I am asking for help in getting educated in voltage regulators for small gas engines. Here, I'm speaking of the kind that have a starter unit separate from the alternator.
I'm getting all sorts of mixed signals as to what will or won't work with my
17hp garden tractor.My dealer wants $100 for a new one, and I'm reasonably sure I can get by with much less money out of pocket than that.
Ebay has maybe 20 pages of voltage regulators.
My contention is:
- HP---engines or roughly the same hp should have charging systems scaled accordingly. Is this more or less true?
- That a 12v regulator is a 12v regulator, is a 12v regulator, as this refers to output dc voltage.
- That the size (amp rating) of voltage regulator matters only insofar as your need to provide a given max charge rate to the battery---i.e., we can use a bigger of smaller regulator than the system design/spec rate, and all it does, if the one we choose to use is smaller, is restrict the rate the battery will charge up.
I think I could use just about any of these that match up roughly to the amp rating I need, the 12v rating, single phase alternator (most small engine garden tractor ones are single phase), and 3 wires out of the voltage regulator.
I understand the 3 wire thing is standard for simple circuits. Two leads go to the alternator ac output, and one goes to the battery.
If the case isn't grounded, then a 4th wire is needed for a ground.
So, my garden tractor is specified to have a 20 amp system. Any reason that just about any 3 wire, 20 amp, 12v alternator wouldn't work with my engine?
So, there are my perceptions and ignorance. Now, please set me straight.