[Ducati] Misc ponderings about regulators

[MS&F]

"But aren't you just trading regulator heat for rectifier heat in that case
since it's an integrated unit?
I mean, isn't it really still a Catch 22?
Cody"

Not really.  Rectifying the current is realtively easy and does not generate
much heat, so while the battery is being charged, for example, the output
from the alternator is rectified and basically piped straight into the
battery to recharge it.

Once the battery is charged, the current draw is reduced, allowing the
voltage to climb.  When the system voltage reaches a set level. Probably
around 14.5V, the zener diode opens, allowing excess current to dump into
the shunt resistors.  The faster the engine runs, the more power is
generated by the alternator and the more has to be dumped into the shunt by
the zener diode.  

Its is definitely better to take the load off the regulator by using
accessories than by making the regulator do all the work.  I wonder if
anyone has ever tried mounting a remote shunt somewhere in the air stream?
I built a shunt regulator for my Kawasaki z900 for a few cents when I was a
poor student but never thought of mounting the resistors in the air stream.

Stuart