[Ducati] Misc ponderings about regulators

[mike major]

A "shunt Regulator", often based on a zener diode, bleeds off any power generated over the power needed.  If the bike's output power is closely matched to the power needed the amount of power bled off will be small thus putting little strain on the regulator.  However, if the alternator output power is too much higher than that needed the regulator will allow excessive current, in an attempt to keep the voltage/power to an acceptable level and burn up....bummer.  And, even if the regulator doesn't burn up the excessive power that is being bled off took power to generate, I.E wasted energy.
       An excited stator regulator uses a small amount of current from the bike's battery to produce the magnetic field needed for the alternator to work and regulates the power output by varying this current.  This is a more complex way of controlling voltage but is more energy efficient and allows more variations in the load of the system.  
       In this day and age, when most of our bikes already use computer controlled fuel injection systems and we need more/better regulated power to allow for accessories etc., a shunt regulated alternator is a throwback to the stone ages.  And a 2 phase system,  with it's higher peaks and lower valleys, is even worse.  We pay more for a Ducati because we expect more, in the case of bikes sold with 2 phase shunt regulated systems, I feel you have been screwed.  Even my 1971 Suzuki 500 uses a 3 phase system for God's sake.  Later, Mike D. Bike

Garth Williams <garthw at houston.rr.com> wrote:
  Tom,

For the uninformed, what is a "shunt regulator?"


> It's not just Italian bikes, many Japanese bikes have the same 
> problem, Honda VFRs for example, and I just ordered a new one for a 
> friends Yamaha 250 Virago, second one this year!
>
> I think that shunt regulators in general are a bad idea, but that's 
> what they (and most other manufacturers) use these days. The only way 
> to keep them from blowing is to give them better air-flow and/or 
> larger heat sinks.
>
> Tom
>
>


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