Author Topic: Thoughts on fitting a modern AVR to supply the field on a 6KVA Brush alternator?  (Read 3390 times)

westray

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Any thoughts or experiences please, replacing the original field excitation system on a 6KVA Brush Lister SR2 (or similar) with a modern electronic AVR

starfire

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There is  several ways to do this.
One is to design one, these are electronically quite simple, I have several designs here I have made over the years.
These I can post the diagrams if there is any interest, although it will require electronic building skills or have someone make them up for you.
It is possible to adapt a generic Chinese unit, but requires knowledge of the particular AVR you are working with.
Another very simple way is to use a saturateble inductor in series with the main output windings, the secondary winding is placed in series with the brush field supply phased to increase field current under load, this stabilises the voltage but requires a bit of fiddling to get this just right. This method was used in the Markon , early Honda and similar units.
If its lights flicker you are worried about, a mains isolating transformer can be placed in series with the output load, the secondary of the transformer is shorted. This works similarly to the old arc welders with the choked air gap current control, and lessens the tendency for large voltage fluctuations and distortion on the waveform.
Another  very simple way to reduce light flicker is to connect a capacitor across the brushes, this effectively averages the exciter current from the bridge rectifier. Its simple to do, perhaps the best component to use is an easily available starting capacitor for an electric motor, These start at around 4 mFd , Id suggest 10 mFd would be close for most alternators.
The downside to this, it will increase voltage overshoot when an inductive load switches off, such as a refrigerator or electric motor.... not an issue if not simultaneously using electronic stuff.
Electronics is the way to go here, Ill post the diagrams if there is any interest. These were designed by me to serve specific units, but are universal enough to be easily adapted to all mains alternators as all designs are electrically  pretty much the same..
« Last Edit: November 05, 2017, 06:22:10 AM by starfire »

otcwog

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hi is this possible as i have a 6kva brush alternator on a sr2 lister which hasnt got the control box with it is there anyway i can use a modern avr on it ?

scott p

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Hello all:
I was given a generator the other day. It is a rotating field alternator with slip rings and nothing else.
I have played with the idea of a separate exciter. However starfire mentions the use of a saturateble inductor with a secondary that can be used to excite the field.
Starfire if you ever come back here can you elaborate further on that method?

Scott