FAIL: Lifan 18Amp "Charging Circuits"

geoffw

Im posting this thread to clarify a huge translation issue on Lifans part regarding their 420cc Clone Engines that Home Depot sells and advertises as "18Amp Charging Circuits".

THIS IS A MIS-PRINT, what Lifan means is it has an 18Amp Starting Circuit.

The actual Charging coil only outputs 3A.

In the meantime, Iam working on my REAL 18Amp Charging Circuits, Im still alittle ways away from having them in stock.

I found this out the hard way when I purchased a bunch of Lifans Charging coils and they all tested at 3A. When I questioned them, they sent me a picture of the starter which has a sticker that says "18Amp" :(

FAIL!!!!!


-Geoff

BGW

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topshelf333

Lol ya I'm sure that was a marketing "accident"...what a joke. :rolleyes:

sho305

There is a post someplace maybe 2yr ago a guy called HD on that and they could not verify it was 18a, since nobody else has more than 3a charging. I see where the misinformation comes from, the high power starter lol. Fail is right! I was told you can add a second coil for 6A.

geoffw

Yeah, it kinda screwed me up...ohh welll,

bansheemxer

I'll take one of those orphan 3A coils...wouldn't hurt to install it in series with the stock coil while I'm doing the timing key.

ender

The "FAIL" would seem to be an entire shipment of mislabeled motors. I ordered a 420cc with the 18 amp charging circuit. The box listed the correct model number as did the labels on the engine, but inside the engine had a standard 3 amp charging coil. I called Lifan USA and they have been working with me to get things right.

The 3 amp has a single brown wire coming off the coil and the starter box has a breaker. The diode off the coil is tiny and soldered inline to the wiring inside the starter box. The 18 amp has two white wires coming off the coils, a 4.25" x 3.50" x 1.50" finned rectifier, and no breaker on the starter box (20 amp fuse inside). This setup also utilizes a different flywheel.

As I mentioned, according to Lifan USA this was a mistake. They offered me my money back and we settled on them sending me scrounged parts so I could swap things out myself. I think they thought mine was a fluke until they opened every remaining 18 amp motor in stock they found the same thing. I should note That as of yesterday they had no additional flywheels available for another swap. Also, the advance on the one I did get was 28 degrees vs 23 or so for the 3 amp, so be sure to check for variations if you go down this road in the future.

While Lifan USA has been great to deal with, in the future I would probably get a motor from Geoff once he gets his 18 amp charging system worked out. Geoff has helped me a lot with information in getting this sorted out. Based upon our discussions I feel Geoff has more checks in place internally and demands more checks at the plant to promote quality and consistancy.

sho305

People here travel to China for automotive and other manufacturing things. Most of them tell me its a pain; you have to babysit them all the time. The minute you walk out the door they start doing it their way and you get a shipment of stuff you don't want. So you have to go there all the time to keep an eye on things, and of course very few people here want to go there lol.

sassycat

let me jump in and say i need a charge coil so i can run headlights at times..would be nice.
now with the comet clutch i wont be able to do the chevy alternator thingy.i just charge the battery when needed and keep the backup pull start just in case..
will 18 amp keep battery charged enough for headlights,fm radio cd player,starter,,

bronsonj

Low beam automotive headlights are 35 watts each (approx 3 amps each). Radio (no amplifier) likely uses 30 watts, assume 3 amps as well. Assume 1 amp each for tail lights, you are at 11 amps if you are using all the lights and radio.

If an 18 amp charging circuit existed for a clone, you should be fine... I think the only thing on these clones that was 18 amps was the current draw for the starter. So unless Geoff pulls off some magic, these don't yet exist for under-flywheel, 18 amp electricity generation.

Isn't 18 amps about what a starter/generator produces? Last time I looked, an SG produced 15 to 25 amps depending on model.

sassycat

yes the 18 amp starter is what started this thread above when jeff ordered a bunch and it was mis advertised as a 18 amp charge coil

i seen big ones on e bay but there just under 200 bucks