Hi All

I'm a bit worried by the current draw shown on the ammeter when I switch on the ignition on my 1930 RK.  It reads 6 amps discharge (without the engine running). I've established that when the points are open the discharge is pretty much zero so I reason that it can only be the ignition circuit that is causing the high current draw.

I thought I'd found the answer when I tested the coil and found the resistance between the + and - terminals was 1 ohm. I reasoned that from ohms law 6 volts divided by 1 ohm gives 6 amps. I thought the coil was faulty. So I purchased a new coil from a reputed supplier and found that too had a resistance of just 1 ohm and apparently that is normal for the coils they sell.

The car starts, runs and has no ill effects from the high ignition current apart from the fact the dynamo struggles to counter the discharge unless its revved.

Question is 6 amp discharge normal?  Is there anything else that could be drawing the current?

Cheers

Howard

Is there anyone out there in the East Suffolk (Aldeburgh) area? Two members of the Bristol club are venturing east (with Sevens of course) for a week next week, Sunday 7th to Friday 12th. It would be good to meet at a pub for lunch or something.

Am attempting rebuild of late C35A dynamo that previous owner stripped down and left in a box of bits. I have no idea what he butchered/snipped. (Bear in mind that I don't really do electrickery. My understanding is limited to: Thing works=Good. Thing doesn't work=Bad. Thing smokes and catches fire=Very Bad).

I have just fettled a less deconstructed C35M (following the Cornwall A7 club notes on testing etc) and it's now working fine - but the connections are a little less obvious on the A.

I appear to have two wires from the field coils , the red one (ignore that it is poking out of the casing) and and bare one - there is continuity between them.

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I know that one brush is to earth and I have identified which one it is.  The other brush presumably has a wire from it to the POS/D external terminal.  Then the smaller, moveable, third brush is connected to the field coils and then to the F2 external terminal.

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But I  have two wires from the coils, the red and the bare. Which goes where?

I need to get hold of a few small bits - a brush spring, the two screws that hold the shoe plates in place between the coils, a woodruff key for the drive end, and a spring to hold the end cap in place. Any ideas where they might be obtainable?

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"There are two types of distributor: manual advance (on the steering wheel) or automatic advance.
Ignition timing: manual distributor: points open at 11⁄2“ BTDC measured on the top of the flywheel.Automatic distributor: points open at TDC on flywheel." is on the Dorset Club Technical Sheet which is generally quite useful.

I'm just trying to get my head round this for the manual setting. Does this mean that the manual setting is set when the setting lever is fully extended to ADV?

I'm presuming the lever has a set amount of movement to Adv and R, or is there ability to tweak/optimise this? And the lower advance (than later cars) explains the difference between 1 1/2" BTDC and 1 7/8" which is quoted elsewhere for the later ones?

In my research of Austin Dealerships  I have come across a number of unusual adverts but I did not think I would find an advert for a dealer which promoted both American Austin and English Austin, or an Austin Seven which was not in any of the books such as The Source Book.

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Haircut anyone?

Hi All, I am thinking of a roof rack for my 33 rp box, does anyone have one they would like to sell ?, or pictures \ plans \ ideas for making one, would need to be quite light, also looking for a vintage taxi sign \ meter \ what ever.
               Thank you Dai, in a very wet Argyll.

I have at last finished the special and on the first drive noticed the speedo reading about a third what it should do (odometer as well). I'm pretty sure if it was a magnetic type speedo it could be adjusted to suit but not sure about the "PA" mechanical type. Not fussed about the odometer.  I know there are ratio adaptors available that attach to the cable but is there another way?

HI all, is there any essex or london nippy owners out there .Be good to make cntact with someone who shares the same interest and car

also can someone give me a contact for floor panels. 36 car.
Regards Rob

Hi,

Around one year ago I bought a new 6 volt battery but problems with the car and a lack of time means I haven't actually run the car since then.

Periodically I have been putting it on charge using an "intelligent" charger.   Normally, when you connect this it senses that it's a 6-volt battery and three lights come on, one to indicate mains voltage, one to indicate 6-volt operation and the other that it's charging.

Yesterday however only the mains light came on and no matter what I do no other lights come on.

I tried measuring the voltage between the two crocodile clips but this is zero.   On a more basic transformer / rectifier set up this would convince me the charger has failed but should I still get an output from an "intelligent" charger if it doesn't see a load?

I've tried to borrow a charger but all the neighbors ones are only 12-volt and I'm reluctant to buy another charger if it's actually an issue with the battery.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

John.