16ms Dynamo

[Billy Sprocket]

Hi everyone, first post here so I look forward to chatting with you regarding the many stupid questions I'm likely to ask
Down to business,I recently bought an unrestored and fairly unmolested 52 16ms which is, astonishingly, a runner. Problem right now is there's no wiring on it (easy enough to fix, won't be my first time wiring a bike from scratch) but I'm pretty sure the original E3N dynamo is cooked. I've stripped it down and the armature seems awfully crispy compared to what I'd expect, and that leads to a dilemma.
Whichever way I go it's gonna be an expensive job, so here are the options as I see them:

Exchange my cooked dynamo for a refurbished unit through the club spares scheme,
Refurbish the one I've already got using parts available online,
Upgrade to a more powerful E3L which I'm fairly sure will fit,
Upgrade to E3L with 12V conversion

I don't use daytime running lights but I do much prefer filament bulbs to LEDs, and I will be riding at night occasionally. It's not essential but at some point I may want to hook up a phone charger or similar. Plus 12V parts are a lot easier to come by and there's a lot more variety. I'm also not sure about the condition of the original Lucas FADE regulator, it looks ok but I can't tell without hooking it up to a good dynamo.

Thanks in advance for any advice, I can't wait to get this bike on the road

[Reynard24]

You also have the option of an Alton alternator, that’s the route I’d take for 12V on a ‘52 single but it won’t be cheap.
You might also find your “crispy” dynamo may not be suitable for a refurbished one from the spares scheme.

[Billy Sprocket]

I had considered the Alton route but was under the impression they'd gone out of business, just had a look and it seems they're available now at US$640 which as you say, isn't cheap. I've also seen a lot of bad reviews saying they have very poor reliability. It's definitely an option though, thank you for the suggestion, I'll have to do some digging online and see if they're any better than they used to be.
I just got off the phone with a very knowledgeable friend and he thinks if I'm riding at night at all then 6V won't be any good, and after doing it for years on my Honda CB125 before having it converted, I have to agree with him. So it seems my options are 12V E3L or Alton, thank you very much for suggesting it

[Groily]

https://www.alton-france.com/generators/ for the range of Altons. Found everywhere over here in their home country and regarded as reliable now, with a Podtronics rectifier/regulator. Early ones had two (main) problems - an intermediate nylon gear that wore, and a poor regulator that caused battery drain and needed a battery cut-out switch. I have seen very few problems these past few years with them over here, on singles and twins.

Kits for rebuilding an E3N are out there as you say, but if you are going 12v, that's a big ask from short dynamos, although they will support it just about with a decent regulator like the DVR2 and with LEDs fitted. Not the way to go though imho.

If an E3L will go on without fouling at the gearbox end, it's a good option. On a single that revs slowly the 12v armature and field windings are a good thing - on revvier machines the standard '6v' windings work fine at 12v. Again, a decent modern regulator is a v g idea. That'll support traditional bulbs etc - but the rated output of 60W has to be carefully respected if fitting tekkie gizmos or super-powerful lights because the 12v windings are necessarily fine.

Dunn's Dynamos would no doubt be able to sort you an E3L, others could too, and your E3N is worth something against it I'd have thought as they're the better of the short dynamos for the singles.

[Andy51]

I have a '54 G80S fitted with an E3L dyno, modified some years ago in accordance with instructions to be found in photos, I believe. My main bike, a '54 18S, uses standard E3N short dyno with 12v regulator and LED lights. These are perfectly adequate unless you regularly do lots of night time riding. The 1st option is a lot of lathework, so my advice is refurb your dyno, go 12V and LED. Andy

[spookefoote1956]

I agree with Andy

[Billy Sprocket]

Thanks for the suggestions, I've got a lot to think about now LEDs aren't really an option, I've got a massive grudge against them after being dazzled many times by oncoming traffic. It's been suggested that i hook up a 12V 150W motor from a skateboard (probably best not to think about that too much) but in the interest of saving money I did think maybe I could get a 12V kit for the E3l and just get the longer body but still use all the other parts from mine, problem with that is I can't seem to find one for sale anywhere.
Looking at the prices of things I might just have to run it total loss for a while and make sure it's charged up regularly, shouldn't be a massive problem with magneto ignition.
Maybe stick a solar panel and/or wind turbine on the back mudguard?

[Groily]

If you are going to run it at a total loss, you need LEDs really.
The ones for bikes aren't like modern car things and in any case if aimed right they should be OK. I currently have some Paul Goff 12v dual polarity LEDs for British Pre Focus units, and also some Classic Dynamo Regulators ones for H4 fittings. More expensive than trad bulbs, but minimal current consumption. (The CDR people even sell an insert that gets you from the 43mm H4 hole to the larger 45mm size that was popular at one point - VERY handy, I use one for a Cibié unit that is the best night-time illuminator I have got.)
That said, for me, the jury's out on the life expectancy of some LEDs - I've had several headlight ones fail in recent times - but for dynamo machines they're pretty useful.
And as people have said, you could indeed go 12v with the E3N and a decent regulator with LEDs, it's just not a good plan with trad bulbs. I've been running one twin with a suitably-modded short E3HM (less robust than an E3N), a DVR2 at 12v and LEDs, always expecting it to die . . . but 3 years in and it works fine still after a lot of miles, always 'LEDs on'.

Rex' Speed Shop, Feked and others do 12v bits for E3Ls, Dunn has complete ones, Priory Magnetos could also help. But you have to be sure the longer body will fit the bike. Not having any singles I haven't got any experience of this, but you'll see from Andy51's comment there's work to do maybe.

Many of us have dreams of fitting other devices, be they off farm machinery, skateboards even! - or whatever - but pipedreams is what they mostly are!

[AndrewM]

LED bulbs consume so little power you are crazy not to use them, and if you do there is nothing wrong with sticking with a 6v system. Check that your earth connections are good, as this can be a weak point on old bikes.

[Billy Sprocket]

If I can find LEDs with a decent beam pattern I'm open to it, but I see far too many cars and bikes on the road with LED headlights that don't seem to be aimed anywhere at all, they just throw intensely bright light everywhere and it's dangerous to oncoming traffic but they're either oblivious or just don't care if other road users can see or not.
I think my plan for now will be to just stick whatever bulbs i can in there and run it total loss, and maybe carry a little solar trickle charger if I go away for a weekend just so I know it'll be charged when I need it. I'll need a proper charging system sooner or later but it should do for now while I save some money and carry on weighing all the very expensive options.
Thanks for your advice everyone