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Thread: 250ES charging questions...

  1. #31
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Hampshire U.K.
    --
    536
    OK I see what you mean. It's the white connector that carries the red-black-green wires between the regulator and the harness/battery, and the green wire within that white connector. The most damage appears to be the regulator side. It looks to me to be a female spade terminal but I don't see any obvious way of taking the connector apart to replace the terminal.
    ATC 70, ATC 250es, 1/32 ATC 250R
    1 person in 10 understands binary, the other one doesn't.

    Trikefest UK '08 survivor!

  2. #32
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    Choctaw, OK
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    2,755
    Ok, easy enough. If it were me, I would cut the green wire loose from both sides of the plugs and use bullet connectors but I would solder the connectors, not crimp. You may have to add a short segment of wire to get enough length.

  3. #33
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Hampshire U.K.
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    536
    Went back to it today, first thing I forgot was the soldering iron. Never mind, I know where I'm going with that now so not the end of the world. I will admit I did screw up testing the regulator, how I managed to get the polarity wrong I just don't know.
    Probably not worth starting another thread for, it's been running rough for a long time and getting steadily worse to the point where it feels like serious fuel starvation so I thought I'd give the carb a quick clean. Made no difference so stripped it again and went through it with the manual (no internet access otherwise I'd have used Jim's carb thread!). Sat looking at it for a while before I realised the rubber plug was missing from the starter jet. I know it wasn't in the float bowl so can it deteriorate or disolve over time? I cut a small piece out of a rubber O ring to make a new plug, thought it was worth a try. Wow did that make a difference! Nearly threw me off the back. I don't think it's ever run that well in all the time I've had it.
    So there it is. A machine that runs well and charges it's battery. Thanks for all the help and also the patience! It's very much appreciated.
    Rob.
    ATC 70, ATC 250es, 1/32 ATC 250R
    1 person in 10 understands binary, the other one doesn't.

    Trikefest UK '08 survivor!

  4. #34
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    Choctaw, OK
    --
    2,755
    Great news brother. That little rubber plug does make a difference. that's why its there. Have fun!!!!

  5. #35
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Hampshire U.K.
    --
    536
    Here's dredging up an old thread...
    Thought I'd give an update. Fitted a cheap gel battery in April '15, and also got a small solar battery charger/keeper. Since then the machine has had little use, only odd days now and again (if it's been out ten times in the last two years I'd be suprised). Anyway, hasn't been used since October last year for certain, went to it today, turned on the fuel, pressed the button and it started straight up! Battery appeared to be still fully charged and in good condition, so from my own experience my advice would be definitely invest in one of those little solar chargers and maybe a gel battery too.
    Rob.
    ATC 70, ATC 250es, 1/32 ATC 250R
    1 person in 10 understands binary, the other one doesn't.

    Trikefest UK '08 survivor!

  6. #36
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Hampshire U.K.
    --
    536
    Well then,
    Here we are, another 2 years on, and due to the arrival of another toy needing attention (1995 Range Rover) the poor old trike has been well and truly on the back burner.
    It's not been touched in 18 months but had to move it to get at a wasp nest. Still got it's gel battery and connected to it's little solar panel, fuel well towards 3 years old, pressed the button - turned over twice and off it went! Needless to say the rest of the day was lost racing around the fields and the wasp nest is still there. Maybe I just got lucky but this gel/solar combo would take some beating.
    Rob.
    ATC 70, ATC 250es, 1/32 ATC 250R
    1 person in 10 understands binary, the other one doesn't.

    Trikefest UK '08 survivor!

  7. #37
    BigRed_Ryno is offline At The Back Of The Pack Arm chair racerAt the back of the pack
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Kent UK
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    311
    Glad to hear it Rob. theyre a bullet proof machine as we all know
    '85 ATC 200x-
    '84 ATC 200s-
    '82 ATC 70-
    '85 ATC 70-(project)
    '82 ATC 70-(project)

    Wife- (project)

  8. #38
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Hampshire U.K.
    --
    536
    Hi Ryan, it's been a while.
    It wasn't 'till I looked back at this thread I realised how long ago I'd set this up. As a long term experiment in leaving things to collect dust it would seem that 4 years of almost total neglect has had little effect on it.
    The solar panel is a little Maplin unit about 12" x 4" hanging on a bit of wire outside the shed in all weathers and still working. If I remember the battery and panel came to less than £50. My mates quad has gone through at least 3 batteries in that time so I'm happy with my investment!
    ATC 70, ATC 250es, 1/32 ATC 250R
    1 person in 10 understands binary, the other one doesn't.

    Trikefest UK '08 survivor!

  9. #39
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Location
    USA
    --
    4,114
    Yea keeping the battery charged keeps them good for a lot longer, if they get low voltage from sitting, they go bad quickly. You could also use a trickle charger to get the same effect, hook it to the battery and plug it in to the mains.

  10. #40
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Hampshire U.K.
    --
    536
    Here we are, April '21. Had to cut down the brambles and force the shed door open, it's been at least a year.
    Deep breath, turned the key - green light...
    Opened the tank, didn't smell too bad...
    Nothing to lose, closed the choke, pressed the button.

    Started straight up! Did I just get lucky with this set up? Battery and solar panel are now 6 years old and still apparently in good order. Even the petrol seems to have survived.
    ATC 70, ATC 250es, 1/32 ATC 250R
    1 person in 10 understands binary, the other one doesn't.

    Trikefest UK '08 survivor!

  11. #41
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Location
    USA
    --
    4,114
    I don't really remember much on this thread, but if you have some sort of way to keep the battery topped off, they should last a long time. I think a well maintained battery lasts 10+ years for lead acid (I've had several over 10 years, little weaker than new but worked good enough yet). For the fuel, kinda depends what type of fuel you had. If it was reg pump gas, it kinda depends on humidity in your area, the ethanol absorbs moisture and separates out in the bottom of the tank and can rust it out. If it's E0/rect fuel, then a year is probably about the limit you'd want to be at for using the fuel. I've ran engines that sat 20+ years on the old gas before, depends how good the tank/vent system is. If it's nice and sealed up, it can keep fairly well. Some systems are not good and the fuel will start going bad (gets a smell to it). My dad's sister got a boat that sat a long time, fuel smelt horrible, they added fresh to it and it still was too much junk fuel and a valve stuck down and the piston hit it. Never had any other bad experience from bad fuel since then, if it smells bad, don't run it, if it smells pretty normal, it might be safe. Color kind of says a lot too, dark = too old.

    Just my experiences, I'd say to run the machine some if the fuel smells good and get the tank used up most of the way and fill it with fresh rect fuel.

  12. #42
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    Australia
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    1,913
    I’ve had the same AGM battery in my 250es for about 5ish years now. It lives on a small panel also that’s just say against a window. Trike gets ridden maybe once every two months. Good value for money I reckon. I used to go through so many batteries on this thing especially in the winter time.
    1980 ATC 70 Needs Restoration
    1985 ATC 250es Fully Refurbed
    1986 ATC 350x Mint Original

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