Voltage Stabiliser - 12 volt Any experience?

N

Niord

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I have been advised by Raymarine to fit a Voltage stabiliser in the power supply to my Raytheon type 300 Auto pilot. This advice was given after the course computer had failed 3 times in 4 years.
I have a bow thruster and a power windlass both connected to the same battery bank as the autopilot, so maybe there are transients/spikes on the power line.
Has any one fitted a voltage stabiliser? If so why? Where did you get it? Did it do any good?
BTW Raymarine have refunded the FULL cost of repairing the pilot to date. Full marks to Raymarine for customer service.
 
We manufacture a unit for one of the production builders, it allows nav equipment to be powered from the higher of the two battery banks. It avoids the volt drops from starter motors, winches, bowthrusters etc, supplying power from the best battery, and also provides a duel battery bank supply.

Drop you a PM.

Brian
 
A very cheap way of filtering the supply to electronic units is to use a ferrite ring round the two supply wires. Extra effect is obtained by passing the wires through the ring a few times so that there is 2 or more turns round the ferrite ring. No it's not a stabiliser but it will filter out some of the spikes and dips.
 
A different approach and maybe not relevant ....

Many moons ago I wanted a car stereo for carrying on ship ... smaller. more powerful etc. than the portable's ... So I went to a specialist electronics shop and they sorted out a kit of kits .....

A 240 / 120 - 12v transformer, Zener diode and a large can capacitor.

Now of course on the original post we do not need the transformer ... but the zener diode and can capacitor stick in my mind as the shop guy reckoned they were to smooth out the 12v so that the stereo would have steady and smooth power ... It most certainly worked and I still have that transfomer etc. in full working order.

As I undesrand it the diode removed the reverse part of the AC 12v .... the capacitor leaked "top-up" into the lows and troughs of the voltage ... (forgive my street version and un-technical explanation - but thats hwo he told me !!)

Can this sort of approcah help - as its generally loss of power as high power stuff kicks in Etc.
 
Re: A different approach and maybe not relevant ....

Hi Nigel The capacitor is to smooth out the peaks and troughs as your man said of the mains electrics (240v ac). This would have hardly any effect on a dc supply. The Zener is an idea but would need a series resistor as well. Easier way is use one of teh simple voltage regulators that are vailable off the shelf. You will need to know what the current consumption of the autopilot was at full load. Hope this helps.
 
12v not 240v

The capacitor is in the 12v side - not the 240v .... and is to keep the 12v stable ... basically where the diode chops out half the 12v AC cycle - the cpacitor tops it up in same direction as the other untouched wave .... if you get my drift !!
 
Re: 12v not 240v

Sounds like a cheap AC rectifier circuit, the only real disadvantage to you is a waste of power, and possibly more noise. A bridge rectifier (4 diodes) and a capacitor will do the job more gracefully, though at slightly more cost.
 
I posted as an idea to stimulate development ...

I'm not an electronics guy and was given the bits, told waht to do with them and it worked very well ....

So maybe it has potential to be developed further ?? As I know it was suited to power also a 100W per channel Booster ... I have though about fitting it to the boat as a smoother 12v from 240v mains supply ...

Over to experts ....
 
Re: I posted as an idea to stimulate development ...

As a circuit its OK. I've seen it quoted in textbooks as a cheap and cheerful way to rectify an AC signal than the classic bridge rectifier. You'll find it in older and/or cheaper power supplies and converters.
As to how it works, if you're interested: to use the water analogy for electronics: the 12V AC is a water level of varying height. The zener is a clamp, say a sill that spills the water if it goes above 12V. The capacitor is a bucket that is filled by water levels above its level and empties out to fill up levels that are below it. So the zener chops off the peaks and the capacitor fills in the troughs. The main drawback is that the zener dumps whatever it cuts off, wasting power, but if you can live with that it is simpler and cheaper than the more efficient bridge rectifier.
 
How I understood it ...

The capacitor is about 2x the size of a 35mm film canister ... so its a biggy !!

But if the zener and cap system chop off and top up - then surely this is what is looked for ... waste of power admitted ... but mine covers a booster of 100W a channel + the stereo ... so is not a low power affair ...
 
Re: How I understood it ...

There was a suggestion of a regulator. This will not work as a simple regulator will only reduce the voltage as it varies it's dropping effect to ensure 12 volts comes out. They are very effective but you must start with about 17 volts to get a stable 12 volts. That is no good to you as you want to be able to operate when the battery voltage is less than 12 volts.
The only kind of regulator suitable would be a switching type which actually converts up to about 18 volts then reduces it as necessary to get 12 volts out even when battery is down to 10v. Consider one of the computer lap top supplies. ( one that can give 18v or 12v)
You shouldn't have to go to that extreme. Halcyon suggested they sell a unit which I imagine is a diode power feed from both batteries. So that if one battery volts drop then the other will supply. 2 diodes the cathodes connected together to the A/P each anode going to each battery positive via fuses.
The suggestion of the ferrite rod may help. Wind the positive lead around the rod or through the torroid (ring) as many times as possible. A large electrolytic capacitor on the A/P end of this coil will also help. This set up will not affect the voltage supplied to the A/P but will tend to inhibit then smooth any spikes of voltage that come from winches etc. Make sure thae capacitor has the positive terminal to the supply line negative to the negative wire or earth. I suggest you try this option. occasionalloy from a car radio supplier you can buy a similar filter unit. regards olewill
 
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