www.tigercubandterrier.com
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  • The Story begins...
  • An Interview with Mr Turner
  • Model information
    • Terrier T15
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      • 1954/55
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      • 1957
      • 1958
      • 1959
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      • 1963-on
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  • Police Machines
    • The RUC Cubs
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    • Machine Numbers
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    • Front Fork Oil Change
    • Condensers
    • Finding T.D.C.
    • External Oil Filter
    • Lucas Energy Transfer
    • 12V Conversion
    • Fitting Indicators to a Tiger Cub
    • Fitting a Craven Luggage Rack
    • Spark Plugs and Sparks
    • Know your Alternator
    • Oil Pumps and Lubrication
    • PRS8 Switch Repair
    • T20 Oil Filter Kit
  • Your Stories
    • My Wee Cub
    • Denny's Terrier
    • A T20C Story
    • TR20 Cub Sorted
    • Saving Sylvia
    • My 1959 Tiger Cub
    • My First Restoration
    • Found in a Scrap Yard
    • My First Bike
    • Brand new out of the Box
    • On the Road after 40 years
    • First bike I ever Rode
    • The' Tarbuk' Conversion
    • A Tiger Cub in a Box
    • Aunt Tiny
    • Well-travelled Terrier
    • Mashooq's Tiger Cub
    • 48 Years with my Cub
    • Ready for the Arbuthnot
    • My Collection of Cubs
    • Mountain Cub and Cafe tales
    • My favourite Cub of all
    • A Cub in Norway
    • Beginning of a Terrier Restoration
    • An Ambush of Cubs
    • A T20C Cub (probably!)
    • A Moment Frozen in Time
    • Finally after 56 years!
    • Still riding Cubs after 60 years
    • A Lakeland Venture
    • Back to my Teens!
    • Terrier Tribulations!
    • Brian's Cub Special
    • Sold, Bought, Restored
    • It started with a Cub
    • A Family Connection
    • Cubs & Terriers in the Family
    • Benny's Tiger Cub
    • Tiger Cub Trials!
    • Getting my '59 Cub in '58
  • The Princeton Cubs
    • Class of 2009 - 2010
    • Class of 2010 - 2011
    • Class of 2011 - 2012
    • Class of 2012 - 2013
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    • Class of 2014 -2015
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  • Sporting Tales
    • Bonneville Speed Record
    • ISDT Success
    • Success in the Scottish
    • My 1961 International Six Days
  • TC&T Mysteries
    • The Terror
    • Who is this?
    • Mountain Cub Mystery
  • The Bermuda Connection
  • Buy - Sell - Swap
  • Welcome
  • Introduction
  • The Story begins...
  • An Interview with Mr Turner
  • Model information
    • Terrier T15
    • Tiger Cub T20 >
      • 1954/55
      • 1956
      • 1957
      • 1958
      • 1959
      • 1960
      • 1961/62
      • 1963-on
    • Competition Cub T20C
    • Sports Cub T20S
    • Woods Cub T20W
    • Sports Lights Cub T20SL
    • Trials Cub T20T
    • Street Scrambler T20SS
    • Scrambler T20SR/T20SC
    • Trials & Scrambler TR20/TS20
    • Sports Home Cub T20SH
    • Mountain Cub T20SM/T20M
    • War Department (T20WD/T20M WD
    • Bantam Cub T20B
    • T20B Super Cub
  • Police Machines
    • The RUC Cubs
  • Buyer's Guide
  • Resources
  • Technical
    • Machine Numbers
    • Gear Clusters
    • Front Forks
    • Front Fork Oil Change
    • Condensers
    • Finding T.D.C.
    • External Oil Filter
    • Lucas Energy Transfer
    • 12V Conversion
    • Fitting Indicators to a Tiger Cub
    • Fitting a Craven Luggage Rack
    • Spark Plugs and Sparks
    • Know your Alternator
    • Oil Pumps and Lubrication
    • PRS8 Switch Repair
    • T20 Oil Filter Kit
  • Your Stories
    • My Wee Cub
    • Denny's Terrier
    • A T20C Story
    • TR20 Cub Sorted
    • Saving Sylvia
    • My 1959 Tiger Cub
    • My First Restoration
    • Found in a Scrap Yard
    • My First Bike
    • Brand new out of the Box
    • On the Road after 40 years
    • First bike I ever Rode
    • The' Tarbuk' Conversion
    • A Tiger Cub in a Box
    • Aunt Tiny
    • Well-travelled Terrier
    • Mashooq's Tiger Cub
    • 48 Years with my Cub
    • Ready for the Arbuthnot
    • My Collection of Cubs
    • Mountain Cub and Cafe tales
    • My favourite Cub of all
    • A Cub in Norway
    • Beginning of a Terrier Restoration
    • An Ambush of Cubs
    • A T20C Cub (probably!)
    • A Moment Frozen in Time
    • Finally after 56 years!
    • Still riding Cubs after 60 years
    • A Lakeland Venture
    • Back to my Teens!
    • Terrier Tribulations!
    • Brian's Cub Special
    • Sold, Bought, Restored
    • It started with a Cub
    • A Family Connection
    • Cubs & Terriers in the Family
    • Benny's Tiger Cub
    • Tiger Cub Trials!
    • Getting my '59 Cub in '58
  • The Princeton Cubs
    • Class of 2009 - 2010
    • Class of 2010 - 2011
    • Class of 2011 - 2012
    • Class of 2012 - 2013
    • Class of 2013 - 2014
    • Class of 2014 -2015
    • Class of 2015 - 2016
    • Class of 2016 - 2017
    • Class of 2017 - 2018
    • Class of 2018 - 2019
    • Class of 2019 - 2020
  • Sporting Tales
    • Bonneville Speed Record
    • ISDT Success
    • Success in the Scottish
    • My 1961 International Six Days
  • TC&T Mysteries
    • The Terror
    • Who is this?
    • Mountain Cub Mystery
  • The Bermuda Connection
  • Buy - Sell - Swap
www.tigercubandterrier.com
Lucas Energy Transfer System
​A number of Tiger Cub models utilised a Lucas manufactured Energy Transfer ignition system that allowed the machines to run with lights if required but without the need for a battery.
Here is an explanation of exactly what it is and how it works.
Picture
​First off it's fair to say the system has come in for quite a lot of criticism over the years leading to many people thinking of it as unreliable and troublesome, and yet when all the components are in good condition (as when the machine was new), are well maintained and adjusted correctly, it works exactly as it was designed to.
 
