Charging/light question.

[(RIP) trickytree]

In the process of fitting a Acewell speedo to my 1150 Rockster. The Acewell doesn't use the original warning light, it uses a built in voltmeter instead, so I taped up the wires and tucked them out of the way. Couldn't get the charging light to go out on the new clocks and when I checked it wasn't charging. So, I dug out the original wires and connected a bulb up (one wire is switched live and the other is connected to the alternator). Bulb goes out and the warning led on the Acewell goes out as well....multimeter (and headlight brightening with revs) indicated charging was back to normal.
Sooooo, do I just take out the bulb and connect the live feed to the blue wire from/to the alternator?
Also, as an aside....presumably if the warning bulb blows, the system won't charge??

 

[ahutcheon]

It's pretty standard (not sure about oilheads, but airheads, most cars etc.) for the current through the charge light to "start" the exciter coils in the alternator (unlike Japanese bikes that often have permanent magnet generators).

I'd be putting a resistor between the wires to approximate the bulb you removed, rather than shorting them together. Back of an envelope suggests around 50 ohms would be about right for a 3w bulb.


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[(RIP) trickytree]

Thank you