Sparx better than 3phase lucas?
- Thread starter jimbo
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jimbo
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Well, I have a 3 phase Lucas , I've been out of the Norton game for a while and now I'm riding the bike in the cold and the charging system is not keeping up. I thought there might be something out there that would be better than the Lucas 3 phase I installed several years ago. I have a 24amp hour battery in it. :shock:
Jimbo, I used to work for POD and have some original alternator curves. All tests were done at a nominal 14v (13.7-14.4) and on paper the Sparx shows another amp at peak but it's real advantage is that it produces considerably higher amps at low rpms. For example the Lucas
3 ph gave about 10A at 2700 rpm. Sparx claim the same output at 2000 rpm which helps if you idle a lot or only putt around at 35mph.
3 ph gave about 10A at 2700 rpm. Sparx claim the same output at 2000 rpm which helps if you idle a lot or only putt around at 35mph.
Ron L
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Jimbo,
I have a Lucas 3-phase with a Podtronics regulator that allows me to idle around Daytona during Bike Week for 5 days with my halogen headlight on and requires no supplemental charging.
Since you have the Lucas 3 phase stator, perhaps all you need is a new regulator/rectifier such as the Podtronics, Tympanium, or Boyer Powerbox? I am assuming you are running the wafer rectifier and zener diodes currently.
Or perhaps your battery has a weak cell?
I certainly would not change out the stator for a small gain. Is this an electric start? Are you running ancillary electrical equipment? (electric vest, GPS, driving lights, etc.)
I have a Lucas 3-phase with a Podtronics regulator that allows me to idle around Daytona during Bike Week for 5 days with my halogen headlight on and requires no supplemental charging.
Since you have the Lucas 3 phase stator, perhaps all you need is a new regulator/rectifier such as the Podtronics, Tympanium, or Boyer Powerbox? I am assuming you are running the wafer rectifier and zener diodes currently.
Or perhaps your battery has a weak cell?
I certainly would not change out the stator for a small gain. Is this an electric start? Are you running ancillary electrical equipment? (electric vest, GPS, driving lights, etc.)
Ron L
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Ahh. When you say you hava 3-phase alternator, did you replace the stock 180 watt single phase, half-wave rectified stator with a 180 watt three phase rotor?
The Mk3 came with the half-wave rectifier to obtain the 180 watt rating, but at a much higher rpm. These units provide little advantage over the earlier 120 watt single phase units below 3000 rpm.
It is possible that your rotor has lost some magnetism. That would reduce your current output also.
Does anyone know if you can use a standard single phase electronic regulator/rectifier with the Mk3 stator (RM23)? Will this produce more power than the zener diodes/half-wave rectifier? Does it produce more power than the earlier RM21 stator with an electronic regulator/rectifier?
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I HAD TO BUY TWO SYSTEMS BEFORE I FOUND THE REAL PROBLEM WITH MY CHARGING SYSTEM. EVERY SO CALLED EXPERT TOLD ME THAT MY 71 COMMANDO HAD A BAD STATOR. AFTER I REPLACED THE STATOR AND UPGRADED TO A POD VOLTAGE REGULATOR I STILL HAD VERY LITTLE CHARGE. NEXT STEP WAS TO TRY THE THREE PHASE SPARX SYSTEM. IT CAME WITH A NEW ROTOR. I TRIED THE ROTOR WITH MY SINGLE PHASE SYSTEM AND THE CHARGE WAS UP TO SNUFF. I STILL SWITCHED TO THE THREE PHASE. IT REALLY PUTS OUT THE JUICE.
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my rotor would not even hold it's own weight when picked up with a screw driver blade.
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