In a message dated 9/22/2010 11:07:43 A.M. Eastern Standard Time,
bktrub@aol.com writes:
I don't know how likely an overvoltage condition is with the internal
regulator in the denso alternator is, but if it did run away like that, you
cook your computer and the big fan thingy attached to your motor stops moving
and it gets real quiet.
I'm not sure, but I think that an overvoltage condtion is much more
likely with a mechanical voltage regulator. Anyone out there know more
about these things?
Brian Trubee
My feeble understanding is that, in the alternator the flux field is
spinning, as opposed to being stationary in the generator, and voltage output is
controlled by how much voltage the regulator puts into the armature through the
brushes and slip rings.
So to reduce the output voltage to near zero you must cut the voltage to
the brushes. No flux field, no output.
So, a heavy double pole single throw switch in series with the brushes,
should be adequate to eliminate the alternator as a problem.
If one brush is just grounded inside the alternator, then battery supply to
the regulator could go through the same switch. Then you would have nothing in
and nothing out.
A big diode on the alternator output would isolate the alternator from the
battery(s) so a total meltdown could not take the battery(s) out with the
alternator failure.
Lynn E. Hanover