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What's a dip switch?

Fellow readers,
Can someone explain what is the use of a dip switch and whether WD motorcycles had one?
Should I start looking for one for my 1940 Norton WD16H?
Kostas

email (option): ferrarakias@hotmail.com

Re: What's a dip switch?

Hi Kostas..The headlamp bulb had two filaments and the handlebar mounted dipswitch switched power from one filament to the other.
This altered the headlamp beam, specifically with one of the filaments... to point the beam downwards towards the road.
The purpose of this was to avoid 'dazzling' oncoming drivers by shining the headlamp directly at them.
In the 'downward position' of the beam the English refer to this as a 'dipped beam'
It was and still is, a legal requirement on British roads.
Military bikes were not fitted with the switch and the unused second filament in the bulb is referred to in some documentation as a 'spare' filament...so if you blew the headlamp bulb you would swap the connection to the other filament....Ian

email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com

Re: What's a dip switch?

Thank you both gentlemen!
A picture would be great Lex, thank you.

email (option): ferrarakias@hotmail.com

Re: What's a dip switch?

Hey Kostas, I'm sure theres a pic of one in all those pics I emailed you.
Cheers, Mick.

email (option): mick@motorbikemike.org.uk

Re: What's a dip switch?

Hey Kostas,

If you find 2, I could use one!

Mick, Can I get those pics you send Kostas?

Cheers

email (option): britool51@hotmail.com

Re: What's a dip switch?

Thanks Lex...I wasn't 100% confident that early bikes didn't have them when I made the posting...should have mentioned that fact really....Ian

email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com

Re: What's a dip switch?

Hey Rob, they were all of my 16H. Will happily mail them to you if you want.
Cheers, Mick.

email (option): mick@motorbikemike.org.uk

Re: What's a dip switch?

Mick Holmes
Hey Rob, they were all of my 16H. Will happily mail them to you if you want.
Cheers, Mick.


Mick, can you mail them to me too please??

Will mail you what I have sofar.

Lex

email (option): welbike@welbike.net

Re: What's a dip switch?

Well thanks to Lex I found out that I should have an early type dipswitch mounted on my handlebar. If anyone has such a dipswitch for sale please let me know.

That's what I'm after...

Photobucket

email (option): ferrarakias@hotmail.com

Re: What's a dip switch?

It's a race then Kostas. I'm also looking for one to mount on the back of my pre war BSA levers....Also the matching horn button for the other side. Maybe i'll find two at Stafford???? Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Re: What's a dip switch?

31563 is actually a combined dip and horn switch. We sell them.
The dip only switch is 31405. We do sometimes have these, but we can only get them from the States, so supply can be sporadic. No luck with the horn buttons yet, but we are working on it.
Cheers, Mick.

email (option): mick@motorbikemike.org.uk

Re: What's a dip switch?

There are some nice reproductions quite cheap! But as far as I can tell they all combine the horn button. Which is a post war feature. Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Re: What's a dip switch?

Ah Mick we were typing together. You just confirmed what I thought. Let us know if you get the correct items in. I'll note the number though. Cheers Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Re: What's a dip switch?

I'm sure I will end last in this race Ron!

THIS is the switch we are after

Photobucket

email (option): ferrarakias@hotmail.com

Re: What's a dip switch?

I'll see whats in stock and let you know tomorrow.
Mick.

email (option): mick@motorbikemike.org.uk

Re: What's a dip switch?

We need a British american dictionary.

British American

Dip Switch Dimmer switch
mudguard Fender
Headlamp Headlight
Petrol tank gas tank

Re: What's a dip switch?

And don't get me started on;-
Flashlight
Hood
Trunk
Aluminium
and Tomato pronounced Toe-made-oh

Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Re: What's a dip switch?

potarto potato lets call the whole thing off

Re: What's a dip switch?

In my part of the world a dipswitch or dipstick is a silly dimwit!!

Re: What's a dip switch?

Mick,
Have you found any switches?
Kostas

email (option): ferrarakias@hotmail.com

Re: What's a dip switch?

Kostas, in case Mick is out of stock. I have found that they were fitted to Triumphs in the 50's.
'Tri-Supply' and 'Tri-Cor England' have them. Tri-Cor is cheapest at £20+vat. You can google these firms.

Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Re: What's a dip switch?

Thanks for that Ron.
British Only Austria also has these for 41.30 euros.
Do you know what type of screws are used to mount it on the handlebar?

email (option): ferrarakias@hotmail.com

Re: What's a dip switch?

Hi Kostas and Ron.
31563, no problem, in stock. 31340 (which screws to the back of BSA levers) are out of stock. I have ordered from the states, so hopefully in soon. Kostas, the switch in the pics of my Norton I sent you has just been reproduced and should be available soon.
Photobucket
Thanks for the pic Lex.
Cheers, Mick.

email (option): mick@motorbikemike.org.uk

Re: What's a dip switch?

Mick did you post the wrong number here? I think 31340 is a light switch. Any chance you could send me the pictures you sent to Kostas and Lex?

Kostas i'll check out the tapped holes later unless someone beats me to it. Mark at BOA is about the dearest bloke on Earth.

Cheers all Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Re: What's a dip switch?

Sorry Ron, quite correct, the screw on dipswitch is 31405.
Cheers, Mick.

email (option): mick@motorbikemike.org.uk

Re: What's a dip switch?

On what bike was this 31482 used?

email (option): viaconsu # planet dot nl

Re: What's a dip switch?

Just flicking through the Lucas catalogue, seems to be fitted to most bikes from 1937-39.

email (option): mick@motorbikemike.org.uk

Re: What's a dip switch?

Kostas, I think that you need to investigate a little before deciding that you should have a dip switch screwed directly to the bars. I've been down that route !

My C5109 bike definitely had dipswitch wiring but unfortunately had lost the switch. Period photographs are unclear but I can only find evidence of the screw-on switch when fitted to pre-war contracts together with the combination levers (air / AR levers forming the top half to horizontally split lever clamps).

The threaded holes seem to have been provided on all 1" WD16H bars, even though the switches had long been discontinued. If you measure the location, not only are they rather oddly on the rear of the bars but they are only 6 1/2" in from the end and on bars with separate levers such as yours (and mine) this leaves little space for the clutch lever bracket, valve lifter and A/R control.

Period pictures seem to show as you'd expect that the more important controls were outside of the dip switch. Valve lifter must be accessible from the grip and preferably the ignition control as well.

The type of switch used on the back of BSA lever clamps doesn't fit exactly as the BSA clamps have a raised flattened section with a greater radius than the Norton handlebar.

I have used the same type of switch as Mick. These certainly saw wartime use prior to the dipswitch being discontinued. They were quite easy to find until fairly recently (with modern cable) as they were used at least up until 1975 to operate the blue lamps and two-tone horns on Norton Commando Interpols (and probably Triumph Saints as well).

The clamp on switches have the advantage that they can be positioned to suit the rider. They are certainly 'period' but I haven't yet been able to establish if they were a factory fitment during 1940.

Re: What's a dip switch?

Well, the pictures I sent to various people showed the combination levers, so that's obvious, furthermore I agree with Rik, only the black dipswitch 31482 is the one with the long lever, and correct, I believe the one with the small lever to be postwar, will see if I can find a picture of that one later.

Cheers,

Lex

email (option): welbike@welbike.net

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