Mercury 20 amp Voltage Regulator

[j_martin]

Has anybody unpotted one to see what's in it?

[outasite]

Not me,but the ones you can see into look like lots of "stuff" in there.But there are stand alone voltage regulators used in the automotive and home built aircraft,that are good for up to 60-80 amps and smaller than the potted merc one! Not sure how you would drive the tach though.Or if they would even work with a stators two yellows.

[j_martin]

Automotive regulators control a relatively small field current in the alternator. An outboard alternator if full fielded with permanent magnets, so the actual power has to be switched.

The reason I'm asking is I want to run half my 40 amp dual system at 24V to charge the trolling motor batteries. I can do it with modern TSR and transformer circuitry, but I'm sure there's a simpler way that I'm just not aware of. If I can figure out what's inside the cube, I can morph it into what I need. There's 90V, 20A AC available at the stator at full throttle.

I have a couple of burned out clear ones laying around. Anybody know how to get the potting out of my way.

[outasite]

Only a guess,but maybe a soak in acetone.

[rutro]

Yeah what outasite said. Acetone has such a quick evap rate it would have to be covered though for sure. Maybe some xylol or something like it with the acetone, to slow the evap rate. I hope you share if you figure it out. I love my 24v. trolling motor, but I hate charging batteries......

[j_martin]

Theoretically, at 5000 rpm and with a modern power supply design, I should be able to charge 24V and 50 amps or so off one coil on a dual system. I'd need to run some experiments to be sure it won't destroy the stator, but theoretically that shouldn't be a problem. That should keep the trolling motor batteries up if you run the main any amount at all. If you gun and run it'd keep them fully charged.

It would be a $300 or so product. Would there be enough market to warrant development?