6V Regulator

[Mark3Cam]

Great link BTW. Answered a lot of questions. So to clarify one thing, if I was to order a 12volt regulator(such as the five wire Chinese recommended ones) do I complete the system with a 12volt coil?

[Dan C]

So a 6V battery is not a conclusive evidence of a 6V system

It is highly unlikely it would be anything other than 6v if the battery is 6v.....

Back in the day the electrics on singles were given a bad rap.
IMHO it wasn't entirely deserved.
They weren't good compared to the equivalent Japanese but they did function and if looked after they worked fine.
But because magazine testers tended to give them a bad rap I think owners thought they should "make them better" and usually ended up making them worse...
So I don't subscribe to the theory that you need to replace the originals with modern stuff.
If you want to that's fine and if you know what you are doing you will likely have better and more reliable electrics.
But the original stuff also works fine if you look after it.

If you put in a 12v regulator you will need 12v globes, 12v coil and a 12v horn (although Ive been told that a 6v horn will work). Personally I couldn't be bothered as the 6v stuff is working fine on my bikes.

Cheers
Dan

[veloduke]

the original stuff also works fine if you look after it

Entirely agree.

I run 6V on the 125. The alternator does not put out much power so there is little point trying to convert to 12V. As long as the wiring is in good condition, all should be well. One thing to do would be to make sure the earth is well connected. I run extra earth wires, mainly to avoid a current path through the steering head bearings.

Also, my Velo runs very well on 6V, lights are excellent with a halogen headlight and extra earth wires.

Ultimately, the choice is yours.

[Ventodue]

So a 6V battery is not a conclusive evidence of a 6V system ....

Err ... ? Reckon it pretty much is . Remember, the battery is the source of electricity for pretty much everything. So it's rating = the rating of the electrical system.

But for more confirmation, just check the ratings of the horn and the light bulbs.

Seems like a common thing to stay away from the original Italian electrics in favor of some after market or Japanese fair?

As others have said, don't jump too hastily to conclusions. Often the main reason for changing the original electrical components is their age. After 50+ years, any plastic and rubber elements are likely to be hard and brittle, copper components will be oxidised, coils, capacitors and resistors will be past their best, etc.

And technology has moved on as well.

But plenty of us - me included - are still running original equipment. So I guess it can't all be as bad as some people like to make out ...

[Mark3Cam]

Right. Well I may only have a single bulb for evidence there and a horn to take a closer look at to see. I’m not looking to keep the bike completely stock but do want to maintain original look and especially mounting locations for certain items. I’m not against the 6volt system as it sounds like it would be just fine for the type of riding I will be doing but given the ease of a 12volt regulator install and the desire to replace the rough one on the bike that’s likely the route I’ll go. I would guess that running all LED lights would drastically reduce the draw on the system and any potential charging issues.

[Jordan]

" I don't subscribe to the theory that you need to replace the originals with modern stuff."

I agree, but think that it's a good idea to add relays to help the lighting control circuit - the main light switch and high/low dip switch (especially the dipswitch).
The originals were not thermo-setting plastic like Bakelite, but softer, meltable stuff (thermo-plastic plastic!).
It's not great at handling current, overheating, deforming and commonly failing in time.
Good thing they were cheap, but hang on - they're not so any more.
Relays are the cheap fix to let you keep the original switches, whilst allowing them "light duties".

[veloduke]

Relays are good.
I used one from a VW camper van for the Velo headlight, and it was not expensive.

[Bevel bob]

My 67 bike came "restored" looking great, but included an orriginal unmodified 6v 60w alternator, a 12v rectifier/regulator, 6v lights and 12v coil and battery. It ran but did not charge . Due to the unconventional Ducati system I modified the alternator to a series layout and removed the internal earths. This was a common alteration and lasted for some years , I'm now needing a better charge for reliable lights etc so am looking around.

[ducwiz]

My recommendation: forget all that relay stuff, convert to 12 Volt. Also exchange the horn to a 12 V version, as running the 6V version on 12V gives you 4 times in power consumption, 2 times higher operating current flowing also across the pushbutton contacts - really not recommended.
Relays complicate the electric circuits, they are prone to failure due to vibrations. You need space and holding brackets for them, etc.

Hans