2 questions about my TS150 (electrical)

[Eomund]

I got the little honey running today. And she runs and shifts. But she crapped out on me. I am 85% sure what the issue is.

Is this bike battery ignition? The battery is now dead. It was almost dead when I first got her,

Number 2 is what is the best battery for her. The battery that's in there seems kinda..... jerry rigged in place so I don't think it's quite right. I would like to put the right stuff in her. An amazon link would prolly be best so I can just buy it.

I decided to pull down the carb and a few other items while I was there. Just.... wow. I can't believe out clean it was. The spark plug is brand new.

The more I look at this bike, the better it seems. I'm freaking stunned. It will be eaaaasy to get this old girl streetable.

All help is massively appreciated. Thanks!

[Blurredman]

Hi,

Yes the ignition is battery based. Dead battery=no spark.
Unsure exactly what it is in the ts 125/150's in regards to battery charging. I would say a dynamo- But all charge goes to the battery.. Unlike the 12v model bikes which have a three phase alternator.


Unfortunately I don't have a ts150.
Interestingly, despite not having the bike, I do have it's service manual...

ftp://blurredmanswebsite.ddns.net/Vehic ... Manual.pdf

The bikes are 6v, and according to the manual call for a 12Ah batt. I myself always stick with lead-acid but that's just my preference..

[Eomund]

Thanks for the info. Kinda what I was figuring. Explains the week spark from the beginning with a nearly dead battery too.

I've ordered a battery tender charger for a 6v battery (I have one for a 12v, but sadly it doesn't have a 6v mode). I'll order a battery too. At least with the 12ah info I can get a better version. The last owner installed a 6ah on it. Which seems to be a standard for motorbike batteries. But as this uses a dynamo charger (on that you are correct) increasing the ah is probably wise.

Thanks again! Now I gotta sit here frustrated until I get my parts lol.

[Blurredman]

My 1987 ETZ250 when I first got it had a 5ah battery in it. For some reason the manual for those bikes states either 5ah or 9ah is perfectly adequate. I chose 9ah when the time came to change it, however



It is unfortunate that I don't know an awful lot about the earlier MZ's. We shall all learn together I suppose.. But there must be ts125 or es125 owners here in the forum to appear from somewhere... anywhere? ....

[Puffs]

Removed

[Eomund]

Once it starts with an old & half-charged battery, a properly working charge system should keep it running & also re-charge that battery.
So if it ran first, but lost the little charge it had, the charging system is sick. Carbon brushes? Regulator output? Measure as per the manual.

The battery is way more dead than half charge. It's pretty dead dead. I'm shocked that it actually ran at all how dead it was. I pulled apart the dynamo and it's in really good shape. I'm gonna get a new battery and a tender for it too.

[Guesi]

6V 11 AH is the right battery

[Gerryman Ts125]

Running of the pre Etz 6v/12v bikes they all have a dynamo and contact breaker ignition, as explained earlier Engine gets power from battery, whats left charges the battery very slowly. Short journeys with the main beam on is a definite no no. My 1986 Ts 125 (Much the same as the Ts 150 Panel wise) used to misfire constantly in the rain, switching the lights to side cured this anomaly. Buying a new battery ( a 6v 11ah or 12 or 13 if you can source one) Helped a whole heap. And until I corrected the current outflow to the battery via the dynamo control box, I never ran the battery dry. As they can eat batteries. And as soon as I purchased it,my dealer Gordon Greigor in High Glasgow, (Now sadly defunct) Both he and his mechanic told me to buy a Haynes Manual for one, if I decided to do my own rolling repairs. Even though the handbook that came with the bike, was comprehensive.

Just got my Ts 125 running yet again. first time in over thirty one years. Haven`t ran it in the rain yet, and considering the front brake only working in the wet and lethal at that.

I wont be.

[dave47]

When I bought my first new supa5 in the eighties it also had problems in the rain, until I replaced the original metal spark plug cap with a standard NGK one.

[Gerryman Ts125]

Yea same here mate. I used an old car distributor lead (silicon with a bonded suppressor lead from a Ford Capri 3litre S) and fitted that packed with grease and a old pushbike inner tube wrapped around my coil (with the car type little long barrel nut on the end of my plug) and bingo no wet running problems. Well until my battery ran dry, once or thrice.