Voor diegenen die graag knutselen en experimenteren heb ik hier de uitleg hoe onze alternator werkt.
Wel Engelstalig, ik neem aan dat geinteresseerden die taal wel machtig zijn.
On our Perkins 4108 m we have the old standard Lucas alternator.
In 2000 the external Bosch regulator ( Yes dinosaur ) died.
Could not find a replacement so I made a bulb / switch regulator myself.
I regulate the field current by switching simple 12V light bulbs into the line.
All switches up means “Full power”. The anchor coils gets what ever tension we have on the system ( Battery's ) That means full output. Flipping switches down connects first one light bulb, then two and finely a washing machine rheostat in line with the anchor. That way I can regulate myself how much output the alternator gives.
All switches down means no power to the anchor, The alternator just idles.
Regulating this way is not foolproof ! !!
I have two big voltmeters witch I constantly monitor. One inside, one ouside. Batt´s reaching 14.5 V I start regulating down.
In fact the alternator is very seldom used. We have enough solar and wind to cope with all needs.
On repeating days without sun or wind I can charge our battery´s in a more clever way than any automatic system can do.
I know what weather we will have the next days, I know what electrical power we will need, I know if the engine will be running or not. I know when new batt´s will be bought. No regulator knows parameters like that.
Most regulators turn power down to a trickle if 14,1 V is reached. Way to soon.
If I forget to regulate down I have a problem.
Happened once in 16 years of cruising. Lee shore, big winds coming up, old battery´s ( Could not take a lot of charge ) and general confusion made me forget the charging. When the anchor was finally up ( hand operated winch ) and I was under way some 20 minutes later there was already 32 Volts on the system. This fried my solar regulator.
If I stop the engine and forget to cut the power to the alternator anchor it pull´s 4 to 5 Amps.
No harm done but a big draw like that is noticed. Forgot it a few times, even over night, no damage done.
Some say that letting an alternator run without power will ruin the brushes.
Still the second set of brushes after all those years. Old ones just changed because I changed the alternator bearings.
In case of smaller engines, don't under estimate the power taken by a charging alternator.
Not suggesting this is a good idea for anyone, I like my system
Low tech, never fails, costs nothing. Not even dummy proof.