Sterling Alternator Regulator

[Andrew_B]

I keep looking at the add for the Sterling Alternator Regulator in PBO which apparently increases alternator performance 3 or 4 fold for little more than 100 quid.
Does this mean more charging amps from your alternator or does it just manage the charging ie full charge when low voltage detected and float charge when max voltage detected.
My Yanmar 3GM has the standard 35amp alternator which has to charge a 2 x 150AH + 1 x 105AH house bank and a 100ah starter battery helped by an Air X marine wind turbine.
I would like to avoid the expense of a high amp alternator and wondered if the Alternator regulator would help.

Any advice much appreciated.

Andrew


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[longjohnsilver]

I also was impressed by the claims in the ads and some of the good comments on this forum so I fitted one a few months ago. So far I can detect no difference in useable battery capacity, the chap from Sterling was rude when I phoned for fitting advice, so all in all I wish I hadn't bothered.

No doubt others will say different, but can only speak from my personal experience.

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[bedouin]

It's a good piece of kit - provided that you understand what it does and does not do.

The regulator increases the charging voltage for the battery - provided that the alternator can supply the extra current. While this does not increase the maximum output of your alternator, this does mean in most cases the alternator is outputting more current and charging the batteries faster.

This has two benefits - firstly it charges the batteries faster - meaning less motoring, and secondly it charges the batteries more fully, meaning greater time between charges and prolonged battery life.

In your case your alternator is a little underspecified - trying to charge 500AH of battery from a 35A alternator is a little optimistic (i.e. you would need 20Hrs flat out). A sterling alternator will probably help - but is no substitute for a bigger alternator.

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[Aeolus_IV]

Our 3GM30F has a 50 or 55 AH alternator - which I thought was standard. However I have also installed the Sterling Digital Alternator Regulator and having a voltmeter on the system you can see the difference between the system with and without the regulator. Initially it drives the output voltage to 14.2(ish) volts, then down to 13.8 (or less) once the battery is charged (this upper voltage selected since we seem to have sealed batteries so use a lower voltage to avoid gasing). So you'll get more charge into you batteries, and more life out of them. Another reason for installing one of these devices (or similar) is to allow you to make your charging system battery voltage regulated. This means that you can install a split diode between your alternator, your house batteries and your starter battery and the regulator will make allowances for the voltage drop across the split diode.

So charging your batteries betcome automatic everytime you are running your engine.

I believe it is worth the time and effort to install one of these - but follow thier instructions carefully and check, and re-check everything before running the system up. Be prepared to take your alternator apart, as the regulator will need direct access to the rotor windings which will mean soldering some leads onto the back of the bushes inside the alternator.

Jeff.

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[Birdseye]

any such device cannot alter the maximum storage capacity of your batteries, nor can it alter the rated output of your alternator ( which i am sure is more than the 35 watt quoted since my 2gm is 55 as standard)

what the controller does is substitute for the existing alternator control system so that your batteries can (in most cases) reach full charge quicker. but you only need this if your existing system and typical motor useage are not adequateto fully charge your batteries

so you need first of all to establish whether the existing system is working adequately. the obvious question is are your batteries going flat? to be a bit more sophisticated, what is the battery voltage after they have rested for 24 hrs? if it is up in the 12.7 region all the time (use a digital meter not the basic analogue often fitted to boats) then the batteries are being fully charged . to be really sure, use a hydrometer. if so - then i cant see how a new regulator will improve things.

as much as anything, it depends on your sailing style. lots of motoring (like me) and the most basic of standard systems will cope. minimal motor use / high electricity demand, and you might benefit from faster charging during the limited time the motor is on. you will know that this is the case because your batteries will go flat or you will have to take action to prevent them doing so

ps. i found sterling very helpful and am pleased with the battery charger i bought

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[muchy_]

I too fitted one a while ago. When I started the engine I noticed the alternator got red hot. I phoned Sterling and the chap was rude to me as well. I just asked if it was meant to get that hot and he spoke as though I should know all these things. Anyway, I'm really pleased with the thing. One of the best 100 quids I've spent and I recommend it highly. Just don't phone the bloke up ;-)

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[petery]

You could, of course try Adverc who supply similar kit and could not have been more helpful (telephone lady and technical support) in handling my naive questions when I came to fit a new alternator and their controller for a 500ah battery bank.

No connection of course - other than a satisfied customer.

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[steffen]

Hi Andrew,
I to have a Yanmar 3GM and it does indeed have aq 35 amp alternator standard (Hitachi LR35). I recently bought a bigger alternator for 130 euros at the car starter/alternator specialist. Its a rebuild Bosch 75 amps and can be fitted with some handywork. It also has a 15volts regulator to compensate for the diode bridge loss.
I would go for a bigger alternator anyway.

Happy sailing, Steffen

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[Heckler]

they do work, have fitted one, takes my 2 battery 2 times 60 amp sealed bank from 11 volts to 14 volts (on the system voltmeter) in 1 hrs running from a 60 amp valeo alternator (std on the VP2030)
man at sterling who i spoke to today said that i was probably getting the full 60 amps out of the alternator.
that was 12 hrs running the fridge, 12 hrs running the eberspacher plus the normal bin lid trick of thinking the light switches only work one way!! + the radio as well.

not bad, 1 hrs running the donk restores the system and heats the water up for the shower.

oh and by the way dont listen to the twonks who tell you to run it in gear etc to prevent bore glazing, its a load of codswallop, all that does is wear out your drive train.
stu

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[clio]

if your specialist installed two batterys with a split diode to isolate them then 15 volts is not bad, you lose.7 volts at the dode, I prefer a solinode controlled by engine oil pessure, then there is no voltage drop.

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[philip_stevens]

....or energised from your alternator warning light supply. When the light goes out, the solenoid energises.

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Philip

 

[mikenda - delete]

I to have had some very rude and unhelpful e-mails from Sterling. In comparison Adverc could not have been more helpful so much so that although more expensive I have decided to install their equipment.

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[bedouin]

The problem with diodes is that the voltage drop is dependant on the current - so as the current drops so does the voltage drop - which risks over charging the batteries.

Much better either to use a low voltage-drop device, or a battery sensing regulator (such as the Sterling)

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[tome]

Stu

I'm about to fit one to a Valeo alternator on a VP2030 - any tips on this?

Regards
Tom

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[Heckler]

only probs i found was that my 100 watt soldering iron took forever to melt the original solder on the brushes, had to get out my trusty gas powered one. also just chipped away at the plastic on the cover so the wires could exit ok. the instructions are spot on, plus all the connections were ok going to the ones on the alternator i.e wher the one is supposed to go to the ignition switch it is ok going to the equiv on the alternator. i left the settings as std cause i have 2 sealed batteries on the domestic side. 2 * 60 amp but am thinking of fitting another, prob is that the eberspacher is on + the fridge + charge the laptop etc etc, am running the donk for an hr a day whilst on board to keep up, the volt meter shows it going down to 11 volts ( which still starts the donk ok, i start the donk on the domestic and keep the 60 amp start for emergencies only) and then it goes up to 14 volts after an hr run.
all in all a worth while investment, interesting to listen to the revs rise & drop if you disconnect and connect the feed to the brushes, as i said previously the sterling man reckons that you get a true 60 amps out of the 60 amp valeor when the box is connected. also interesting that the original regulator continues to work when you disconnect the feed and then is superceded by the sterling, also the alternator does get bloody hot! but am assured that it is ok, have been to the boat this weekend and did extended runing when the furler got stuck and no probs except for a nicely charged bank.
stu

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