RB106 Modifications and Repairs

[svenedin]

Has anybody tried the modifications detailed in this article? The modern reproductions have a bad reputation for reliability and electronic conversions are very expensive. The modifications seem an interesting and cheap project. I am considering getting a second hand regulator to clean up and modify.

https://nebula.wsimg.com/dd373386dc967c ... oworigin=1

Also another article by the same author on repairs:

https://www.mgexp.com/phile/3/191288/RE ... _RB106.pdf


Stephen

[oliver90owner]

Repairing should always be the better option, if possible and evonomic (that’s not necessarily comparing with replacement cost by cheap inferior chinese rubbish. Too many ‘throw aways’ these days.

[JOWETTJAVELIN]

I have found good original CVC boxes to be perfectly reliable when correctly set - and left alone. Having said that I have fitted an Electro-Dynamics Solutions solid-state conversion to two broken regulators now; one an RB.310 and the other a RB.106/2 and have never looked back. They’re not expensive at under £100 and unless you removed the cover wouldn’t know it was fitted.

[JOWETTJAVELIN]

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[svenedin]

Thanks for the reply Jowett. I am considering one of those conversions. I fitted electronic ignition and the manufacturer warns that over-voltage can rapidly destroy an electronic ignition module. Years ago I had a lot of trouble with the voltage regulator which I replaced with a NOS part decades ago. I need to test whether it is working within specifications.

Stephen

[JOWETTJAVELIN]

These ones I pictured practically eliminate voltage spikes.

[svenedin]

I have had a look at the one in your picture on their website. Is it easy to fit and are any of the connections to the RB106 altered where they can be seen?

[JOWETTJAVELIN]

Yes it is easy for someone used to working with electronics and components but you have to adapt your control box to fit it by gutting the two bobbins, resistor etc and enlarging holes in the base to pass the wires through, and come up with your own method of attaching the wires to the existing terminals. I enjoyed it as I like these projects but they aren’t for everyone as some careful thought has to go into the fitting. As I did it nobody would know from the outside that it was anything other than an ordinary CVC box as all the new stuff is concealed, which appealed to me and is a far better proposition than an unsightly alternator conversion requiring extensive vehicle wiring changes, but that’s just my own view on the subject.

[svenedin]

OK. If I was going to do this I would find a second hand RB106 with a good case but internally wrecked. Did you solder onto the terminals underneath?

There are alternatives that are a bit more DIY friendly e.g the one made by Classic Dynamo and Regulator Conversions. The other option is one of those alternators that looks like a dynamo which does not require major alterations and renders the voltage regulator redundant (it still sits there as a junction box and retains its internals).

[JOWETTJAVELIN]

I soldered the wires to the terminals at the back of the base yes.

[svenedin]

I opened up my RB106 and found it to be in a bit of a sorry state inside. Superficially it looked OK but contacts burnt. I had noticed that the battery had not been charging very well (despite a good dynamo output). Rather than buy a poor quality modern RB106 copy or pay a lot for my old original Lucas part to be overhauled I went for the ADR106 from Classic Dynamo and Regulator Conversions in Lincoln. It looks identical to the Lucas unit (except it does not say Lucas on the cover but you can use your original cover). All of the connections are EXACTLY the same.

I fitted the new box in 10 minutes. There is enough room to have the old and new box side by side and remove one connection at a time and connect to the new box. Then remove the old box and mount the old one to the bulkhead. All works perfectly.

It may be my imagination but the engine seems to run better. Perhaps this is nonsense but I think the electronic ignition is getting a much cleaner and stable power supply. Headlights are noticeably brighter too. I hope this is the "fit and forget" solution that I wanted!

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