Mailing List flyrotary@lancaironline.net Message #3500
From: <rogersda@cox.net>
Subject: Re: [FlyRotary] overvoltage (was: alternator choice?)
Date: Sat, 4 Oct 2003 19:24:34 -0400
To: Rotary motors in aircraft <flyrotary@lancaironline.net>
Hi All,

   Mark wrote:

> I'm not an expert in electronics.  I was following the advice of Bob
> Nuckols on the Aero-electric connection.  There are failure modes with
> internal regulators such as a "run-away" that can't be stopped by shutting
> off the field current.  This possibility necessitates using over-voltage
> protection at a very minimum.  The problem comes with how to hook OVP up to
> an internally regulated alternator.  There's a schematic on the
> Aero-electric Connection at
> http://www.aeroelectric.com/articles/bleadov.pdf that shows how to do
> that.  

   I acknowledge that Bob Nuckols is far more knowlegeable about things electronic that I am, but that schematic sure seems like the hard way to implement what is basically a "crowbar" circuit.  I've attached a quick-and-dirty MSpaint drawing of a suitable circuit to isolate the alternator from the battery and load (assume that the load is taken from the positive pole of the battery on this drawing - I forgot to put it on (told you it was quick-&-dirty)).

   The SCR needs to be rated for more amps than the maximum normal output of the alternator.  The Zener only needs to pass enough current to trip the SCR; I chose 15V assuming that normal max-charge is 14.5V pick a higher voltage, if your system requires.  The resistor is to limit current flow through the zener to less than its rating - five ohm would probably work fine, it won't be conducting very long anyway.

   The circuit breaker could be an automatic resetting (after a cool-off period) but I don't recommend it.  If the alternator went ballistic in the air, I'd want it to *stay* off until I had a chance to check it out on the ground.

Regards,
Dale R.
Image
crowbar.jpg
Subscribe (FEED) Subscribe (DIGEST) Subscribe (INDEX) Unsubscribe Mail to Listmaster