Misc: Charging Systems Alton Generator installation

[Halfabike]

I have recently bought an Alton Generator for my Rapide, which comes with a Podtronics regulator.
The Podtronics regulator has a much larger footprint than the old Miller and it won't simply replace the old one. I wonder if anyone has a neat solution of how to install the new regulator?

 

[Somer]

If you don't have an electric leg, you can always put under the battery tray.

 

[Halfabike]

If you don't have an electric leg, you can always put under the battery tray.

Thank you, that seems like a good solution.

 

[Robert Watson]

An adaptor plate screwed to the top of the original generator clamp is what was done on the MacDougall alternators. I don't run one but they looked quite OK there. Others on the forum may have one and post a picture.........

Mine is different and I used to have it under the battery tray but it was a real pig anytime it needed attention, like once in 90 + degree temps in California when one of the wires came off! I moved it like this.

That's it hanging under the tank and behind the fuel tap. The round bit bolted onto the the front rack bolt is a Vacuum Operated Electric Switch (VOES) that switches the advance curve in the screaming eagle HD style ignition. The Alternator is from a Yanmar diesel powering a small John Deere tractor. Come in 200, 300 and 400 watt variants. This is a 200W one. Been on there for some 23 years or so.

 

[nkt267]

On 2 Comets I have fitted them to I drilled the battery tray, countersunk the holes from the top so that the screw heads were below the surface of the plate and mounted it underneath as has already been suggested..Good air flow under the Comet tray.

 

[Halfabike]

Thanks for all your replies, I will fit it under the battery tray. The regulator itself looks really well made and, hopefully, should not need any further attention.

 

[Marcus Bowden]

They will pack up if you overwork them, use as much power that it produces, otherwise, it has to dissipate all the energy the Alton produces, one headlight is a tungsten filament the other is LED plus all the others indicator brake & hazard, heated grips I use most of the time, but occasionally my hands get too hot so switch on the high consumption headlight, I like instrumentation and have a voltmeter in the second headlight where the ammeter usually positioned and shows much better the condition of the battery.
bananaman

 

[oexing]

I tried one of these typical motorbike regulators on my own setup with three phase brushless 48 V servo motor, 300 W for its job as generator on the Vincent. When I did a load test exceeding 14 V with a quartz bulb the motor started to emit some unhappy sound and motor and regulator went to unacceptable temperatures from there quickly , I had no cooling in the test jig. So I did some research in Google and learned that these simple regulators just short one or two phases in the three phase permanent magnet alternator or turn all power into heat above the specified 14 V. So really no question for me to stay with this crap. So I came to the idea to let the alternator do all voltage it can produce and not cut off at 14 V - you will get some more power as well. So really the 48 V motor will turn out more than 50 V and some 300 W . For taking the job of the miserable bike regulator I had a three phase rectifier 20 A 1200 V on the motor/alternator and a voltage converter for getting the 13.8 V for battery supply, both items at € 35.- from Ali. . When you look up the old thread from last year you will see that NO extra cooling is required for these two components , nor for the alternator on the Vincent. And this at over 200 W load in half an hour no cooling in my workshop. So the Podtronics don´t impress me much if cooling is critical with them.

Vic
old thread:
alternative regulator

 

[bmetcalf]

That link just takes me back to this thread.

Here is my Podtronics mounting. It is an aluminum strip with countersunk screws and spacers to use the cradle clamp tapped holes and separate holes for bolts to attach the regulator. It also gives a good earthing spot for the reg.

 

[oexing]

Sorry, I corrected the link above so you get the old thread now. But of course you have to find a place for the components somewhere but cooling is no factor - and I believe you get more power out of thev Alton.

Vic