I’m still sorting my Convert’s charging system and battery, but the MOT will be due soon and a recent development has me a little concerned. Apparently, panel warning lights are to be part of the test from this year, at least for cars; it isn’t clear from what I’ve read whether bikes are included.
Anyway, the nub of the thing is that mine has never worked since I got the bike! (I’m assuming that that’s what the float/capacitive switch in the rear brake cylinder is for but, as I don’t have a handbook, I can’t be sure!).
The led in the nacelle is ok but I can’t seem to work out a test protocol for the switch; it isn’t very obvious to me how it’s supposed to work. Anyone know?
A.T.
It is in the top of the mastercyl on a convert behind the left hand side panel …low level of brake fluid puts the light on so to test it pull off the terminals and join them = light on lo fluid. I check mine now and again NEVER had it on other than a check in 25 yrs
IF it does not light the dash suspect the bulb first .
I have actually taken out some of the dash lights I do not need as I have the gearbox in there so I do NOT have the clutch cut out switch in the cable OR the park brake switch fitted.
I do NOT think these will ever be a problem, never had the hazards checked at MOT, few 1976 CARS had them let alone bikes. They never check the fog/spots either, but they do work.
I do know the test was going to make it that any spot lights fitted MUST wrk, causing problems for the old Scooters with loads a lights, many have fitted LED bulbs with very low power so the light does come on but is practically useless.
WELL worth getting one of Cris’s Convert wiring diagrams makes it a wee bit easier to follow the wiring
guzzibear2013-08-17 11:22:56
If it helps mine does not have the float switch but does have the warning light, it passed MOT OK, I got the light wired to sidestand switch but Jim never queried it. Whether he discovered it works off the sidestand I don’t know and I didn’t tell him, I don’t think. Wasn’t a big issue anyway. In the past I’ve found the float switches unreliable, won’t necessarily work in the rare event that you actually want it to! Like when your fluid’s too low… so you have to resort to periodic testing to make sure. If you can be bothered… I think there are some warning lights that are essential like high beam warning for instance, must be MOT guidelines on the webernet.
Mike H2013-08-17 12:07:21
[QUOTE=guzzibear] It is in the top of the mastercyl on a convert behind the left hand side panel …low level of brake fluid puts the light on so to test it pull off the terminals and join them = light on lo fluid. I check mine now and again NEVER had it on other than a check in 25 yrs
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IF it does not light the dash suspect the bulb first .
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I have actually taken out some of the dash lights I do not need as I have the gearbox in there so I do NOT have the clutch cut out switch in the cable OR the park brake switch fitted.
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I do NOT think these will ever be a problem, never had the hazards checked at MOT, few 1976 CARS had them let alone bikes. They never check the fog/spots either, but they do work.
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I do know the test was going to make it that any spot lights fitted MUST wrk, causing problems for the old Scooters with loads a lights, many have fitted LED bulbs with very low power so the light does come on but is practically useless.
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WELL worth getting one of Cris’s Convert wiring diagrams makes it a wee bit easier to follow the wiring
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That’s correct, there is a live to the lamp and then the earth goes through the switch, just earth the switch and the lamp should illuminate ianboydsnr2013-08-17 17:18:52
Thanks guys, that makes it all perfectly clear (except that my master cylinder is on the right side!). I’ve stripped the switch assembly, cleaned the contacts and reassembled it correctly (the float wasn’t properly attached!). The switch now works (most of the time!) but the idiot light still doesn’t so I’ll carry on up the line.
A.T.
I’m sure GB meant right
Of course he did! No trouble anyway, I finally ventured inside the bothersome binnacle and found, as I suspected, that the bulb was okay; but the bulb-holder was a bit rocky. I had a couple of spares left over from when I replaced the binnacle so I fitted one of them. Now it lights up like a Christmas tree! Well, sometimes…as you said, Mike, the switches are unreliable but I don’t think the tester can check that, as he’s not supposed to open anything up. At least I can tell him, truthfully, that the system works as well as it ever did or will!
Thanks all, va bene!
A.T.
Those eejit light holders are awful once you move them they can be very iffy By the way yu can get brighter bayonet bulbs in them I also have some LED ones I fitted but DO not alter the charge warning light bulb from standardguzzibear2013-08-18 17:14:39
Do they look like any of these? http://www.thisoldtractor.com/gtbender/print/moto_guzzi_loopframe_dash_dash_indicator_lights.htm Lots of possibilities there for tarnished (aka bad) connections! I am only familiar with the circuit board type, uses ‘wedge’ bulbs that push into plastic holders with like bayonet fittings that then go into the board, ‘blades’ on the holder make contact (supposed to) with the track pads on the board. I got a 2nd one in a terrible mess, the bulbs and holders were so far gone they had to be replaced, the board retinned with solder then it was coated in PCB lacquer to try keep the damp out in future when reassembled.
If you don’t want it there are covers on ebay that have no switches on them
Sorry left looking AT the bike right as sat on the bike… tis under the side panel any road up…so I don’t know me left from me right “hic”
Well it’s under A sidepanel and there’s only a choice of two
So ses YOU hic , tee hee hic
AT my MOT in April this year my tester checked the indicator repeater lamp (as always) and the main beam warning on the dash. Probably something to do with the daytime running headlamps on modern machines.
No I think it was always the case that you have to have a high beam indicator, because of blinding other traffic. List of MOT checkable dash lamps here - http://www.nidirect.gov.uk/changes-to-the-mot-test Note still only some lamps, they don’t care if oil pressure lamp doesn’t work for example, apparently.
I also have some LED ones I fitted but DO not alter the charge warning light bulb from standard.Why, please?
Simple answer it screws the charging system
PLEASE for the love of ___ (enter your own word here) Please I beg do NOT enter the technically correct and utterly boring scientific reason why, It is there IF someone can be bothered to search.
The OEM lamp is needed to provide the correct and needed criteria for the charging system to work as it should ON AN OLDER bike such as a 1970’s Bosch systemed Convert T series,Spada,V1000 yadda yadda.
No the ones in many Guzzis with NO PCB are for the Wedge type lamps not the and are often found in dasboards in cars I got dozens from a scrapyard from a Peugot
These are the ones that fit to a PCB
but in the Convert t3 etc the bulb holder is fitted into the hole and has 2 spade terminals
The only replacement holders I have found to date have 2 wires out of them, unless you buy from Guzzi of course.
Oh right OK.
That was my point, Mike; your link says:
“The main changes relate to vehicle electronic safety and warning systems and vehicle construction and use. They will affect cars, light goods vehicles, heavy goods vehicles, buses and trailers”.
Nothing about motorcycles…
A.T.