Electrical: Solid state voltage regulator

[doubledaddy]

Does anyone know where one might find a solid state voltage regulator for a 50 commander generator? There was a man in new England that made them but he passed away a couple years back. They worked great but I can find no one who is making them now. I am tired of trying to get a stock regulator to work correctly, I have purchased 2 so far and both are junk, can not get the voltage set correctly. Also the amp gauge constantly swings from full + to - and back.

I have found a schematic for a regulator that looks as if it will work but have no documentation for it. There has to be someone out there making such a device. I want to avoid switching to an alternator but will have to if I can't solve this.

Thanks

[Frank DuVal]

If all three regulators acted the same, I would suspect other cause. What voltage are you trying to regulate to?

[doubledaddy]

I am trying to reverse the polarity to negative ground. In theory a regulator does not care but in practice it gets a little complicated. I may be over reacting by calling them junk but I'm just getting frustrated.

Did some research and found what may be the problem.

First off, I know that a voltage regulator does not care about polarity BUT I have found most are made with dissimilar metal in the relay contacts to reduce arching. The metal is reversed from positive ground and negative ground. This is why they are marked as positive or negative ground. From experience I have found they will work if polarity is reversed but the contacts will burn up in a very short time. I have seen a few marked as positive or negative but have not found one that is made for the delco remy on my 50 Land Cruiser.

I tried a regulator for a 50 Chevrolet, Delco negative ground, but it only lasted about 200 miles and the contacts started sticking. This is why I am looking for a solid state regulator, no contact problems and fully adjustable.

Guess I'm going to have to dust of my breadboard and bench and see if I can get one to work.

[StudeRich]

Often bouncing Brushes will do that from weak Brush Springs.
Also clogged gaps between the Armature Bars cause uneven charging, I would not blame 3 Regulators especially if they were New, even Chinese ones are a bit better than that.

[GinettaG12P]

In theory there is no difference between theory and practice; in practice, there is.

[TWChamp]

I like the original positive ground and just bought an insulated lighter socket to run my GPS. You can buy an insulated socket for only a couple bucks delivered on ebay.

The new repro regulator was just as you describe when I first bought my 50 Champion last spring. I cleaned and adjusted the contacts, and also had to align them, as they were tilted and way off center. Once I straightened and adjusted the contacts it worked fine. I wanted an original Autolite, and finally found one on ebay. I cleaned and adjusted that one, and it also works good now. I find Delco regulators are easier to find than the Autolite. I make electronic voltage regulators for Model A's but they are also for positive gorund 6 volt systems.

[rkapteyn]

Did you polarize the regulator/generator combination?

[Frank DuVal]

Also in the back of my head there is this little thought from machines class in college that you might polarize the generator to produce reverse voltage from how it was made, but there is a brush spacing relationship that also would need to be changed to really make the fields work right. This would mean redesigning the brush holders.

What is the problem leaving it positive ground? It seems weird to us GM guys, but it works!

[doubledaddy]

One thing I did learn in 40 years in electronics and then computer service is that theory only works on paper. It takes a technician to modify a paper design and make it work. I have had many searious discussions on this with several "smarter then you" engineers who thought a lowly technician was one step above an imbecile.

I know what is causing the wild swings on the meter but don't know why. The voltage regulator relay is supposed to open and close up to 100 times a second or faster but this one is pulsing at about a one second rate. I have adjusted the air gap and contact gap with no improvement. It also has a new battery. Other then jumpering the generator field to test it I have not looked into the generator. Could not hurt to go thru it just to be sure. It's been 45 years sense I worked with a generator as opposed to an alternator and just a little rusty.

I am not opposed to a positive ground it's self. I have several 6 volt to 12 volt converters that are about the size of a stick of gum and can put out up to 1.5 amps each. That would work great for powering a tach, GPS or phone charger, or with 2 or 3 in parallel a CB radio and 8 track. Problem is they are not isolated so anything I connect to them must be insulated from the car body and this is just not practical.

Besides all that by nature I can't leave anything alone. When it comes to anything electrical or electronic I am always looking for a way to make it better, quite often with a lot of smoke.

Question, can I use an Autolite regulator with a Delco generator? I have several laying around but was not sure if it would cause problems. I have noticed they have different mounting holes and the specs say they are for a lower amp rating.

Sorry for being so long winded.

[rkapteyn]

No.
The Delco uses a different mode unless it was a Delco regulator designed as a replacement for an Autolite regulator.
Again do you know how to polarize the generator and did you perform this procedure on your regulator to polarize your generator?
You have to read this in your shop manual or on the forum

Here is StudeRich.
you connect a small 16,14 or 12 ga. wire, not critical whatever is handy from the "B" Battery term. of the voltage regulator to the "A" Armature term to polarize the generator type, 6 volt system. Make sure it does HAVE a generator, and not a Alternator conversion though.

You will need very large gauge battery cables on a 6 volt, because they have more amperage than a 12V. And yes all 6 volt Studebakers, Fords & Chrysler products are POSITIVE ground.

Note: I changed the terms. from "F" to "A" after re-reading the '47-'51 Shop Manual for Champion (Autolite) 6 volt systems.

StudeRich -Studebakers Northwest Ferndale, WA


Robert Kapteyn

[doubledaddy]

I have correctly polarized the generator, It is charging. It's just the regulator turns on and off at about a one second rate. This only happens when the battery is close to full charge. If I discharge it for about a minute or engage the starter with the ignition off for say 30 seconds and then start the engine it shows around 20 amps steady for a time before it starts jumping, (actually show discharge as I have not reversed the amp gauge leads yet). This shows the current regulator relay is working correctly. it also will stop charging for up to 30-45 seconds while driving and then jump to a high charge rate for a short time and then back to jumping again. This looks to me like the voltage regulator relay armature is sticking but I can't find any reason why, the air gap and contact gap have been set several times.

[TWChamp]

Have you checked the wire wound resistors under the base of the regulator? I wonder if one of them is burned out?