It's Running

[Bevel bob]

Some sort of regulator will extend battery life and avoid acid being blown all over your lovely chrome when the battery expires.

[DewCatTea-Bob]

" I'm very satisfied how this single is running with the white cam and have decided not to exchange it for the green/white cam. "

____ I'm quite curious as to why you've come to this decision, did you get an opportunity to compare your 350 against another 350-Scrambler with a stock G&W-cam?
If so, I'll bet you found that not only were you able to keep-up with the other 350 in a full-throttle race (through 1st to 5th gears), but also could trot-away from it at a fairly-good pace in higher gear roll-ons, right ?
__ I'm not surprised that you've found the White-cam to be so satisfying, as I've learned of clues which lead me to think that the White-cam may have likely been originally designed for the w-c 350-Scrambler.


" I tried to run it without a battery but the spark was too weak. "

____ Then that could mean that your alt.flywheel/rotor is not properly timed to the crankshaft... Have you ever checked that?


" In an effort to simplify things, I installed a very small rectifier and a small 6 volt battery.
I now have a good spark but I'm not sure that the rectifier will keep the battery charged or keep it from over-chargeing. I'm not using a regulator hoping that the battery will act as a sump for voltage produced without over-charging. Of course running lights or not running lights will have an effect on the system. I guess we'll see. "

____ I have very extensive experience in this area and if you'll tell me the details of your rectifier & battery, I'll then tell you what to expect !
__ You likely have the std.w-c 70-watt triple-lead alternator (which was part of a wasteful charging-system).
Without any kind of voltage-regulator,, if you employ a duel 'half-wave' rectifier like the stock set-up, (thus use 1/2 of the alternator's available power), then the battery will fizz-off it's water-level at too high of a rate whenever the lights are off,, or if you employ just a single half-wave diode-rect, (thus use only 1/4th of the alternator's available power), then the battery will discharge just when the lights are turned-on,, or if your chosen rectifier is a 'full-wave' type, (thus possible to use 100% of the alternator's power), then the charging-power will cook a little 6-volt battery to death, even with the (stock-type) lights left turned-on !


DUKE-Cheers,
-Bob

[frankfast]

I have not had a chance to run it against my friends Mark 3 since his Ducati is not yet finished but will at some future date and I've not yet gotten the 350 out of third gear on the back roads here. But I've taken it up to 6000 RPM in third gear and am surprised at the power and torque it seems to be producing. I was always curious about the position of the flywheel since the workshop manual was a bit vague. According to the manual the mark on the flywheel should be set at zero degrees for the 350 Scrambler and I assumed that to be at TDC with the mark in line with the rod in it's vertical position since I can't find any other marks. That may be incorrect and a guess on my part. I'm not sure of the type of rectifier I have. It is obviously an after market item, very small ( 1" by 1") with four terminals. One terminal went to ground, two of the terminals are connected to the two yellow leads from the altenator and the other goes to the toggle switch connected to the battery and also to the coil. I'm hoping that the system balances out (not under or over charging). So far running the bike without lights the battery seems to remain charged with no resulting damage to it. If that remains to be the case, running with lights on may discharge the battery. I don't like the mandated lights on laws around here and I won't run it at night so for the most part the lights will come on only when necessary. The brake light does work and I hooked up a horn for inspection purposes only since they draw a lot. It's an experiment and if I'm forced to add a voltage regulator, I will.

[DewCatTea-Bob]

" I've not yet gotten the 350 out of third gear on the back roads here. "

____ Why not, can't you get 4th-gear to become engaged?


" I've taken it up to 6000 RPM in third gear and am surprised at the power and torque it seems to be producing. "

___ That's because it's making more power below that point, than a 350 with the G&W-cam does. _ Only above about 7000-RPM does a 350 with G&W-cam then make slightly more power, (and even then, that's only without a muffler!).
Too bad that you don't have another w-c 350 that's still stock, to let your friend run against you on ! _ Then you too could come to realize what I first learned nearly 4-decades ago.
Your 350 will certainly trounce your friend's (stock?) 250Mk3 at any speed below 70-MPH,, however above 80-MPH, the 250 may then begin to slow-walk away from you, to later reach a higher top-speed (around 20-MPH higher).


" the mark on the flywheel should be set at zero degrees for the 350 Scrambler and I assumed that to be at TDC with the mark in line with the rod in it's vertical position That may be incorrect and a guess on my part. "

____ Yes that's all correct, however it's easier to just see that the alt.rotor's timing-mark/line is directly in alignment with the TDC-notch at the tip of the crankshaft.


