Ignition coil resistance

Thank you all for your advice.

I have finally been able to do a lot more measuring, please see the attachment.

My problem is that the system is not charging enough.

I think I need a new stator. Is it possible to use a three wire powerbox (3 phase?) with a two wire stator (single phase)? (I have been offered a single phase stator locally)

Can any body tell me what the problem is? 

As I live a long way from the UK with a very weak currency, I need to be certain of the problem before I import anything.

Originally I thought that the coil was drawing too much current (I think it's a 6V coil - it has a 6 stamped on it), every thing else is 12 V. So I fitted a resistor to reduce the current.

According to the internet, the stator is from a 1972 Rocket or Triumph 3 cyclinder. So I assumed it is 12 V, and made everything 12 V.

The stator output amps I measured using a multimeter set to ac in the three wires coming from the stator. One wire was 4.5 amps, one was 1.2 amps. Can this be right, surely all 3 wires should deliver approximately equal current?

The reason I asked about 3 phase is that the new Wassel powerbox I have has three input wires. The new stator I have been offered has two output wires. I see from Norvil catalog that both 3 and single phase alternators are available.  Can I connect a two wire stator into a three wire powerbox? How?

I will try using a basic rectifier. When I bought this old bike it had an old red rectifier - a stack of fins with three wires leading into it. I hope I can find it.

Thanks again.

Your – and Alan’s - statement about the 2 and 4 coils showing different amperages ties up to a degree with my measurements (4.5 amps,  1.2  and 3) although 1.2 seems a bit low.

I’m going to test the set-up as detailed in Alan’s document.

I should have read this a long time ago.

By the way, the wire colours from my stator are black/white,  black,  white/black.

I'll what you say.

I'll use the rectifier box from my Commando.

 .... - the results are added to the previous attachment.

I have gone through his paper and done exactly as he stated.

One coil group has a lower resistance than recommended (0.6 ohms i o 1 ohm)

The resistance to earth of the 3 wires is not infinite, ranges from 1.6 Mohms to 10 Mohms.

I don't know if these are real or spurious on my multimeter. Readings were taken from the 3 wires to the stator body.

It would be very much appreciated if someone could tell me if the stator is still sound.

I intended to try the Wassell Power Module which is fitted to my Commando, but it has only two stator input wire, not 3 as the ES2 stator has output leads.

Can a 3 wire stator work satisfactorily with a 2 wire Power Module?

Everybodys help and advice is very much appreciated. Hopefully I will soon know if my stator is ok.

Hullo all,

After a long delay, I have finally fixed the poor charging on my '61 ES2.

There was a problem with the stator, so I bought a new one.

The rotor, although holding its own weight on a spanner, wasn't holding strongly enough. I borrowed a known good one and found it required considerably more pull to get it off the spanner.

I bought a good one from our local club.

So now, it is charging sufficiently to ride with confidence during the day, and with side lights on. If headlights are needed in the day, sufficient revs are needed.

Thank you all for your help and suggestions.

In all my antics, I (tried) to measure the magnetism of the old rotor.

My phone has a compass app which shows magnetism (in micro T(Tesla!) units). 

I found that with the center of the rotor 11 cm from the edge of the phone, mT measured  160, 115, 158, 114, 161, 116 for the 6 segments.  Three high, three low alternately. 

I don't know how useful this is, if at all.