Ducati 160 Electrics question(s)

[DesmoDog]

I'm in the midst of figuring out the wiring on my 160 Monza Jr project. I'm using an earlier (round) headlight that uses a different switch, but I'm keeping the stock switchgear on the left bar. The headlight has three indicator lights - one by the key, a red one to the side and a blue one to the other side. One of the bulbs on the side is shielded so it won't light up the inside of the shell, the other is bare.

Here's a shot of the headlight, not the greatest picture to illustrate what I'm talking about but it's the only one I have right now;


Here is the main switch I'm using:


My questions are;

1) What are the three indicator lights for? I'm guessing the shielded one is a high beam indicator but what about the other two? The one by the key doesn't even have a bulb near it from what I can tell.

2) On the picture of the main switch, in the lower right corner there is a holder for what I'm assuming is a fuse, correct? The only other thing it could be for is a bulb, but that makes no sense since it's on the bottom side of the switch. Unless it lights the speedo... hmm.. I didn't note the orientation in the shell...

3) The switch on the side of the shell. I thought it was an on/off switch but it's not, it switches between one pole being hot or the other one being hot. There is a "D" and a "B" stamped in the shell next to it. So what is it supposed to control? High and low beam? "Dim" and "Bright" doesn't make much sense since the shell is Italian... but maybe?

I haven't decided what mods to make to the charging system yet, I need to take a closer look at other threads here before asking questions on that. I'll be rewiring the entire bike but don't plan on changing from the stock set up all that much. I want to add an inline switch on the front brake cable, and will need to run a wire to light the tach, but for now the plan is to keep it six volts and more than likely stick with a points ignition.

One more question - should I get the flywheel remagnetized? It seems to pull pretty strongly still but what do i know? I talked to Malcolme at Syd's Cycle and they can redo it, I'm just wondering if it's always a good idea.

[DewCatTea-Bob]

____I intend to get back to this post later to address it more thuroughly, but for now I'd like to get some things clairified.
__ I was never really into any of the 160s (even though I did own a few of them) but, I do know that their electrical-system was almost exactly the same as the 1966SCRs.
Also I do recognise a DUCATI-headlamp when I see one! ...
__ Where did you get this headlamp from, Vin.Cosmo?
Although I can see it well enough to agree that it LOOKS as if it might be the same as that which was once used on some DUCATI-model or another, I still believe I can assure you that that exact type of headlamp was never stock on any model ever made by Ducati !
What does it's light-holder rim look like, on the inside? _ I hope you'll be able to post pix of that & the light-bulb set-up, plus the inside of the shell-bucket -(preferrably just as it was when you got it).
Did the speedo come with it?
__ Also, where did you get the handlebar-switch? - (From what I can see of it, that looks stock.)


Tillater,
-Bob

____ I'm now back to address this further, as I had mentioned earlier.


" The headlight has three indicator lights - one by the key, a red one to the side and a blue one to the other side.
What are the three indicator lights for? "

____ Ducati set-up their various DUKE-headlamps with 4 types of indicator-lights (that I know of)...
A GREEN-indicator was intended to show (poorly) that the 'TOWN' parking-light was on;
A CLEAR/WHITE-indicator stood for 'GENeral warning' that the ignition & system was in active-mode;
A RED-indicator was for warning that the HIGH-beam headlight was in active-mode;
And in the Monza/Sebring models with the squarish head-lamp shell-buckets, there was also a WHITE charge-indicator lamp.
__ I know of no DUKE-model which employed all 4 types!


" The switch on the side of the shell.
it switches between one pole being hot or the other one being hot. There is a "D" and a "B" stamped in the shell next to it. So what is it supposed to control? "

____ I've never seen any DUCATI with this switch - (I guess Capt.Paul has?).
Rather than that switch being used for connecting a hot-power source to one load or another, (just as a hi/lo-switch is meant to do), it is more likely meant for feeding a single load -(ignition ?, as C.Paul has suggested), with either power-juice from the Dynamo or the Battery.


