Electronic voltage regulators for generators?

Do they make them? Seems to me most folks get away from generators because of the mechanical regulators. Shouldn't be too hard to come up with a suitable solid state circuit and fit it in the stock regulator case.

 

They have them for Harley Davidson gens, and have for a long time. It will be interesting to me to see if they have them for our car generators too.

 

I will have to think about this one and possibly come up with something that works. You have to remember that Ford and GM regulators control generator output differently, so there may have to be two version (maybe more if you have a 3 brush generator).

It would consist of a solid state switch for the cutout relay, a current sensing circuit, and a voltage sensing circuit. The latter two shouldn't be too much of a problem, the cutout will need some thinking. Would be nice to come up with a common circuit that was switchable for Ford or GM.

Let you guys know what I come up with.

 

Depending on what you were using it on[ amperage draw] a harley regulator would work on a mopar or gm generator I think they make 6v - ground also.

 

I wish i could find a good voltage regulator for my stude! I am on my 3rd one, and they work great, if you are satisfied with regulation between 12-15.5 volts! I have bought them from the chain stores, Napa, and independants,all with the same results!

 

I do like the idea of the electronic.

However, rather than buying newer mechanical regulators from the parts store, with questionable results, Why not repair an old one?

As long as the operating coils are not fried, the points can be cleaned and the springs ballanced to get the desired voltage and amperage. It's really not difficult to set them up. Most of the time the hard part is setting the amperage cut out, but that section is usually fine. The voltage section is pretty easy to adjust.

Frank

 

check this guy out ! was lookin for one the other day

http://www.wiltonae.com/home/index.aspx

 

There u go! Already done, and pretty reasonable. Can't re-invent this wheel for that price. (or maybe I can) LOL

 

All old shop manuals, both factory and aftermarket, had a section on cleaning and adjusting the output of the points-style regulators.

 

Well that's cool! Thats what I had in mind.

 

I used to do electrical maintenance on Diesel locomotives, and they had mechanical regulators to charge the batteries.
**** wotta PITA those were. they had rows of sequencial contacts that had to be adjusted,and all sorts of mechanical
****. Found some electronic regulators and 'bingo' no mo problems.