed Nov 21, 2012 7:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Haha thanks for the replys the batterys brand new although the car has been stood for 7 years before i got it, how go i clean them? I havnt had any experience with control box's before only sealed ones on old tractors.

Regards Tom
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cheltenham-sable



Joined: 05 Apr 2012
Posts: 22

PostPosted: Wed Nov 21, 2012 8:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have taken off the cover on the regulator box and can see 2 copper coild with like points on the end i take it these are what you mean? should i rub some very fine 1500 wet n dry in the gap or £5, £10 note?

Regards Tom
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MVPeters



Joined: 28 Aug 2008
Posts: 822
Location: Northern MA, USA

PostPosted: Wed Nov 21, 2012 8:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

You're in the right place, Tom.

1500 w&d might be OK, just don't be aggressive.
You're cleaning/polishing the points, rather than sanding them.
Blow the dust out.

Post-decimal notes won't work on a pre-decimal regulator!
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P3steve



Joined: 24 Nov 2007
Posts: 542
Location: Great Yarmouth, Norfolk

PostPosted: Thu Dec 13, 2012 2:33 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I’ve got exactly the same fault on my P3 Rover and I took it to an old school auto electrician chap I know who tried to clean it but its still sticking and will need a new control box.
This is the type I will need but they do others, buying new old stock could be a false economy as being in storage for a long time could create the same problem.

http://www.holden.co.uk/displayProduct.asp?pCode=RF95
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