Speedometer neutral light

[veloce2003]

Hi, I have just bought a very tidy 1975 TS250. I had a new one back in the day. I've noticed that the neutral light indicator in the speedometer glows red. Looking closely at the speedometer it looks as though the red illumination is provided by a small red plastic lens over the neutral indicator bulb. I could have sworn that the new one I had in the seventies glowed green. Is my memory correct? If so does anyone know where I could buy a green lens for it. Thanks Michel

[Puffs]

Hi Michel, congratulations on your new TS250!

I don't know about the TS250 specifically, but in my '89 ETZ251 I have Yellow & Red lights in the rev counter, and Blue & Green ones in the speedometer. In my case, Yellow = neutral, Red = charge, Blue = high beam & Green = turn signal.

Indeed they are all just coloured plastic lenses over white 4W bulbs inserted from below. I'd say you can connect them up any which way you like, and indeed, on most other bikes the neutral light is green. Come to think of it, the colour scheme on my MZ is a bit odd, maybe Turn & Neutral were swapped at some stage?

There is also the possibility that it's an aftermarket speedometer, with a different colour scheme.

[Blurredman]

I agree with Puffs, you can put them any way you want.

Though I'm not sure those age of bikes had plastic inserts. My ETZ which has early 1980's clocks, has sperate yellow indicators for the charge light, the neutral light and the indicator light (high beam is blue)- and they look like they are just painted colours on the back of the clocks, and not plastic inserts that you get with the later bikes.

The standard for later bikes is as puffs says, green=indicator, yellow=neutral. These days, and even back then, most manufacturers use those colours but in reverse- and you can too if you want, for as puffs says. they're just wires going to standard bulbs. change the wires over

You could just just one clock too? where both lights provided the same requirements as the later ones with two clocks that had the four items..

[dave47]

According to the manual the neutral light was green and the charging light was red, so perhaps you have them the wrong way round.

[veloce2003]

Thank you all for your helpful replies. My Ts 250 has red indicators for both the charging light and neutral light. They are definitely coloured inserts. I think my only option is to try and cut out a small circle of green plastic to replace the red insert for the neutral inductor. Thanks again Michel

[Puffs]

Yes, 2x red is odd & doesn't sound original. But in order to get to those inserts, I think you need to take your speedometer apart, which is not so easy & may damage the counter. Is it worth the risk & hassle?

From this thread I've come to realise that in mine the connections for Turn & Neutral are swapped; next time I'm there I'll swap them back.

[Blurredman]

I refer you to page 3 of this document. Indicator is Green. (250 ETZ).

ftp://blurredmanswebsite.ddns.net/Vehicle_Documents/MZ_Documents/MZ_ETZ250-1981-Handbook.pdf

Also to the 12v wiring diagrammes for both 251 and 250, puffs:

ftp://blurredmanswebsite.ddns.net/Vehicle_Documents/MZ_Documents/12v_ETZ_250.jpg

ftp://blurredmanswebsite.ddns.net/Vehicle_Documents/MZ_Documents/12v_ETZ_251.jpg



Though, for the TS- I am unsure. But here is the wiring diagramme. There are only two lights- so I suppose it can be anything. For me, I have an TS clock spare somewhere, and 1 is orange, the other is blue- once again however painted, and not plastic moulded.:





Very intruiging!

[dave47]

Strangely (to me) the standard ETZ, without the rev counter, never had a neutral light, but was given the high beam light instead. Maybe this is a legal requirement in some countries, and the neutral light is not.

Also, the ETZ lights are not completely interchangeable as the blue light is internally earthed and unusable for anything else, so I have had to fit an external neutral light to my single clock ETZ, because for me that is the most useful light there is.

As BM says the TS lights seem to be just painted inside, and by now some are just yellow as the colour deteriorated with age. But slight remnants of the red and green paint can still be seen on mine.

I agree with Puffs about opening up a sealed unit speedo, unless strictly necessary.

[Puffs]

Well, on the idea of swapping connections between the 2 counters (as required to swap Turn & Neutral lights): a quick look at the bike shows that's rubbish. You'd have to break the wire loom. So my colour scheme appears original (for ETZ, or at least 251), as confirmed by what BM says.

My '76 Jawa (6V) has no Neutral light either, it only has a blue High Beam & a red Charge light. Also, there is nothing in the gearbox to connect a Neutral light to. Apparently, in those days a Neutral light was no legal requirement (in Europe), while a High Beam was.

[veloce2003]

Many thanks for your helpful replies. All the best Michel