Ace 100 lighting

[megawat]

Quick question, just installed new battery in 1970 100 B. With engine off no lights in ignition switch position 2. With engine running at idle all lights work and headlight gets much brighter when emergency switch under headlight is moved to battery position. Is this the way the system was designed?

[JimmyG]

I have a 1968 100 and that's how mine work althought I don,t have the emergency switch. With the key in the first position only the Brake light and horn work. In the second position( with the emergency switch off) they all work but the headlight and taillight work off the Magneto so at idle they are dim but reving the motor they should brighten up. Turning the emergency switch( on) allows the Battery to power the headlight and taillight as in when the motor isent runnin. Hope this helps.

[megawat]

Thanks Jimmy, if you go to second position on ignition switch with engine not running do you have lights?

[rlkarren]

If I read the Ace 100 wiring diagram correctly....

For an Ace 100, with the key in the first position, "Day" position, you should have horn, speedo light, and stop light only. With the key in the 2nd Position, "Night" position, with engine off, it will be the same.

The Headlight, high beam indicator, and tail light operate directly from AC current generated by the magneto while engine is running. With engine off = no AC = no lights; except the horn, speedo light and Stop light because they operate on current discharged from the battery. The battery acts as a voltage regulator for the horn, speedo light, and stop light. There is no voltage regulation on the AC current generated by the magneto to power the headlight, tail light, and high beam indicator. It is recommended that you install one on the green wire from the key switch where it connects to the main harness.

here's the caveat.. I've recently discovered that not all Ace 100's were wired the same. Early Ace 100's were wired similar to the Ace 90's, later models use an "Emergency" switch that switches the source of power for everything to the battery. This is hard on the battery so it is not recommended unless you absolutely need to. When the Emergency switch is enabled, all lights go on regardless of key switch position.

And again... IF I read the diagram correctly.

Roger

[megawat]

Thanks Roger, that confirms my observations.
Don

[sparkyj]

Where is the "emergency" switch? Do you mean 3rd position on the early Ace100 ignition switch?

Or is this on the dimmer switch. reason I ask is I'm about to replace a broken dimmer switch on my 69-Ace 100 (ace 90 wiring diagram), but it looks after market with a 3 position switch on the side, rubbing into the handgrip (ahem!), with a little black horn button on top.

I think this is supposed to be a 2 only position switch right? Where the 3rd position on the ignition switch turns the lights on (?)

[rlkarren]

The earliest Ace 100's didn't have the emergency switch which was located on the left underside of the Headlight bucket. The absence of which is indicative of an Early Ace 100. I suspect the inclusion of the Emergency switch in the Ace 100 may have been one of the Ace 100A changes.

The dimmer switch on the early Ace 100 is the same used on the Ace 90. I tried to find a photo but failed; perhaps someone else has one?

Roger

[Bert44]

Roger,
I've followed some of your advice from earlier posts to wire my Ace100 with emergency switch. I've also included an AC regulator but to the yellow wiring that goes to the emergency switch. Should I change it to the green wire?

[sparkyj]

I assume the Ace 90 dimmer switch is 2 position only? along with a horn?

[rlkarren]

I assume the Ace 90 dimmer switch is 2 position only? along with a horn?

It has 3 positions; marked "1 0 2" or Low - Off - High. I suppose the "Off" was a "stalker" mode so you could travel at night with no headights.

[sparkyj]

Thanks. Heh! So the last position on the ignition is kind of like an "accessory" position? So you can run the lights in ON position without the bike running? Flashlight mode? What Ignition switch position do you recommend running the bike on? Mine is the 69 Ace with Ace 90 wiring . Not sure which wiring diagram Roger's bike has.

I guess a 3 position switch with a horn and 4 wires will work.

[rlkarren]

Roger,
I've followed some of your advice from earlier posts to wire my Ace100 with emergency switch. I've also included an AC regulator but to the yellow wiring that goes to the emergency switch. Should I change it to the green wire?

For the magneto with a single lighting coil, the yellow and green wire are spliced together inside the magneto so I don't think it will matter whether the VR is attached to the Yellow or Green wire. However, if you wanted to make sure that the wire most directly connected to the headlight is protected you would connect it to the green wire coming from the key switch to the main harness. But either one should work.

Roger

[sparkyj]

I deleted my comment here and started a new thread "69 Ace 100 Dimmer Switch"