" I'm not sure of the type of rectifier I have. It is obviously an after market item, very small ( 1" by 1") with four terminals. "

____ That seems to be a full-wave (4-diode) rectifier.


" One terminal went to ground, two of the terminals are connected to the two yellow leads from the altenator and the other goes to the toggle switch connected to the battery
I'm hoping that the system balances out (not under or over charging)."

____ That's a very unreasonable hope, since it seems that you're quite likely tapping-into 100% of the alt.power. _ The stock charging-system (which uses only 50%), is quite capable of keeping a large 6-volt battery well charged even with lights on !
__ You need to connect an ammeter to make sure that you're not over-charging your battery...
If your w-c alternator is up to normal-capability, then (with any full-wave rect), you have to be electrocuting it with way too much juice (even with lights on) !


" So far running the bike without lights the battery seems to remain charged with no resulting damage to it. "

____ It's quite possible to charge a battery at well above-normal rates without damaging it, for short lengths of time,, however, long periods at rates that are even slightly above the chosen battery's recommended maximum charging-rate, will overheat the battery and warp it's plates and thus cut it's capabilities & life-span.


" If that remains to be the case, running with lights on may discharge the battery. "

____ If all related parts are good with you system, then there's no chance of the battery not getting (at least) sufficient charging-juice ! _ In fact, since you're full-wave rectifying the two Yellow wire-leads, your battery has then got to be suffering with over-charging even with the lights on !


" It's an experiment and if I'm forced to add a voltage regulator, I will. "

____ It's possible to wire-up a system that doesn't need a regulator, for just the price of a couple switches (which should certainly be cheaper than a regulator-unit).
For you to be sure of what your "experiment" is doing, you then really need to measure the charging-current, under all the different normal-circumstances !
If you're not interested in doing your experiment to that degree, then just trust me to give you the results I've gotten.
What do you prefer to do exactly?


DUKE-Cheers,
-Bob

[frankfast]

I plan to check the voltage output to the battery with and without lights, idling and running to higher RPM. I'm curious to find out your solution of running without a voltage regulator. You say that I probably will cook the small 6 volt battery with the rectifier I'm using since I would be taking full advantage of the 70 watt altenator. Would installing a zener diode prove to be sufficient as a sump for excess voltage or are there other solutions? They were widely used on British bikes of the same period.
By the way, I was able to shift into fourth and fifth gear but couldn't keep it in the higher gears since the back roads I'm riding on are dirt. The Ducati is not registered yet so I can't go on the main roads with it.

[DewCatTea-Bob]

" I plan to check the voltage output to the battery with and without lights, idling and running to higher RPM. "

____ That's better than not checking anything but, depending on the battery's state of charge, your voltage read-outs can measure system-voltages which are either acceptable or not ! _ Therefore it's much better to measure charging-current/amperage passing through the battery, to know whether the battery's limits are being exceeded or not.
Larger batteries can handle greater rates than smaller ones can, most motorcycle-batteries usually state on their sides what their operating-figures are.
__ When you do your system-voltage checks, then besides doing it with your rectifier connected to the two Yellow alt.wire-leads, you should also try taking some readings with a rect.connection made to the Red alt.wire-lead, (instead of still with the other Yellow). _ Readings should then be about half, as that for both Yellows.


" You say that I probably will cook the small 6 volt battery with the rectifier I'm using since I would be taking full advantage of the 70 watt altenator. Would installing a zener diode prove to be sufficient as a sump for excess voltage or are there other solutions? "

____ Yes, a unit with a high-enough power-rating could protect the battery & system-lights from excessive voltages... However that's a very wasteful method to deal with too much power ! _ And yes, not only are there other solutions, there are much better ones as well !


" I'm curious to find out your solution of running without a voltage regulator. "

____ It's quite simple actually, and only needs to involve an added switch or two, to control whether your system uses 25%, or 50% or 100% of the alternator's available power.
(Too many others ignorantly over-look this simple & efficient solution !)
Ya just got to be willing to do the required added wiring (which is really not too hard!).
If ya like, I'll do an entire post about it !


DUKE-Cheers,
-Bob

[frankfast]

Yes, that would be great.

[DewCatTea-Bob]

____ I've been meaning to create a thread on the wide-case charging-system and will now get to it sooner.
However what's been keeping me from doing it is that I haven't wanted to start it without getting it finished right soon-after. _ So if I start the related thread before the weekend, please realize that it will be an on-going project that will grow towards it's conclusion in steps, as I take breaks in-between while I tackle other tasks.
Also, by not trying to totally-complete it within a relatively short time, it should be made more correct while also easier to understand.
I'll announce (within that posting) when I've got the first main-part -(relative to your request), all done,, probably come Sunday-morn.


Hopeful-Cheers,
-Bob