Voltage Regulators with Higher Output (EarthX Battery)

[sonex1374]

You can ignore the "L" (low-voltage light) and "IGW" (voltage sense) terminals.

Mike,

I need to clarify my earlier statement - the "IGN" (Voltage Sense) terminal should probably be connected to either the battery, capacitor or battery bus (just like the "B+" terminal). This is the way the stock Jabiru voltage regulator is wired, and this regulator should also be wired this way. The Voltage Sense wire controls the output of the regulator - when the voltage on that terminal is low it ramps up the output voltage to start charging the battery, and when the battery is fully charged that terminal sees the higher voltage and the output ramps down. You can connect this terminal directly to the battery for the best results, but really anyplace on the battery bus is fine also. I overlooked this detail in my original response while concentrating on the AeroVee's three wires from the stock voltage regulator. Sorry for the confusion.

Jeff

[builderflyer]

You can ignore the "L" (low-voltage light) and "IGW" (voltage sense) terminals.

Mike,

I need to clarify my earlier statement - the "IGN" (Voltage Sense) terminal should probably be connected to either the battery, capacitor or battery bus (just like the "B+" terminal). This is the way the stock Jabiru voltage regulator is wired, and this regulator should also be wired this way. The Voltage Sense wire controls the output of the regulator - when the voltage on that terminal is low it ramps up the output voltage to start charging the battery, and when the battery is fully charged that terminal sees the higher voltage and the output ramps down. You can connect this terminal directly to the battery for the best results, but really anyplace on the battery bus is fine also. I overlooked this detail in my original response while concentrating on the AeroVee's three wires from the stock voltage regulator. Sorry for the confusion.

Jeff

Correct me if I'm wrong, Jeff, but the "voltage sense wire" draws current even while shut down, if not disconnected from the battery. So to avoid running the battery down while parked, the best place to connect this wire is where it will be disconnected from the battery at shut down. Mine is connected to the output post of the master solenoid but other "switched" locations work as well.

Art,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Sonex taildragger #95,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Jabiru 3300 #261

[pilotyoung]

I could be wrong also but my understanding is the voltage sense wire also turns the VR on. When there is no voltage on that terminal, the VR is off and doesn't let the battery charge. That is the way the generic John Deere VR worked that I put on my RV-12. The original VR also worked the same way. The original VR was from an Italian motor cycle I just can't remember the name right now.

[mike.smith]

Correct me if I'm wrong, Jeff, but the "voltage sense wire" draws current even while shut down, if not disconnected from the battery. So to avoid running the battery down while parked, the best place to connect this wire is where it will be disconnected from the battery at shut down. Mine is connected to the output post of the master solenoid but other "switched" locations work as well.

Art,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Sonex taildragger #95,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Jabiru 3300 #261

I've had mine wired directly to the battery for 6 years and it's never run down the battery even a little. So it must not draw any power when it senses nothing going on.

[sonex1374]

Correct me if I'm wrong, Jeff, but the "voltage sense wire" draws current even while shut down, if not disconnected from the battery. So to avoid running the battery down while parked, the best place to connect this wire is where it will be disconnected from the battery at shut down. Mine is connected to the output post of the master solenoid but other "switched" locations work as well.

Art,

I'm not sure if the voltage sense wire draws battery power all the time. I suppose is would be easy to test and find out, but I've never done it. Like you, I also connect my voltage sense wire to the switched side of the battery bus (at the big capacitor, actually). This prevents any sort of small parasitic drain on the battery (if there is one). The only reason I recommended connecting the sense wire directly to the battery is that is how Jabiru recommends it in their install manual. I didn't follow this myself, but that's their recommendation. This might also give you better charging performance without any strange influences from the bus (if that's even a thing).

I could be wrong also but my understanding is the voltage sense wire also turns the VR on. When there is no voltage on that terminal, the VR is off and doesn't let the battery charge.

John,

I think you are correct. If the sense wire doesn't detect any voltage then the regulator will not "turn on" and provide charging output. I'll have to test this as well.

I've had mine wired directly to the battery for 6 years and it's never run down the battery even a little. So it must not draw any power when it senses nothing going on.

Mike,

The standard 3-terminal AeroVee voltage regulator doesn't use a discrete voltage sense wire. I think it just output full-bore whenever the PM alternator is sending it AC current. In any case, it's pretty simple to add a voltage sense wire connection when retrofitting a new voltage regulator to the AeroVee. Simply run a new wire from that terminal to wherever is convenient on the battery bus and you're good to go.

Jeff

[builderflyer]

Correct me if I'm wrong, Jeff, but the "voltage sense wire" draws current even while shut down, if not disconnected from the battery. So to avoid running the battery down while parked, the best place to connect this wire is where it will be disconnected from the battery at shut down. Mine is connected to the output post of the master solenoid but other "switched" locations work as well.

Art,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Sonex taildragger #95,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Jabiru 3300 #261

I've had mine wired directly to the battery for 6 years and it's never run down the battery even a little. So it must not draw any power when it senses nothing going on.

Mike, we may be talking about different regulators as I know we have different engines. When I purchased my now 20 year old Jabiru 3300 engine new in 2001 it came with the VR that is still going strong to this day. I've never put a milliammeter on it but when I had the sense wire connected directly to the battery, the battery would discharge in a fairly short time. When the sense wire was "switched", the battery would remain charged indefinitely. This phenomenon may have been discussed on the Jabiru engines forum years ago. I doubt I was the only one who made this observation at the time.

Art,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Sonex taildragger #95,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Jabiru 3300 #261

[mike.smith]

Hi, all:

I tried the VR Jeff suggested, with my AeroVee and EarthX battery. It did not work well. It provided much less charge, and worst of all it made my tachometer go crazy. The tach reading is taken from pulses from the VR. With the secondary ignition ON the tach was all over the map, and would generally not read anything below 1600 rpm. Wih the secondary OFF, the tach read from 0 to 300 rpm. I flew twice around the pattern, with full stop landings, to verify I got the same readings, which I did. So I took off the VR and put on the original Sonex one. Since the wonky readings happened at both low and high rpm, I don't think it's because of low alternator output.

[pfhoeycfi]

I cant find the higher output Caltric VR model 11-2 suggested by JS. Does anyone know where its available or perhaps suggest another?

peter

[tps8903]

Edit***** Do Not Use. Full Wave Rectifier. Fried my Stator.

Link Removed

Just purchased this Rectifier regulator. Seems to be a common unit on other homebuilt airplanes based on comments at Rivival Cycles. It's a MOSFET controlled REC/REG set to 14 +/-0.2V simple wiring with two Alt wires, a positive and negative lead for the battery. Can be installed on the engine side and comes with a 1 year warranty. I'll post an update.

The Sonex VR that I have stabilizes ar 13.2V. So my EarthX is not draining because I only use about 12amp on the high end.

[Bryan Cotton]

I must have gotten lucky. My battery shows 13.2V during runup and 14.5-14.6 in cruise. Stock VR that came with my Aerovee kit.

I have pretty minimal electric loads. I turn off the secondary ignition out of the pattern.