It was developed for a number of competition motorcycles and those used off-road as a replacement for heavy and bulky magnetos making it ideal for use on lightweight Tiger Cub models, with the added advantage of being able to generate enough electricity to power the machine's lights if required.
 
The system consists of a specially-wound alternator and coil, and a contact breaker assembly designed to open for only a short amount of time.


​​Basically the system works by sending electricity produced by the alternator (via the operation of contact breaker points) to the ignition coil at exactly the point when the alternator is producing its peak voltage.

Because of this, it is extremely important to the functioning of the system that the rotor fitted to the end of the Tiger Cub's spinning crankshaft is in the correct position.
​
To this end, the rotor has two keyways machined into it to enable it to be used with Cub engines in various states of tune and to match high or low compression engines, high lift or standard camshafts.
​
Also imperative to successful running is the condition, gap and adjustment of the points, etc. and that they are kept in good order.
Picture
​Earlier in this article, I mentioned the system has come in for quite a bit of criticism over the years as being unreliable. One reason for this is the fact that at kick-starting speed, the peak voltage from the alternator winding is pretty weak, and consequently so is the spark at the plug; and any weakness anywhere in the wiring, connectors or the system in general will exacerbate this.
 
As the machines got older and perhaps less well looked after or maintained, starting and running problems came to the fore as the energy transfer system components just got 'worn out'. Alternator wiring deteriorated, perhaps the rotor lost some of its magnetism, contact breaker points got neglected, there were dirty or broken connections somewhere on the machine. Singularly or combined they all led to starting/running problems and it's not hard to understand why people started thinking the system was unreliable.
 
I suppose the moral of this story has to be, 'Make sure everything is in top condition and adjusted correctly'.
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