2.5 NA into a FFR Lightweight

[Matt H]

I still have mine. Hoping to get it back together this year.

[binch]

I think that's six of them total....pretty good ratio in our club ;)

[Dutchie]

John and Bill was so exited to have one more LWT with a 2.25 diesel in the group, guess somebody has to go out and by one now  :D , Soon I can help that person with any problem coming up because I had most of them I think.

[camo388]

I run 12 Volt glow plugs in my 24V diesel without problems just have to glow less or you collapse them bin there done that. Not sure if the transformed 12 Volt will have enough power to heat them quickly. I also have a resistor box between my source and the plugs.
[/quote]

That is good to know.  I hadn't really thought how the glow plugs were powered on the Dutch diesel Lightweights, probably assumed they were 12 volt vehicles.
This means the fuel solenoid can be powered by the 12 volts that was stepped down for the ignition on the gas engine.
So in effect I don't need anything more than what the Lightweight has already except the 24 volt starter.

[camo388]

Another LWT in the group!!!!  Excellent....  How many is that now.   Bruce x2, Emad x1, Max x1, Klaus x1 and now Dutchie for 1.    Have I missed any?    And by the sounds of it Dutchie may have a 2.25 diesel too!   That's two in the group.    Good count ;)

I had done military history research on 6 ex British Lightweights.  One owned by Dave Lovelock and another owned by  Alexander Tilley make up the total.  This was before Emad bought his but his came with the military history.  Claus is Dutch Army so not as easy to find history of.

[Red90]

The 2.25 glow plug system is completely different to the 2.5. 

[camo388]

The 2.25 glow plug system is completely different to the 2.5. 

Just when I think I've got it sorted, I find I don't!    So now it is one battery for glow plugs.

[binch]

I forgot about Alexander's....that makes it what?   6 in total!!!!   That's quite the dense sample ;D

[camo388]

I forgot about Alexander's....that makes it what?   6 in total!!!!   That's quite the dense sample ;D

No, 8!   Bruce x 2, Emad x 1, Matt x 1, Max  x 1, Alexander x 1, Claus x 1, and Dave x 1 (if he still has it).

[Matt H]

We should try to gather them all together one day? It would be cool to get a picture of all of them in the same spot.

[binch]

I forgot about Alexander's....that makes it what?   6 in total!!!!   That's quite the dense sample ;D

No, 8!   Bruce x 2, Emad x 1, Matt x 1, Max  x 1, Alexander x 1, Claus x 1, and Dave x 1 (if he still has it).

Hold on....isn't dave's the one that went to Matt????   or Am I all muttled up now ahhahahhahah

[Dutchie]

The 2.25 glow plug system is completely different to the 2.5. 

Just when I think I've got it sorted, I find I don't!    So now it is one battery for glow plugs.

So you added a 3rd Battery?

[Red90]

So you added a 3rd Battery?

You can just take 12V from one of the two batteries (the one connected to ground).  The worry is that the batteries are not evenly charged and this leads to premature failure.  If the only load is during starting, it should be fine, IMO.  It would only be a problem if you were drawing a load from the one battery while the engine is running and trying to charge the pair.  One battery would get two much voltage and the other not enough.  If there is not uneven load while charging, there should not be a problem.

I would also suggest that using a quality smart two bank battery charger once in a while is a very good idea for anyone on 24V as it ensures both batteries get properly charged.  Even in normal use uneven charging is a problem with 24V vehicles.

[Matt H]

I forgot about Alexander's....that makes it what?   6 in total!!!!   That's quite the dense sample ;D

No, 8!   Bruce x 2, Emad x 1, Matt x 1, Max  x 1, Alexander x 1, Claus x 1, and Dave x 1 (if he still has it).

Hold on....isn't dave's the one that went to Matt????   or Am I all muttled up now ahhahahhahah

Nope. Don't know what happened to Dave's unit? As far as I know he still has it?? I found mine in Lethbridge and bought it from a guy that had owned it for over twenty years.

I work on 24v stuff all the time. Mostly Loaders and Graders etc and it has been suggested that 'rotating' batteries periodically helps prolong their life? That is to switch positions between the two. I'm not sure this really helps all that much in practice but I suppose it's worth trying if you find one battery is failing while the other is still good.
Also, it's worth replacing batteries in pairs. Don't mix a battery with one of a different rating and don't pair an old battery with new one.

My 2c.

[camo388]

So you added a 3rd Battery?

You can just take 12V from one of the two batteries (the one connected to ground). 

I need only do as John suggests as only need 12 volt for glow plugs.  And I can do as Matt suggests to extend battery life.  Everything else on the Lightweight will stay stock 24 volt, and I'll use the voltage dropper, (originally used for ignition on the gas engine), to power the fuel solenoid.  Easy Peasy  ;D