marcus inscribed in red ink for all to know:
Has anyone come across a circuit for a manually-adjustable, or even
automatic regulator circuit
to control a 24V car alternator?
Application is deep-cycle solar battery charging using 3-5HP small petrol
motor coupled to 24V alternator.
Need to tweak the voltage up to about 29-30V to equalise the batteries.
Solar batteries like a 3-stage charging regime - boost, bulk & float. These
voltages are all diff. and also depend on battery type (chemistry), so the
field needs to have these adjustable set-points.
Would be nice to be able to sense battery voltage and feedback into
alternator field voltage, to make a set-and-forget circuit.

Here's some background (12V, and no feedback) :
http://www.homepower.com/files/mark8.pdf

Thanks to everyone in aus.electronics who had a look at this.

Jim Thompson : I notice from your web pages that you have designed some car
alternator regulation projects - wondering if you have any thoughts?

Thanks all

Marcus in outback Oz




You can buy one for less than $20.

Are you talking about converting a 12V nominal automotive alternator to
24V? You won't need to make any changes to the pulley to make the
alternator deliver 24 V, but the the diodes and the diode trio will need
to be replaced with 24V versions.

And the new regulator, of course.

bob
s/v Eolian
Seattle