Dynamo help please!

[Birdie]

Hi all, I need to pick your brains please! I am a casual, fair weather, short distance rider with a 1960's Raleigh. I decided my bike would look more authentic with a dynamo lights set. Having been outbid on Miller sets, I ended up with a Pifco set, not great condition but hey. Anyway, I know nothing about such things, only what I've found on google, butI actually got it on. There was a spare wire with it which I assumed was used as a ground wire. It was a long piece connected by bare wire to a short piece. One end was attached to the front lamp nut and the other to the reflector. Then where it joined, I put it under the dynamo bracket. And, oh my god, the front light works!!! But the reflector doesn't. Can anyone tell me if it could be a bulb gone or have I wired it wrong? Any advice would be appreciated.
P.S. I haven't tidied the wiring yet!

 

[EltonFrog]

Do you mean the reflector of the rear light? The reflector just reflects it doesn’t have a bulb.

 

[alicat]

To test if it's the bulb, could you move the bulb from the back to the front (which you know works)?

 

[Birdie]

Do you mean the reflector of the rear light? The reflector just reflects it doesn’t have a bulb.

Sorry, I mean the back light. It would light up when moving?

 

[Birdie]

To test if it's the bulb, could you move the bulb from the back to the front (which you know works)?

I'm not sure alicat, I'm a little apprehensive to open them up as I'm no good at this sort of thing, but I suppose I'll have to . Thank you.

 

[biggs682]

Or try it on a battery ?

 

[Birdie]

This bracket was with the dynamo set. Is it Terry's?

I've been googling again and found a black one on ebay selling for 14.99.


If it's Terry's, does anyone know who they are or were?

 

[Birdie]

Oh help! Damsel in distress! I had to unscrew a side screw because the red reflector part wouldn't release but it was holding the bulb in place and now I don't know which part the metal bit on the wire attaches to.
! Would the screw go through hole at back then through the metal connector on the wire, then through the hole in the metal piece on the 3rd photo? I know the bulb sits within the container in the 3rd photo. Or would the wire connector go inbetween the bottom of the bulb and the piece in photo 3? Oh blimey!

 

[EltonFrog]

If somebody doesn’t answer before tomorrow, I’ll take mine apart to have a look

 

[Birdie]

If somebody doesn’t answer before tomorrow, I’ll take mine apart to have a look

I think I've done it! I pressed the connector on to the bottom part underneath the bulb and put it back together and I have light. Woohoo! Don't think it will stay on though. Would I have to solder it? Sorry, it's a bit late for doing daft things like this, I'll check back tomorrow!

 

[tyred]

Designs vary but I'd take an educated guess that the wire was attached to the terminal where the tab on the base of the bulb its as marked by the arrow in my drawing.

The red stuff insulates it from the rest of the bracket which would have been grounded using the body of the lamp and in connection with the frame of the bike. It should be soldered or possibly riveted into place. Someone handy with a soldering iron could easily fix this. Or if that rivet is hollow, you may be able to bodge it with a bare wire fed through it so it contacts the bulb but soldering would definitely be more reliable.

If the front lamp works, I can think of several different reasons why the tail lamp won't work.

1. Probably because of a bad connection on the bit of the wire and tab that have now broken off.
2. Blown bulb - as mentioned, swap with the front temporarily or test it on a battery. Don't ride with the rear bulb in the front as it will blow very quickly but a quick spin of the wheel to check operation won't do any harm.
3. The light most probably grounds through the frame anyway even if an additional wire is used (for reliability). In which case you have caused a short circuit.

 

[tyred]

I think I've done it! I pressed the connector on to the bottom part underneath the bulb and put it back together and I have light. Woohoo! Don't think it will stay on though. Would I have to solder it? Sorry, it's a bit late for doing daft things like this, I'll check back tomorrow!

You got there before I wrote my reply so well done but yes, the best solution is someone with soldering equipment.

 

[cambiker71]

I think I've done it! I pressed the connector on to the bottom part underneath the bulb and put it back together and I have light. Woohoo! Don't think it will stay on though. Would I have to solder it? Sorry, it's a bit late for doing daft things like this, I'll check back tomorrow!

Great news, and yes, soldering would make it a good permanent connection

 

[EltonFrog]

I’ve just fitted one of those to my bike this week, and it didn’t work straight away, I had a short, but I sorted it. Pleased you got it working.

 

[Chet Spiker]

Back in Victorian times when I had a dynamo like that I was riding down a country lane that was pitch-black but quite adequately illuminated by said lamp. On a downhill stretch with my speed increasing I grabbed the lamp to raise the angle a bit and it came off the bracket. Not only did it plunge me into total darkness but I could distinctly feel the current flowing from the lamp body in one hand through to the bare metal of the handlebar in the other. Surprised me somewhat!