" I haven't decided what mods to make to the charging system yet, "

____ Why consider changing anything about it? _ The stock power/charging set-up was without significant issues.


" should I get the flywheel remagnetized? "

____ Why bother? _ I've never had to do that with any DUKE I've ever had!
So unless the little DUKE has a notable power-juice issue, there shouldn't be any real need for that to be done.


Good-Cheers,
DCT-Bob

[DesmoDog]

__ Where did you get this headlamp from, Vin.Cosmo?
Although I can see it well enough to agree that it LOOKS as if it might be the same as that which was once used on some DUCATI-model or another, I still believe I can assure you that that exact type of headlamp was never stock on any model ever made by Ducati !
What does it's light-holder rim look like, on the inside? _ I hope you'll be able to post pix of that & the light-bulb set-up, plus the inside of the shell-bucket -(preferrably just as it was when you got it).
Did the speedo come with it?
__ Also, where did you get the handlebar-switch? - (From what I can see of it, that looks stock.)

Well duh, for some unknown reason I never considered that! This headlight was probably never used on a Ducati, which would explain why I never found an owners manual that talked about it. I don't remember for sure but chances are good I got it from Cosmo. I don't have any photos of the inside - it was bare when I go it, all the parts were added by me. IIRC the speedo came with another light. I've bought so many shells and assy's over the years the details have gotten fuzzy. I've been collecting parts for these bikes for a few years now...

The chrome rim that holds the light is from some other source, I bought it because I liked the peak on the top. The reflector is taken from yet another light. It may even be from one of the square lights I had. One of those had a sealed beam, the other didn't. I'm not using a sealed beam on this.

The handlebar switch is the one that was on the bike when I got it. I'm 99.9% sure it's "correct" for the bike (if not original to the bike) as the lever perch is drilled and tapped for it. (as is the perch on my 250 Monza, which was missing this switch.)


[pause for picture taking]

Ok, I just went downstairs to take a couple pics. The thing I thought was a fuse holder probably does hold a bulb, it's the only thing anywhere near the speedo that would have a chance of lighting it up. I'll have to check my notes on the switch again to see if a bulb makes sense there. Also, I had forgotten the headlight bulb had a smaller bulb above it.

Here are the pics, one of them has the side-mounted switch too.

[bettyann]

D C T Bob

Just looked up the wiring diagrams for 66 scr & 160. The only difference is scr doesn't have a horn,other wise they are exactly the same, hope this helps. Capt Paul

[DesmoDog]

I've changed the title of this thread to make it more specific to what I'm asking.

I've been reading another thread here to get information on how to mod the charging system on my 160. I think I have it down kinda sorta but in drawing out a new wiring diagram I've run into a couple questions. Some comments on the diagram below

1) The parking light option is moot, I'll never use it. I think my 907 has it too, I've owned the bike for 20 years and have NEVER used it
2) Is the AC input for the horn ok? Can I tie into the red or 4th wire before it connects to the rectifier?
3) The lights used to be AC powered. If I connect both "power in" leads on the handlebar switch to the DC power, everything should work.
4) The switch on teh side of the shell isn't used for anything, neither is the second indicator lamp. I'm ok with that.

Main reason to do the mod is I want to run the lights off the battery and don't want the battery to go down around town... As I see it, witht his set up the lights will work with teh engien off and the engine will run with a dead battery, correct?

EDIT: This diagram has been updated, and a stock diagram added.

EDIT 2: I'm staring at this and thinking... if the engine is running, the only reason to turn the key would be to allow the battery charge? And with the key off, there is no fuse in the system?
I need to see if the key can disconnect three things at once, and do I consider adding smaller fuses for separate functions?

