Triumphrat

Paul McNeil

I have a '79 in stock condition (minus paint). I ended up with a box of parts at a swap meet and started going through them. There's a set of retro side covers (new) that were in there, and an additional gas tank from a early 70's T120 I was thinking of installing on the bike. Quick questions:
1) I have to remove the stock airbox to install the side covers, but the zener diode is using it as a heat sink, is there something else I could use to dissipate heat or is it not that important?
2) The new tank is bigger, but will mount to the bike. It does not have the "bungs" for the under bracket like the existing tank does.... Would I be safe to not use the extra bracket?
Thanks!

649cc

Id personally advise you to ditch the original rectifier and zener and replace it with a boyer power box or typanium...much kinder to your battery, and a simple job to install..2 wires frm the alternator in, pos& neg out, and you can convert to neg earth simply...

McQueen

a '79 you say?

You'll have to come up with a new bracket or location to mount your RITA ei box. It bolts to the inside RH side plate.

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DAGAD

First identify if it IS a '79.......... is it a T140V or T140E? If it's an E it will have 3 phase alternator and probably still RITA ignition. If it's a V it will have single phase alternator and probably still points / condensers. Let us know what you have.
Roy.

Diego

If you do opt to keep the original rectifier and Zener diode (about the only part of my electrics I never did have problems with, ironically), it definitely does need ample heat sinking. The presence of airflow across the heat sink whenever the engine is running was one reason for mounting the Zener where it was.

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John

Paul McNeil

It's a T140E, so I figured it was probably a 3 phase with negative ground. What is the RITA box a few of you have mentioned? I have looked into the new power box, the typanium one, but was out of stock where I checked. Will the power supply box elimnate the diode, rectifier, and the Rita box, or is there something more I'm missing here?

649cc

no it just replaces the rectifier(diode) and zener..the rita is separate item Im pretty sure just the ignition module...but it has to be a 3 phase version...3 wires in pos & neg out...if the alternator has 2 wires its a single phase, 3 wires 3 phase (yes I know some of the old early 60s single phase had 3 wires but I doubt that would apply to a 79 model)

Mecchanica

Sparx makes a voltage regulator/rectifier combo in an "egg" heat sink, going with the retro look. Mounts up under the bottom fork yoke.
The airbox mounted zener was a bad idea, as the only zeners I have had to replace have been on either custom bikes with inadequate heat sinking or grounding and on OIF bikes. There isn't enough cooling air or mass of aluminum in the immediate vicinity of the diode. Since the stock single phase alternator barely puts out enough juice at idle to keep up with demand, especially with the lights on, that the engine would overheat at idle before the zener does.
I recommend fitting a three phase if you don't already have one. Three phase stators have nine poles and three wires whereas the single phase ones have six poles and two or three wires. The three phase kit will come with it's own regulator/rectifier and the "egg" unit won't work with that alternator.

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Triumph old, Triumph new, any Triumph will do.