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Alton electric starter

Submitted by barry_crosby on Saturday, 12 July, 2025 - 14:36
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Commando

Has anyone experienced any charging problems with the stator on their Alton electric starter..? Mine has been on the commando approximately 8 years and even though low mileage, has failed twice.   In both cases one of the two output wires had separated from the coils . First time one of the wires parted approximately 20 cm from the coil and as such was easily repaired . On this recent occasion the same wire parted from the coil base , making it almost impossible to re solder without destroying the shellac insulation.  A replacement stator costs £250 .!    Can anyone recommend a repairer who might be able to undertake a repair.?  

Submitted by alan_osborn on Saturday, 12 July, 2025 - 15:29

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I am happy to look, I can reconnect the Lucas stators. But if we knew where you are this would be a good idea. I am in mid Norfolk.

Submitted by peter_shand on Saturday, 12 July, 2025 - 17:50

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Plenty of space around the stator laminations, should be an easy job to rewind it
Sent you a PM

Submitted by barry_crosby on Monday, 14 July, 2025 - 15:38

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Hi Alan , thanks for your offer , one of the NOC Yorkshire members who lives not far away has offered to carry out the repair so I should be up and running soon. I have returned my Boyer Branson power box for testing and awaiting their findings . Hopefully it's ok ?  Regards. Barry . 

Submitted by peter_shand on Saturday, 12 July, 2025 - 15:33

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Afternoon Barry
In a previous life (read hobby put on hold here) I made and flew radio controlled model aircraft and got to the stage of making our own three phase electric motors for the models. This entailed rewinding  CD Rom drive motors and the like, even using the core elements from VHS recorders.
Using a much heavier gauge of wire and the supermagnets then becoming available we were achieving 20 minute run times for a full house aerobatic model.
Earlier than that i rewound a rotor for a Ford Escort windscreen motor back when money was tight.  
I still have a box of the insulated wire of all different gauges (modern wire has a plastic type coating, looks like shellac but isn't) Looking at the Alton stator on RGM's website it shouldn't be a difficult job to rewind it.  
How did the journey back to Leeds go?
Regards
Peter   

Submitted by dave_rood on Tuesday, 15 July, 2025 - 14:14

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Hi Barry, 
Nice to see you made it back home, shame we could not fix it at the rally!

My advice if someone is going to fix it for you would be try and keep the solid core wire short and fixed and add tails of a multi core wire onto them.
The issue is with the solid core wires "flapping around" with vibration, at least with a flexible tail it would relieve some of the stress on the wire.

Good luck,
Dave Rood (DoctoR)

Submitted by webmaster on Wednesday, 16 July, 2025 - 09:17

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Hi Barry

Just a (belated) note that I've suffered exactly the same issue twice on my Alton stator. I have managed to fix it but presently own three of the things! 

Peter

Submitted by barry_crosby on Wednesday, 16 July, 2025 - 16:50

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Hi Peter , sounds like you've been having fun! .?  I think this is one of the systems Achilles heel's. This together with the Rotor woodruff key being inadequate makes my confidence in the setup quite low.!  I'm hopeful mine can be repaired, and if so will look closely at trying minimise any movement on the two output leads almost certainly the cause of the wires breaking. I contacted Alton but have not had a response to date .  I was supprised at the mileage I got from my battery on my way home and pleased I fitted a 20 AH . Hopefully no further problems once sorted?     Regards       Barry 

Afternoon James
What has been rubbing on the coils? The starter chain runs very close to the coils and others have increased the space there by putting washers between the stator and its mounting plate.
Some of the insulating laminate has lifted next to the mounting holes, possibly by using a too big a washer under the bolt head that has deformed the laminate.
Sent you a PM
Regards
Peter    

Submitted by james_murray on Saturday, 26 July, 2025 - 16:42

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Never could figure out what was rubbing, I bought  the Alton from a guy in Ireland  that posted it here. He ghosted me when asked what happened.  The rotor was damaged also. I replaced the 2 pieces with new so I have the damaged parts just lying around .No help from Alton either.

Submitted by roger_coleridge on Saturday, 26 July, 2025 - 17:30

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Hi, I hope you don't mind me coming into the conversation but I fear I may have the same problem. I have not stripped anything down yet but if the stator needs rewinding can any of you fine gents tell me what gauge the wire is? Many thanks, Roger.

Submitted by peter_shand on Sunday, 27 July, 2025 - 11:11

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Morning Roger
Unwinding the failed coil will break the tiny little ears of insulating laminate that along with the black epoxy hold the coil in place, (trying to rewind the coil without these ears results in the coil falling off the iron core,  the first two attempts) You have to be careful not to break the wire coming from the next door coil as it is insulated with epoxy filled fiberglass sleeving (available from Farnells) that has to be removed so you can solder the new wire to it.
You will need to make new insulating laminates with stronger ears (third attempt, new laminates with thin ears broke)  before you can attempt to rewind the coil. 
After rewinding, encapsulate it in epoxy and gently squeeze the coil outwards (away from the rotor, in a radial direction) while the epoxy sets.
Terminate the coil wires with flexible wire. 
Regards
Peter 
 

Submitted by barry_crosby on Saturday, 26 July, 2025 - 17:45

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Hi Roger , Peter has just undertaken a repair/ rewind on my stator coil so he will be able to advise you on the wire gauge. . 

Submitted by barry_crosby on Sunday, 17 August, 2025 - 08:25

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Many thanks Peter for the first class repair you achieved . The system is now back together and charging as it should . Good to have the electric start back on stream .        Thanks . Barry.

 



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