[DesmoDog]

____ I'm now back to address this further, as I had mentioned earlier.


" I haven't decided what mods to make to the charging system yet, "

____ Why consider changing anything about it? _ The stock power/charging set-up was without significant issues.


" should I get the flywheel remagnetized? "

____ Why bother? _ I've never had to do that with any DUKE I've ever had!
So unless the little DUKE has a notable power-juice issue, there shouldn't be any real need for that to be done.

Oops, I missed your edit at first.

The more I think about this, the more likely I am to go with the stock set up. I'd really only need to add a lead for the tach light and maybe a tweak or two to match the new switch, but all in all that'd be easiest. Good to hear the magnets are likely ok. I figured that but thought I would ask.

I don't see much reason for a battery at all with the stock set up... parking light? Who uses that? I have to decide how much a no engine = no lights set up would bother me... I suppose I could set it up so the "park" position lit up the head light and tail light too... then the second indicator could show I was running off the battery and not the alternator... or I could make the switch on the side of the shell switch between running the lights off the battery or the alternator. Lots of choices I guess.

[DesmoDog]

Ok, last diagram for now since I'm not even sure I'm going to mess with this... but here's one that disconnects the battery and the rectifier from each other and the rest of the system, and also adds an indicator for when the battery is connected. (I'm not even sure the switch can be wired this way, I need to check my notes when I get home.) Am I correct in thinking that if the rectifier is left connected to the battery, it will drain the battery when the engine isn't running?

As I see it - this system would allow the lights to work with the engine not running if there is a charged battery, and also allow the lights to work with no battery if the engine is running? I like that... not sure why, I just do.

[DewCatTea-Bob]

____ Well DesmoDog, good idea on the title change! ... We should all always take due time to think-up the best title for our TOPICs, so that they're as logical as can be.

____ All this stuff (in the above 3 posts) is always very interesting to me and so I'm looking forward to tackeling most all of it to some degree. _ However it will take a while to respond to all the details in each of the three posts, and so if you would please give the best order for me to proceed in, I'll then get started asap with the one that's of most important interest to you, first.
Normally, I'd address them in chronological-order, but I'm thinking that the reverse might be best, in this case !? _ Please advise.


Fun-Cheers,
-Bob

[DesmoDog]

_
Normally, I'd address them in chronological-order, but I'm thinking that the reverse might be best, in this case !? _ Please advise.

Yes, the posts pretty much followed my thought process throughout the day so the last one is the direction I'm considering right now... though it is still quite possible I'll simply modify the stock system just enough to work with the new ignition switch and add a tach light and front brake light switch.

I forgot to check if the new ignition switch can even be wired as shown...

[DewCatTea-Bob]

" though it is still quite possible I'll simply modify the stock system just enough to work with the new ignition switch and add a tach light and front brake light switch. "

____ If you don't already have the alt.rotor pulled, then I'd suggest that you stay with the stock Electrical-Scheme*, (and forget the trouble of adding the 4th-wire for full battery-powered lighting), until you decide that there's good reason to convert (due to dim lighting at low-RPM night-riding).
[NOTE*... Stock E-S not to be confused with stock wiring-connections.]
__ For a front brake-light switch, you might consider a mercury-switch mounted on the fork-neck, so that when the front-end dives during deceleration, it can then activate the brake-light.


" I forgot to check if the new ignition switch can even be wired as shown... "

____ Concerning that, I assume you're referring to whatever switch is part of that non-Ducati circuit-board which you had previously posted a pic of... correct? ...
__ As seen in the factory electrical-scheme, (which you also now have posted), that which represents the handle-bar switch, is quite difficult to determine which electrical-connections correlate with it's physical-switches!... Yet in your two wire-diagrams, it appears that you've attempted to indicate the possible pathways through that switch. ...
So if you have done that with confidence, then could you also do the same with that non-Ducati switch, (providing that you intend to make any use of it), ?
As it would be helpful to also see a circuit-diagram of that as well !


Stay-Tuned,
-Bob