Re: WTF - Watt the fock?
Posted: Tue Jun 28, 2022 7:49 am
Rob is 100% correct. All the regulator does is switch at a target voltage. My standard regulator switches at 13.92V on bench test. The 'police regulator' ELA44410-2 will switch at a higher voltage which I believe to be 14.2 ± 0.1 V. Until the alternator rotor is spinning fast enough to create sufficient stator output there's no difference. What will happen is the alternator output will be higher voltage and that will drive more charging current into the battery so shorter bursts of higher revs will charge faster, however at close to idle there's no advantage. AGM batteries will benefit from an initial higher charge voltage when below 100% charged however there's the risk of overcharging as there's no 'smart' regulation to reduce the terminal voltage when the charge current/time is reached (unlike sophisticated chargers and regulators). Gel batteries are the Devils work for these motorbikes unless you think they are short term disposable items! BMW chose 14.0 volts as a good compromise between battery drain and overcharge gassing leading to battery damage.
PS; I'm an electronics engineer with many years of battery installation design experience on boats and industrial plant.
PS; I'm an electronics engineer with many years of battery installation design experience on boats and industrial plant.