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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Hail ! Lucas, Prince of Darkness !

Drove the car night before last to the pub - fine.

Started the car up in the carpark, the bright red light shone brightly, revved the car up, bright red light stayed on !

O bo**ux me thinks, that's either a shredded fan belt or the bloody control box, quick check in the dark showed the fan belt present and correct, so drove home, light stayed on all the way home.

The control box was replaced in 2008 just after I got the car back on the road, so has done four years, but only about 1500 - 2000 miles, this is the first summer I have really used the car.

I haven't gone down any structured fault finding route and plan to do so over the weekend, but searching for a diagnostic page for the control box I found this guy....

http://www.dynamoregulatorconversions.com


So I'm looking for help on two things.

Fault tree for the actual fault (which I suspect is the control box), but don't know yet.

and

Has anybody else swapped their control box for one of these solid state things, this guy makes some pretty big claims for his gizmo.

Car is a 1965 1275cc positive earth AHS, with dynamo.

The brighter lights alone justify the purchase....
Malc
Malc Gilliver


Malc.

On my Mk3 midget I swapped my dynamo out for an alternator as regular low charge & 2 batteries died within 2/3 rears. No control box required & 3rd battery still going strong after 6 years with nominal 1000/1500 miles per year use.

Of course, if you want originality you will have to wait for more comments. Good luck.

Gavin.
Gavin Rowles

When red light(also ignition light on my 1500) stays on after starting it means the battery doesnt get charged anymore so its the alternator or wiring or battery.
If the wiresconnections ar okay is usualy is the alternator.
No experiences with a dynamo, im not that old nor is my car. ;)
Arie de Best

You need to Google "Lucas generator and control box tests".

There's a pdf on one of the bbs. I tried posting the link but it must be too long or something.

I used this to convince me to chuck away the dynamo and control box and put on an alternator.

I have no personal experience of the electronic control box but I know Alan from Kent MASC uses one. Unfortunately he won't be posting for the moment as he is road testing the Stelvio Pass.

I agree with Gavin about alternators (he will probably post some sarcastic remark now!). Alternators are quite cheap - probably less than the electronic box and installation is very straighforward requiring (in my opinion) an additional wire run to carry the potential extra charging load. You also need to work out a reliable way to bridge across the appropriate connections. THere is a very good pdf on that too.

But alternators are not "original kit". I see some potential here for a "what is more important... " 500-post thread. Hopefully we can avoid that!


Graeme Williams

Malc
I have a PDF entitled Lucas_Generator_and_Control_Box_Tests

Let me have your email address and I'll sent it to you

midgetbitz AT gmail DOT com
Dave O'Neill2

alternators are original equipment on some (very late) 1275s

(IIRC) I'm not sure that anyone with a 1965 car with a 1275 is over concerned about originality

see if this link works - http://mgaguru.com/mgtech/books/pdf/Lucas_Generator_and_Control_Box_Tests.pdf
Nigel Atkins

God I hated the control box,

the 1st thing id do is ...pull the battry cables and check for the green white powder inside the cables and on the post of the battry and dyno....dont just look, actually pull the cables off, then look

Next id get a glass pen, (camera shop) and clean the contacts inside the box, and re-flash the dynomo and readjust the setting from the hayens manual

If that dosnt work....convert to neg earth and convert to single wire alt with built in electronic regulator and install a volt gauge under the dash and replace the idiot red light for a toggle swtich to what ever

Prop

Prop and the Blackhole Midget

Thanks Graeme, Dave and Nigel, I found that file today, but good to know it's the right one !

Prop, I'll have a look for a glass pen, that strikes me as a useful thing to have lying around.

I think I have an alternator in the garage off a Mini, but I'll follow the fault finding thingy first

Malc
Malc Gilliver

there are John Twist videos on and explaining the dynamo too
Nigel Atkins

Maybe we do have Lucas to thank for something...

US plane in 1961 'nuclear bomb near-miss'
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-24183879



"One simple dynamo-technology low voltage switch stood between the United States and a major catastrophe."
Malc Gilliver

This thread was discussed between 20/09/2013 and 21/09/2013

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

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