Quote:
Originally Posted by Licensed to kill
Would a voltage regulator not take care of fluctuations?. What downstream components are at risk?.
|
Yes, a voltage regulator would give you constant output voltage from your generator, once the engine RPM is up high enough to start putting out enough voltage to exceed the voltage in the battery.
The main advantage of a voltage regulator is that it adjusts the current output from the generator to be just what you need to run the car and charge the battery. Once the engine RPM is up high enough, a stock Model A generator always puts out the same current, adjusted with the movable brush, regardless of how much current you need.
At night you may be powering your headlights only partly from the generator output, and the rest is coming from the battery. Eventually you can end up with a dead battery and engine does not run. Or you adjust the amperage out of the generator up to power the lights.
If you do, then during the day, once the battery is recharged after starting the engine, the higher constant current output is more than you need, but the generator forces it into the battery anyway. This boils the water out of the battery. This is why you need to check the battery water once a month, especially if you drive mostly during the day.
A voltage regulator recharges the battery and then reduces the current out of the generator automatically. So you can set the generator up for high current output (for the lights at night) and not worry about hurting the battery during the day.
Most of the original electrical components on a Model A are not harmed by varying voltage on the car while the generator runs the volts up and down. Bulbs will get bright or dim, the horn will spin faster or slower... The battery takes the brunt of the high voltage.
It is easy to add a hidden voltage regulator to a stock Model A generator. You don't need an alternator to get that upgrade; well worth doing. Be sure to get one that matches your ground system (stock positive or negative) and battery voltage.
