1610D Volt Reg Wells VR728 no joy

[evofxdwg]

i have done some work on it but am not finished yet - have not even ordered parts - been busy

I suppose i should solicit comments from the engineers among you so look at this:1610D Voltage Regulator Design (In work)

I believe i can package all except the automotive relay in the old unit aluminum heatsink housing. Will seal with silicone caulk.

Note old unit is still soaking in acetone - i have exposed the backside of the circuit board but have not removed it from the aluminum housing yet. I still want to get an idea what the old circuit was.

If i find the voltage headroom is too much for LM338 after measuring dynamo output under load, I may take soundguy's advice and look at a triac design. But Im already not thrilled with that approach as high voltage pulses would be seen by all tractor components if the battery were disconnected. Not sure if the lights and guages would withstand it.

 

[evofxdwg]

that URL works with MS IE but doesnt with Mozilla Firefox - not sure why

 

[Soundguy]

Hm.. surge supression should be also easy to engineer around... especially on the DC side.

Another thought came to mind.. scr projects.

Diode limiting for constant current voltage applications... I had thought about zenier dioeds.. but want to stay away from any kind of shunt limiting.. too much power waste.

Comparitor circuits came to mind as well.

Bottom line.. as you know.. you have about 15 different options to go from that ac dynamo output to dc battery charge voltage..... even cheapy half wave rectified stuff.. though that's just so terribly ineficient. (yucky!)

What about going true switching.. the surges onthe line would not really effect the dc side. That's how a computer power supply works. pretty much 90 to 150 volts onthe ac side still gives clean dc. Just depends on the ontime windo for the triac...

Soundguy

 

[Soundguy]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I suppose i should solicit comments from the engineers among you )</font>

hey.. no fair.. I just looked at your profile.. you're an EE anyway. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

I changed my major from EE to CE about 2/3'rds thru.. ( money reasons... my employer was a general contractor.. they didn't need any EE's on payroll.. however they were more than happy to finish paying for a CE .. so.. I sold out.. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif I think i shoulda stayed.. would hav ebeen more fun! )

Soundguy

 

[thegreatrandini]

Dude it ain't too late to do the EE thing!

 

[Soundguy]

I work so much now.. I'd never be able to break away to get my ee. I work 6 days a week.. 3 of them doubles... Guess I'll have to make due with my ce ( kicking dirt.. )

Soundguy

 

[thegreatrandini]

Like the old Beatles tune...8 days a week.....Don't do that forever.. Life is too short....

 

[Soundguy]

Not forever.. just untill my wifes credit card gives out! /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

Actually.. we are trying to expand the farm with another 10ac plot. I'l have to admit.. my wife also works 2 jobs, many days doubles.. she's a great team player.

Soundguy

 

[evofxdwg]

Yeah, i started out in ME, but after taking thermodynamics (a colleage from GT calls it "thermogoddamics") and control systems as a sophomore, i decided i didnt want to mess with steam tables and the carnot cycle for the rest of my life. But the control systems stuff might be fun, especially after i got shocked by the 100V DC analog computer lab, and changed to EE. I got my EE from Tennesee Tech in 1975. But Im afraid most of my circuit design "experience" is from home projects like this one. I've spent most of my time maintaining software, analyzing, and testing little grey boxes on airplanes, and designing ground test equipment at the system level from commercial parts.

So no comments on the proposed voltage regulator circuit yet? Can you guys access the URL?

 

[blackd]

No comments from me, probably way above my skill level. I did have a of thought: there seems to be way more components in yours compared to my original limiter.

Did the acetone work to remove the potting? I may need to clean my replacement limiter to see a complete innard. I was hopeing to do the same as you; replace the bad component(s) and put it back.