What the heck is this? (electrical bit)

[Marlin72xs]

so some useless knowledge is an inevitable occupational illness.....

Interesting! I used to work for a German company, Bitzer International. We sold reciprocal and screw compressors around the world for HVAC and refrigeration. As you say, like most of Europe. Well, South America will has countries with 50Hz and 60Hz and several different voltages. So you can only imagine how many different brochures that we had to produce and also get the correct electric motors sent out.

Trains are another whole story. I had a book about 15 years ago about trains around the world. Some are AC and some are DC with all different voltages. Did you know that in India there are probably 5 or 6 different track widths, the smallest being 24 inches wide. When it comes to trains, there are no standards.

 

[Marlin72xs]

Arctic, I just looked up Tromsoe, Norway on Google maps. It gave me a chill. LOL!

 

[arcticXS]

Arctic, I just looked up Tromsoe, Norway on Google maps. It gave me a chill. LOL!

Well, right now I am in Rio, so not cold at all. Soon, I'll be onboard my ship, heading across the south Atlantic Ocean for Walvis Bay, then Angola. Will be too hot for my taste, especially in full ppe

 

[Marlin72xs]

Be careful. The news we get here in the US says that 8000 people are dying each day in Brazil.

 

[arcticXS]

Be careful. The news we get here in the US says that 8000 people are dying each day in Brazil.

Oh, I am. In quarantine for a week already, stuck in the hotel room. All meals via room service, mask on whenever I open the door to get my food. PCR test tomorrow (4th test in 10 days, various airline requirements)
After we receive the hopefully negative test results, touch wood, we will go straight to the ship. Our company is extremely cautious, as getting this virus onboard would be a disaster.

 

[sleddog83]

I did some tests few years back. Checked the wattage and specs on all the incandescent bulbs used on the bike. If you totaled up a worst case scenario of every possible light being on, There is a greater current draw than the altenator could deliver at idle. This includes headlamp, taillight, signal lights, instrument lights, license plate light and indicator lights. I also did some tests with the engine off and an ammeter hooked up to the main fuse. My Simpson meter only goes up to 10 amps, so I had to modify the test a bit. This was after sitting at an intersection one evening, noticing that the headlamp was dimming in sync with the signal lights. The upshot from this is that I switched out every small incandescent lamp with an Led bulb, replaced the flasher with an electronic one, and bought a better battery. No problems since then. I think the current draw was halved. Get a flasher suitable for led lights. It will save yourself some trouble. I also did a mod to the wiring to enable the signal indicator light, but you can just yank that bulb.

 

[Marlin72xs]

Well, good morning in Vancouver Island! Back in 77, I fell and broke the right front signal light. I took the fronts off and wired the rear signals into the brake light. After about 1-1/2 to 2 years as the battery began to loose its charge, at idle, if I hit the brakes, it would stall.
I modified a diode to allow my single flasher indicator light to work. I haven't tried another flasher yet, but I think the 400-ohm resistor should work without raising the amperage too much. Thanks for the info.