Zener diode, 50 W and stock stator, 130 W(2016)

after my simple tests of a POD vs trispark mosfett i will ALWAYS recommend the mosfett type as it has a lower RPM break over to charge rate and the AC noise was almost non existent vs the POD. you spend less and you get less.

@marshg246 the Tri-Spark MOSFET is no "easier on the stator" than the PODtronics or the 50 bucks Tympanium in the last post, how can it be?

"Provide more charging current" not sure what you mean by this?

Let's not get sucked in to the marketing hype this time.



The one thing it has in it's favor (and the reason I have one) is that compared to the SCR-based reg/recs the new Tri-Spark does produce a very clean output.
MOSFET switches cleaner and faster versus the relatively slow, jerky and spiky behavior of SCR - I am also told the Tri-Spark has smoothing capacitors to help with this too.

Based on their recent experience with PODtronics, I would also suggest the Tri-Spark output is choked/filtered, which is a nice thing to have (although I am assuming this)

It's a great unit, and I am pleased I got one, but let's be clear about what it brings to the party.

G force

Wassell have never sold a Zener under the Lucas brand for many years HTA who produced the Lucas diodes stopped production in 1999

all the diodes marked Lucas which popped on to the market when the license agreement was announced was dealers clearing stock of the Japanese counterfeit Lucas diodes
these were sold by Velocette and the operating voltage was too high at 16 volts , no one has found a suitably rated chip to re manufacture a good replacement hence the shortage
i would be vary wary of parting with 40 quid for a diode knowing the scetchy history , stick with one of the rect / regulators which are easily available

gforce said:

@marshg246 the Tri-Spark MOSFET is no "easier on the stator" than the PODtronics or the 50 bucks Tympanium in the last post, how can it be?

"Provide more charging current" not sure what you mean by this?

Let's not get sucked in to the marketing hype this time.



The one thing it has in it's favor (and the reason I have one) is that compared to the SCR-based reg/recs the new Tri-Spark does produce a very clean output.
MOSFET switches cleaner and faster versus the relatively slow, jerky and spiky behavior of SCR - I am also told the Tri-Spark has smoothing capacitors to help with this too.

Based on their recent experience with PODtronics, I would also suggest the Tri-Spark output is choked/filtered, which is a nice thing to have (although I am assuming this)

It's a great unit, and I am pleased I got one, but let's be clear about what it brings to the party.

Click to expand...

You can go here to see why they produce a little more charging current - see the waveforms starting about one minute in:

Of course most of the video is marketing, but if you understand electronics, the waveforms will clear up how Tri-Spark provides a little more charging current over the bridge rectifier/Zener or the voltage regulators you mention. My response was in relation to the bridge rectifier/Zener. I did not mention Tympanium (know nothing about them) and only mentioned PODtronics in passing.

The bridge rectifier/Zener produces heats to clamp the voltage - in other words, the excess "power" generated by the stator is shorted to ground on the DC side. Again the waveforms will answer the "easier on the stator" question as the Tri-Spark does not do that - the proof is that if you ride all day you'll not find the Tri-Spark unit hot and you'll have a charged battery so clearly the stator did less work.

It would be nice when you quote someone to actually quote what they said! I actually said: "Although I don't use PODtronics these days, they don't hurt a stator. The better ones, like Tri-Spark's MOSFET compared to the bridge rectifier and Zener are easier on the stator (so what?), provide a little more charging current, run cool, and don't have a parasitic battery drain." Those are statements I and others outside Tri-Spark have proven.

I have not popped for the clone zener precisely because I smelled a rat. But the thread pretty much answered my suspicions.
No, they aren't any good!
Thanks to all.