6 volt or 12 volt

[KiwiGF]

hi Denis, i'm not sure if all dvr2's are the same but in case it makes a difference to your plans my dvr2 can be configured to be 6v positive earth or 12v positive earth so i can convert to 12v without having to buy another one.

[trevinoz]

With AC, a little thing called power factor comes into play which determines the current draw.
However, all of our bikes are DC whether generator or alternator equipped

Trev..

[Gavin]

Hi Musky, I think its a great concept this here poll. But I am afraid I may have messed it up a little. You ask at the beginning for those who have both 12v and 6v systems to respond to the poll. I only have the 6v system and I was sucked in and replied... and I fear others may be guilty of the same... and perhaps even some more (seemingly) enlightened 12 volters will have short circuited the purity of the poll as well.

Now the real issue with the poll outcome is... you look like having a mix of responders... owners of 6v 12v and both. How you evaluate that across a forum of "mixed" voltage owners I am not sure....

I recon that ya total numbers at the end of each line will give a great general overview. Pure mathematical excellence in the poll regarding the number of forum members is irrelevant to the outcomes.

Yep... I am a dull 6v owner and likely to stay that way as I build a second bike. Far too many drop bears here for night riding.

[wilko]

I think everybody should get out more often!

[denis]

Hi KiwiGF,

Yes , that's right, my dvr2 is for both 6 or 12.  It's for positive or negative earth that it makes a difference.  So as for changing from 6 to 12 V you then only need a 12V battery, 12V lightbulbs and hope your dynamo won't notice?   

Thx, Denis

[KiwiGF]

hi denis, yep your dynamo wont notice i reckon albeit there are posts on this forum saying otherwise eg some over heating, theres a wire on the dvr2 that needs adding/changing to make it 12v. It does mean the battery wont start charging until the engine hits more rpm though, compared to when its only required to make 6v.

A 6v horn should sound louder and still work on 12v by all accounts!

[warmshed]

The fact you say you have belt drive means that the probability is that you have an increase in dynamo speed, Most if not all kits are made this way. The DVR2 belt drive is faster than the SRM one.
this will reduce the engine speed to balance out the load .

You really cant beat (my thoughts ) 12 volt -VE earth.  You can then fit  normal LED stop/tail bulb for a couple of pounds from ebay without the complexity or expense of ones from, Goff. You can get lower powered 35 watt halogen H4 bulbs (if you dont want to use 50 watt ones) so you can fit any of the standard round 7" front car lights. I use a Hella which gives a good beam. Try getting a 6 volt bulb if your fails on the way to Germany or Wales come to that.

If you want to go to electronic ignition then no problem they mostly work on 12 volt -ve earth too.  Fitting GPS, phone chargers or any other extra in the future will be no problem.  just my two penneth.
Dave.

[a101960]

Warmshed, I could not have put it better myself. I agree with all that you have said.
John

[KeithJ]

The fact you say you have belt drive means that the probability is that you have an increase in dynamo speed, Most if not all kits are made this way. The DVR2 belt drive is faster than the SRM one.
this will reduce the engine speed to balance out the load .

You really cant beat (my thoughts ) 12 volt -VE earth.  You can then fit  normal LED stop/tail bulb for a couple of pounds from ebay without the complexity or expense of ones from, Goff. You can get lower powered 35 watt halogen H4 bulbs (if you dont want to use 50 watt ones) so you can fit any of the standard round 7" front car lights. I use a Hella which gives a good beam. Try getting a 6 volt bulb if your fails on the way to Germany or Wales come to that.

If you want to go to electronic ignition then no problem they mostly work on 12 volt -ve earth too.  Fitting GPS, phone chargers or any other extra in the future will be no problem.  just my two penneth.
Dave.

Totally agree with going 12V but I am not aware of any particular issue with +ve earth for powering GPS and phones etc.  As long as they are connected through some connector or similar mounting hardware, it should be possible to wire them accordingly to work with +ve earth.  Only issue I see could be with electronic ignition if it is "grounded" through the engine/frame earth.  12V LED bulbs are readily available but the ones I have used are polarity sensitive.  Not sure if all LED's are polarity sensitive though.

[groily]

Can't comment on drop bears and such beasts of the night because I've never met (that sort) of nocturnal predator, nor a 'roo! But I will say as one who does ride in the dark a lot, I won't be going back to 6v. Maybe it's just my eyesight, but I find a decent 12v set-up really is better.
If I didn't ride at night I'd probably just have an ancient duff battery, for that 'period look' doncha know, and not bother much about a dynamo. That's a common enough approach here in France, but it is a very limiting factor. Rain, dual carriageways, fog  . . . etc.
And to Ethelred's 'mag v coil/alternator' point  . . .  on an A you'd almost certainly go 12v to get the electronic options if you wanted to do without the mag. On things designed with 6v alternators and coil ignition as original you might persevere at 6v for 'originality' (even if of the near-invisible sort), but the reality is that 12v with proper rectifier/regulator solid state boxes is better (than AC/DC switches with excess spaghetti hanging off the back to 'manage' the alternator, or a zener diode to waste the excess) if you actually want to go anywhere - and get back again.
Biased? Who? Me?
Cheers, Bill

[morris]

Well.... after the SA's magneto packed up again I have changed my mind, and just ordered a Pazon ignition and a 12v conversion kit. But the plunger's definitely staying on 6v! (for now..... )

[Triton Thrasher]

Well.... after the SA's magneto packed up again

Who rewound your magneto?

[Ethelred]

Well here's for the Luddite tendency...

I ride an old BSA coz it's like a time machine. I get out on the lanes round here and ride for miles, day and night. The lanes and B roads haven't much changed and I could be riding along in the 1950s. Kicking it to start it, buggering about with points and magnetos, running on straight 40 oil, peering into the darkness, it's all part of the trip. I have installed a solid state regulator and a hi-tech battery, but neither of those affect the sensual pleasure of the old-fashioned ride. I could see better and probably have less breakdowns if I modernised, but then I could have bought a pretend old bike like a modern Bonnie if I were that way inclined.

To each his own; your bike - your money. I'm just a incurable 6volt romantic with these machines and common-sense has nothing to do with it.

[Topdad]

If I'm honest I changed to 12v simply 'coz I felt it would be easier to get bulbs etc. I don't at this time ride at night but that may change . I certainly rode at night in my youth , no point in going to London with all the fun awaiting and arriving half way through the day , no, ride through the night get there at sparrow fart time and enjoy never seemed to notice the lack of light ,was that simply youth or was that  we just did not have an alternative back then ,regards BobH

[Butch (cb)]

I stayed on 6V because I had a lovely fresh magneto and dynamo to work with. And changing just seems to substitute one set of potential problems for another. I am running solid state rectifier and LED lights to the rear however. 

Problem with sourcing 6v bulbs duly noted. But I've got two filaments at the front and two 'bulbs' at the back so I reckon I'll always get home with some kind of illumination.