Tech Tips
Auxiliary Lighting with 14 amp system
Light Switch Fixby Sidney F. Pollard III
I just received a post from someone who is thinking of adding extra running lights to there Ural Tourist. I passed on my concerns to them and think I should also notify the rest of you.
The fastest way to fry the older 14A alternator is to over load it.
The adding of Fog or Driving lights will do just that. Most of these lights on the market use 55 watt quartz-halogen bulbs the pair of lights uses 110 watts. With a charging system that only puts out 140 watts you have left yourself with only 30 watts to run the bikes normal lights, power up the electronic ignition, and charge the battery. There is nothing wrong with the low power 14 amp alternator that was standard equipment on these bikes up to 1998. If the electrical system has no problems and you have a good battery it should serve you well. The lights being on at all times will drain the battery, so the trick here is to fix the headlight switch in the right hand control. I will address this but lets get back to the lights. The best way to add extra light with out overloading is to replace the 7" auto type headlight with a H-4 Halogen cycle lamp only $20 through JCW and $45 at a cycle shop. This lamp only use 10 more watts than the stock bulb, but they put out much better (white) light and throw the correct pattern of illumination for a cycle. Another trick is to add a single 35 watt tractor spot light on a separate switch, to be used only when needed, about $10 at the auto parts store.
This is all that should be added to this system. There is no need to add a larger battery and give up your trunk space. If you really feel the need for flood lights, you better get the new and improved 350 watt charging system. The only real advantage I see to this; is one could run heated grips, a big plus for you guys up north.
The light switch fix.... Only for bikes with the old 14 Amp charging system, and without electric start.
Take apart the right hand throttle control box. There are two screws on the outer edge of the case on the bottom that will allow you to remove the top. The center screw is used to position the switch box on the handle bar and needs to be removed to pull the box bottom away from the bar. There you will see the headlight switch with half of the lever used to operate the switch.
This switch has been placed in the full on position and this arm has been tightened with the use of a extra washer to lock the switch in the headlight on position. Remove the arm and also the lever arm from the left side switch box. Now put the two side by side and you will see that the right side lever arm has been removed.
What you need to do is replace this arm. I use a 10 penny nail flattened out to the correct size then I silver solder it to the back of the right arm. With this done you just bend it to match the left lever arm, be sure to leave about a 1/2" to exit the switch box. Clean it up with a file and re-drill the hole if any solder got into it. Put it all back together and now you should have both a parking light switch and headlight switch. This will save your battery and give you full voltage for starting your bike. BUT,... it is a law in all 50 States to run with the headlight on during daytime, I only do so in traffic, not country roads. UA will not sell the lever separate, so if you can't do this trick yourself, more then likely know someone who can. Be sure to give them both the right and left lever arms, so they can see what the finished product is to look like.
!4 Amps is OK by me.
Sidney