Headlight option recommendations for a newly upgraded 6v to 12v A10

[mikeb]

and from memory the bolts are 26tpi unless someone has forced a metric or unf thread in with those sidelights - you may want to check before your next online order - do you have a thread gauge? or spare cycle thread bolt?

[JulianS]

With non standard type switch I would expect the wiring to switch needs to be different from the standard A10 wiring diagram.

[Topdad]

Brian, as a compromise why not fit an LED to the rear ,simple to use just fit as the old bulb did and free up more Watts for the headlight ?

[BrianS]

and from memory the bolts are 26tpi unless someone has forced a metric or unf thread in with those sidelights - you may want to check before your next online order - do you have a thread gauge? or spare cycle thread bolt?

I have taken a chance and ordered the 24tpi bolts - only just over £4 delivered. If they are wrong then I am sure I will be able to use them at some point.

I have a set of thread gauges but I am not the best at using them on internal threads 

[BrianS]

With non standard type switch I would expect the wiring to switch needs to be different from the standard A10 wiring diagram.

I think I will be taking photos and drawing diagrams before disconnect the wires 

[BrianS]

Brian, as a compromise why not fit an LED to the rear ,simple to use just fit as the old bulb did and free up more Watts for the headlight ?

I have fitted one of Paul Goff's Mk2 LED Stop/Tail Lightboard - LB12 but I think, as well as other electrical problems, I may also have a faulty brake light switch 

My mate following me yesterday said that the brake light started with intermittent flashing rather than flickering, like I was resting my foot on a sensitive brake pedal (which I wasn't), then it stayed on for a while, then off for no longer than 5 seconds before flickering & off & on again.

So another bit of investigation needed!

[duTch]

 ^^^Might be adjusted wrong?

[BrianS]

 ^^^Might be adjusted wrong?

That's what I am hoping! A bit of TLC, a good spray of electrical contact cleaner and proper adjustment will sort it - I hope 

[mikeb]

you might be right on that headlamp bolt brian - a now half recall it was bsf, so dont trust my memory (i don't).
while you are at it, and for more unsolicited advice, if you have an old dodgy switch and a new high current headlamp then 2 other fairly easy upgrades are a relay to offload the current from the tired old hi-lo beam switch and a separate thick earth wire going directly from the headlamp ground to where the battery ground attaches to the frame. the earthing can be random on these bikes and impaired by things like grease i the head bearings etc.
your bike is now 12v not 6v, so those little losses are less significant on final voltage tho still worth avoiding. and besides, if you get all this work finished too soon you'll have to go and ride it and that's dangerous!

[BrianS]

Thanks for the tips Mike - much appreciated!

Brian

PS No danger of the bike not being ridden. Thankfully the days are getting longer so lights are not a real issue     See http://www.a7a10.net/forum/index.php?topic=11566.0

[duTch]

 Probably not applicable here but figure I'll mention it anyway...yesterday I felt the need to run with lights on in daylight (idiot visibility), but when leaving after a cold drinks, I saw the headlight shining on the wall but no tail light... No brake light either  ; aha- LED and low voltage don't mix, but as soon as I fired up all was well.

 Just something to keep in mind when running LEDs

[Scott and Jay]

Yes, Dutch

That is exactly what happened to me - even when I had just turned the Headlight on. Couldn't get anything from my LED tail/brake light. This was because my battery was on the way out, however. With a new Motobatt battery - the LED tail light stays on when I switch the Headlight on. It would go out soon, before the headlight - if I left it without charging, I suspect..

[BrianS]

Every day's a school day!

[BrianS]

I have removed the unused sidelights which bolted through the headlight and surround and am struggling to find short bolts that match the threads in the headlight nacelle. I think the part number is 0590-46 and possibly 5/16 x 26 tpi?  Are these likely to be correct http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/4x-5-16-BSCy-x1-2-26TPI-Stainless-Hex-Setscrews-Triumph-BSA-Cycle-Thread-Bolts-/370760120564?hash=item56530678f4:g:bvIAAOxyA9dSVlM~

I don't think my headlight nacelle is the standard one as the bolts I bought are about a third the size I need. I will probably carry on using nuts and bolts until I can find the right ones 

[mikeb]

sounds frustrating. are you sure the ones you received match the description of the part number? theres a spreadsheet on the forum somewhere with most bolts listing their size thread etc