trialtrial Posted October 28, 2011 Report Share Posted October 28, 2011 Any electronics gurus out there? So my 2000 txt 280 has a single wire regulator - so I am guessing the alternator must be single phase. In the schematic it shows the regulator fits between the input/output (same connection) and ground. So I am guessing the regulator will shunt current to ground when it goes over voltage. I want to bench test the regulator. I have a variac and a meter. Here is how I connected it up. I connected the meter to the output of the variac. Then I connected the regulator across the output. I slowly turned up voltage - up to 18VAC - but the reg did not keep the output voltage down. Is this a valid bench test? Should I have a load? thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trialtrial Posted October 28, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 28, 2011 For anyone who cares. I put a 330R 20W resistor load across the output. The regulator would not do the job. So I got a new regulator and bench tested it with the same setup. At 13.9V is shunted the current to ground. So all is good. I know I could have done it on the bike but its in pieces. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
copemech Posted October 29, 2011 Report Share Posted October 29, 2011 For anyone who cares. I put a 330R 20W resistor load across the output. The regulator would not do the job. So I got a new regulator and bench tested it with the same setup. At 13.9V is shunted the current to ground. So all is good. I know I could have done it on the bike but its in pieces. Yea, well seems you answered your own question here. Sorry, cought your post late in theday, but yes, it seems nothing but a shunt to ground for excess voltage. This being the case, I am not sure that a load is neccessary, as on the bike there may be no immediate load it seems. Yet I do wonder a bit about rectification, as it does seem ;ogical to me that these things are designed for DC and that must be done prior for things to work properly. They just shunt off the ac half wave as well, but it does make me wonder a bit of chicken and egg theory here. The fan being your only true DC item. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trialtrial Posted November 1, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 1, 2011 So I installed the new regulator, and rather than test with a live fan, I put on a multimeter at the AC spot and after the rectifier. I tried it about 6 times and twice the DC was up at 18-25V - but my last two tests the DC was at a nice 13.5V Grrrr. I am on my second rectifier, third fan and second regulator. Crappy thing about this AC shunt design is that if it fails, it sends the full voltage downstream and will burn out the rectifier and fan. I ended up putting in a 600V 50A full wave bridge rectifier, but I still need protection for the fan. I am thinking of putting a high current DC regulator after my rectifier - any other ideas? *sigh* What a pain... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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