Scott,
So that's what a regulator does, I though it regulated current flow to the battery, maintaining 12 to 14 volts.

Our 'Ship Chief' must be into electronics, now let me get this straight- you must have a switching regulator, which consists of a regulator with a solid state circuit, which switches current on and off - off when the current exceeds a certain limit ( voltage?) and back on at other times.

I will get used to this electronics stuff eventually - just tell me if I interpreted this incorrectly! At lest I will know what to ask for.

On a similar matter I'm seriously looking at a motorbike style generator/ alternator. The one on my Suzuki would be up to the task as it put out sufficient power for an 1800 cc, fuel injected Twin cylinder - just have to work out how to attach it to the motor.
George ( down under)

SHIPCHIEF@aol.com wrote:

George (down under);
Could do that, we were just refering to how the regulator handles excess power with a PM alternator, that is, it can't reduce the alt output, it can only sink excess power to ground and let the excess heat go somewhere.
That's a strong motivator to size the alternator output to be no greater than the desired load.
Scott E

That is one method for regulation.  Take in everything and dump what isn't necessary into ground.  The problem is that an over-rev will pump too many electrons through the stator wires and burn them up.

A more modern method is to put a solid-state switch in the circuit.  If the generator puts too much voltage out, cut the circuit then bring it back online when the regulator output drops.  The regulator switches (hence the name "switching regulator") at a rate high enough that the regulator appears to be stabilized around the set voltage.

The heat sink method is good enough when the engine rpm and loads are characterized well enough for the more sophisticated electronics to not be needed.



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