Stator heat test

worntorn said:

The Podtronics does it a bit differently.
It shorts the output wires of the alternator, not to ground but to each other.
It has been suggested that this is very bad for the stator and would cause a lot of extra heat.
I didn't find that.

Glen

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Perhaps I'm missing something. The diagram I have shows the AC output shorted to ground. In a conventional Zener system the rectified AC, now DC is shorted to ground. I fail to see how the alternator cares. Excess current is simply dissipated as heat.

There has been a LOT of (often heated) discussion over what may or may not be happening in theory, resulting in fall outs and members leaving the forum! So there’s lots of theory to research on here.

Glens test was intended to show that, despite the vagaries of what may or may not be happening in theory, in practice heat generation is clearly not an issue.

Yep, there MIGHT be a difference in how some regulators affect stator heating. But, like so many things the important question is, "Does it matter?" Sometimes that question seems to be left out of many discussions re replacement parts and "upgrades."

JimNH said:

Perhaps I'm missing something. The diagram I have shows the AC output shorted to ground. In a conventional Zener system the rectified AC, now DC is shorted to ground. I fail to see how the alternator cares. Excess current is simply dissipated as heat.

Regulator Rectifier: Why Short-Type Damages Your Alternator

Not all regulator rectifiers work the same. Oscilloscope testing reveals why the common short-type damages your alternator, and which series-type to buy.

granttiller.com

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Jean found that the Podtronics both shunted to ground and shorted across output leads. I defer to his and Greg's expertise on this.
That shorting is the concerning part, however in practice it did not show any extra stator heat when in the full regulating cycle vs the normal generating cycle.

Glen

worntorn said:

Jean found that the Podtronics both shunted to ground and shorted across output leads. I defer to his and Greg's expertise on this.
That shorting is the concerning part, however in practice it did not show any extra stator heat when in the full regulating cycle vs the normal generating cycle.

Glen

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My RM 23 and Podtronics and good strong battery run just fine after 50, 000 Kms. But I'm willing to listen.