Alternator - questions

[sueanddaren]

There is a 14.8V regulator available for the A127. I will have a rummage, I think I may have one you can try. In my experience it is better to use battery sensing tho'.

 

Snibble

 

Had a bit of a re-think and as you alternator folk are playing around with regulation methods I thought that I might just try adjusting the saturation level and Sg on the AGM batteries Im going to use. That way I might be able to use the 14.8V regulator on a standard A127 with no other electrical gizmo's. Can you give me the details?

 

Regards

 

Daren

[Gibbo]

Snibble

 

Had a bit of a re-think and as you alternator folk are playing around with regulation methods I thought that I might just try adjusting the saturation level and Sg on the AGM batteries Im going to use. That way I might be able to use the 14.8V regulator on a standard A127 with no other electrical gizmo's. Can you give me the details?

 

Regards

 

Daren

 

Some AGM batteries NEED a higher charge voltage. There are several types. Not all of them are limited to 14.1/14.2 volts.

 

For instance Optima now recommends 15 volts for its spiral AGMs

 

http://www.optimabattery.co.uk/pdf/6p_English_1_Heavy.pdf

 

Many others are the same with regard to charging.

 

It is a big problem at the moment because the suppliers are clueless and if you ask them what the charge voltage should be you will usually be met with a vacant stare and some bullshit. The only way to find out is to get to the actual manufacturer's site (not a badging operation's site) and dig around.

 

Gibbo

[Sir Nibble]

Snibble

 

Had a bit of a re-think and as you alternator folk are playing around with regulation methods I thought that I might just try adjusting the saturation level and Sg on the AGM batteries Im going to use. That way I might be able to use the 14.8V regulator on a standard A127 with no other electrical gizmo's. Can you give me the details?

 

Regards

 

Daren

Ask your local branch of Lucas service about CARGO part number 230283. Visually identical, straight swap. A diode in the yellow lead to the reg would probably be as effective.

Edited May 8, 2008 by snibble

[Arnot]

Snibble

 

Had a bit of a re-think and as you alternator folk are playing around with regulation methods I thought that I might just try adjusting the saturation level and Sg on the AGM batteries Im going to use. That way I might be able to use the 14.8V regulator on a standard A127 with no other electrical gizmo's. Can you give me the details?

 

Regards

 

Daren

I agree with Gibbo and Snibble here but check your PM...

 

Regards

 

Arnot

[sueanddaren]

If you just want to raise the voltage of an alternator regulator from say 14.2v to14.8v (and you don't want the functionality of an alternator controller) then the simplest and cheapest way is to insert a diode into the D+ line. This will raise the regulator voltage by 0.6v. (The diode cathode should be connected to the rotor brush connection. Diode rating should be around 5-10A).

 

Chris

 

 

Chris

The penny has just dropped, or am I missing something here? On the A127 Alternator the D+ line is the wire that goes out of the regulator into the alternator and is simply a male/female spade connection. If that is correct all I need to do is mount 2 or three different diodes on a heat sink and have a rotory switch that switches between them. Put this in a box and have two leads coming out with the correct spade terminals on the end. Then its just plug and play. It can't be that simple, no soldering inside the regulator and just 2 minutes to fit once made. OK what have I missed????

 

Daren

[Gibbo]

Chris

The penny has just dropped, or am I missing something here? On the A127 Alternator the D+ line is the wire that goes out of the regulator into the alternator and is simply a male/female spade connection. If that is correct all I need to do is mount 2 or three different diodes on a heat sink and have a rotory switch that switches between them. Put this in a box and have two leads coming out with the correct spade terminals on the end. Then its just plug and play. It can't be that simple, no soldering inside the regulator and just 2 minutes to fit once made. OK what have I missed????

 

Daren

 

You're almost there.

 

Here's where the idea really came from from

 

http://www.smartgauge.co.uk/alt_mod.html

 

That's been on there years.

 

You need to add the extra anti parallel diode on the A127. It's rare, but sometimes the reg blows if you don't add it.

 

Gibbo

[sueanddaren]

You're almost there.

 

Here's where the idea really came from from

 

http://www.smartgauge.co.uk/alt_mod.html

 

That's been on there years.

 

You need to add the extra anti parallel diode on the A127. It's rare, but sometimes the reg blows if you don't add it.

 

Gibbo

 

 

Thanks Gibbo it was "Finding the actual electrical position is left an an excercise for the student!" that was giving me the problem. Diodes, transisters etc I know nothing, Sg's, grid alloys, and paste density's are my thing.

 

Daren

[Gibbo]

Thanks Gibbo it was "Finding the actual electrical position is left an an excercise for the student!" that was giving me the problem. Diodes, transisters etc I know nothing, Sg's, grid alloys, and paste density's are my thing.

 

Daren

 

Ok. On the A127 the wire that gets the diodes put in it in the diagram is the wire that runs from the spade terminal on the regulator into the workings of the alternator. The spade terminal is the bottom of that wire in the diagram. The other end that goes into the alternator is the top.

 

I think that describes it clearly?

 

Gibbo

[Jparry]

While changing the oil & fuel filters today there seemed to be a lot of carbon dust around the alternator it seems like it has come from the alternator brushes can you tell me if this is this normal thanks Joe

[Sir Nibble]

While changing the oil & fuel filters today there seemed to be a lot of carbon dust around the alternator it seems like it has come from the alternator brushes can you tell me if this is this normal thanks Joe

It is usually important to know the alternator type, but in this case I will take a flier without it. Cooling air is drawn into the alternator, usually through the back and expelled along with the heat it has picked up by the fan at the front. It is almost certain that the deposits you are seeing are depositions of general issue clag, (Engineers clag available from all good engineering suppliers, other sorts of shit are also available) that have been carried on this airstream. I do not think I have ever seen brush debris escape from the confines of the unit on any alternator.

[BEngo]

It is usually important to know the alternator type, but in this case I will take a flier without it. Cooling air is drawn into the alternator, usually through the back and expelled along with the heat it has picked up by the fan at the front. It is almost certain that the deposits you are seeing are depositions of general issue clag, (Engineers clag available from all good engineering suppliers, other sorts of shit are also available) that have been carried on this airstream. I do not think I have ever seen brush debris escape from the confines of the unit on any alternator.

 

 

It's also possible that the OP has Special clag, manufactured at start-up on heavy loads when the drive belt slips. This is a quite common occurrence on my set-up caused by a huge pulley on the engine and not enough wrap-round on the small as I dared alternator pulley. It's quite helpful because when the build-up gets significant I know it's time to get a new belt out so's it's handy.

 

In my experience, Engineers clag is slightly gritty to the fingers, Special clag isn't. When mixed with old engine oil either are useful for starting bonfires, making the stove smoke heavily in tunnels and causing handkerchiefs to be irretrievably ruined.

 

N

[Sir Nibble]

It's also possible that the OP has Special clag, manufactured at start-up on heavy loads when the drive belt slips. This is a quite common occurrence on my set-up caused by a huge pulley on the engine and not enough wrap-round on the small as I dared alternator pulley. It's quite helpful because when the build-up gets significant I know it's time to get a new belt out so's it's handy.

 

In my experience, Engineers clag is slightly gritty to the fingers, Special clag isn't. When mixed with old engine oil either are useful for starting bonfires, making the stove smoke heavily in tunnels and causing handkerchiefs to be irretrievably ruined.

 

N

[Jparry]

Thanks I better get a spare alternator belt then Im relieved I started to see pound note signs its quite a large alternator Joe