Wordman
XS650 Addict
I purchased a NOS brush plate and armature for my project, and I noted that the brush plate has holes for a second set of brushes. Has anyone successfully added (or experimented with adding) the second set of brushes?
If my rekallecktions about armatures is correct, adding those 2 extra brushes to those empty mount holes will increase the current draw 6x, seriously overheat the armature windings, without adding a proportional increase in starter torque, due to misphasing with the field...
I purchased a NOS brush plate and armature for my project, and I noted that the brush plate has holes for a second set of brushes. Has anyone successfully added (or experimented with adding) the second set of brushes?
View attachment 146696
If my rekallecktions about armatures is correct, adding those 2 extra brushes to those empty mount holes will increase the current draw 6x, seriously overheat the armature windings, without adding a proportional increase in starter torque, due to misphasing with the field...
Well, go ahead and try it.
Starter armatures are wound with thick wiring, windings in series, joined at the commutator.
View attachment 146821
The layout of the fields, brushes, and current direction have to make up a working combination. Adding those 2 brushes adds 2 opposing current paths, since each +12v brush is now straddled by 2 ground brushes. The starter's windings and fields would have to be designed to allow for this alteration...
Just for arguments sake, let's say the 4 brush idea works... I'm wondering if the starter gear train is up to the task of handling that much extra power...
... there are several different bikes where a 4-brush kit can be installed, without changing the armature...