Magneto slip ring contamination

Yes,got that thanks guys,i cant remember where i got the pick ups from but i will give one of the experts a bell tommorrow. Thanks to all.

Previously Gordon Johnston wrote:

It is essential you fit brushes of the correct hardness from a reputable magneto parts supplier. There have been cases of damage to windings apparently caused by stray tracking from slip rings contaminated by carbon from soft brushes.

Thats useful gen thanks .I will have a look tom and check the carbon brushes. Thaks again.

Previously andy_marks wrote:

Hi Colin

I overhaul Magnetos for a living and have come acrossthis problem plenty of times. We donât supply spare parts so have no hesitation in recommending Dave Lindsley ( www.davelindsley.co.uk ) as a source of the correct type. If you ask him for K2F twin brushes youâll get the right ones. They have a groove up the side. So far we are yet to find a suitable brush without the groove, or an unsuitable brush with a groove. Hardly scientific so I wouldnât want to say it is a definitive way of telling how hard the brush is, but it seems to work as a rule of thumb. The groove has no impact on the performance of the brush; it just seems that whoever is making them with a groove is using the right material.

Itâs also worth pointing out that you can go too far the other way; a brush that is too hard will wear a groove in the slip ring and begin to cause problems this way. There are a couple of pictures and some information on this on our website: http://www.themagnetoguys.co.uk/Slip_Rings.php

In the absence of proper laboratory test equipment, an easy test is to use the brush to draw on a piece of paper. If, after the first stroke, there is no mark on the paper it is almost certainly too hard. If, after half a dozen or so strokes, you are still getting a carbon streak on the paper, it is probably too soft.

Softer brushes will work fine in singles though they may wear more quickly. They will leave a carbon track but, being a single it doesnât matter, the slip ring has a continuous brass band anyway. Even with the softer brushes, you should get thousands of miles out of a single before needing to clean the slip ring.

Hope this is of some help

Andy

Hi again,just realised that i looked at your website yesterday. Guess if i cant sort it i should send it to you for a diagnostic. Cheers,colin.

Previously andy_marks wrote:

Hi Colin

I overhaul Magnetos for a living and have come acrossthis problem plenty of times. We donât supply spare parts so have no hesitation in recommending Dave Lindsley ( www.davelindsley.co.uk ) as a source of the correct type. If you ask him for K2F twin brushes youâll get the right ones. They have a groove up the side. So far we are yet to find a suitable brush without the groove, or an unsuitable brush with a groove. Hardly scientific so I wouldnât want to say it is a definitive way of telling how hard the brush is, but it seems to work as a rule of thumb. The groove has no impact on the performance of the brush; it just seems that whoever is making them with a groove is using the right material.

Itâs also worth pointing out that you can go too far the other way; a brush that is too hard will wear a groove in the slip ring and begin to cause problems this way. There are a couple of pictures and some information on this on our website: http://www.themagnetoguys.co.uk/Slip_Rings.php

In the absence of proper laboratory test equipment, an easy test is to use the brush to draw on a piece of paper. If, after the first stroke, there is no mark on the paper it is almost certainly too hard. If, after half a dozen or so strokes, you are still getting a carbon streak on the paper, it is probably too soft.

Softer brushes will work fine in singles though they may wear more quickly. They will leave a carbon track but, being a single it doesnât matter, the slip ring has a continuous brass band anyway. Even with the softer brushes, you should get thousands of miles out of a single before needing to clean the slip ring.

Hope this is of some help

Andy

Ok,thanks again.colin.

Previously andy_marks wrote:

Hi Colin

Give us a ring before you send anything. We are very busy at the moment but will do our best to help out if we can.

Andy