6 volt Solid State voltage Regulator.

[ianw1]

Which is the best Solid State regulator to use with a 6 volt Lucas E3AR Dynamo please?

[MalcW]

A lot of people on here, me included, use a DVR2 regulator. You have to get the appropriate polarity, positive or negative earth, and it can work with 6v or 12v depending on how you set it up. See https://www.dynamoregulators.com/dvr2.php

Malc

[alanengineer]

DVR2 for me too.Some of the older designed ones actually drain the battery and when you need them to charge they need an electrical input to get them going. Not useful if you only use the bike once a week

[Taid]

Not sure how relevant this is, but I understand that Electronic regulators only control Voltage and not current .

[Groily]

It's true most don't Taid, although a DVR4 does, at greater cost and ? suitability. I've used a few 4s on some Bosch systems, but a DVR2 would have done just as well for all practical purposes.
The absence of full current control isn't a serious drawback in these applications, or it would have been incorporated for sure. The system on the old mechanical regulators does encompass a basic current limiting system, 'tis true, but I really wouldn't worry about it: the gains from having better management of the field and consequent protection for the armature using a modern box far outweigh, in my view, this theoretical shortcoming.

[Taid]

It's true most don't Taid, although a DVR4 does, at greater cost and ? suitability. I've used a few 4s on some Bosch systems, but a DVR2 would have done just as well for all practical purposes. ............

Thank you G.

I eventually went Alternator, partly because of the no current control (not necessarily the right decision) ..

[Groily]

I eventually went Alternator, partly because of the no current control (not necessarily the right decision) ..

[/quote]

Not a bad decision, to be fair -for whatever reason! I'm about half and half, using DVRs on 3 dynamo bikes at 12v, and combined regulator/rectifiers (couple of A Reg 1s and one Podtronics box) with 12v alternators, and one A Reg 6 for my only 6-volter with a Miller ac system.
Regardless of what we use with dynamos, and however good they be, there's no doubt it's easier to support decent wattage halogen illuminations with alternators. Especially if using magnetos, as I tend to. The alternators are also virtually maintenance free, whereas dynamos do need periodic checks (and a bit more besides now and then!).

[SPRIDDLER]

Not sure how relevant this is, but I understand that Electronic regulators only control Voltage and not current .

A battery's state of charge is sensed and measured by its voltage not its 'current'.

The current drawn by any item of electrical equipment is 'regulated' by the current that it needs to operate; no more, no less, unless it or the wiring is overloaded or faulty (which is why we fit fuses).

[Mick D]

A battery's state of charge is sensed and measured by its voltage not its 'current'.

True, but too high a current whilst charging the battery is detrimental to it's health.

On an associated issue, has anyone any horror stories of using the (very), cheap universal motorcycle regulators available? Is a Podtronics / DVR etc. really 12 times better?

Regards Mick

[SPRIDDLER]

A battery's state of charge is sensed and measured by its voltage not its 'current'.

True, but too high a current whilst charging the battery is detrimental to it's health.

Yes Mick, my laziness. I didn't go into that partly for brevity and partly because my only experience is limited to 40's and 50's Lucas dynamos with a max output of roughly 42 watts at 6v (7 amps). A couple of pals with alternator bikes have boiled their batteries - burst a battery in one case.
Thrifty Peter's (alternator P11) wiring melted on the way to the Milan IJR when the Zener failed short circuit and his fuse was rated greater than the loom.
(I know I've posted this no end of times, but........)

Italy Jampot 2009 (5) (640x429).jpg

P11 melted wiring (640x297).jpg

I did have an 'A O' solid state regulator but found that when the revs dropped I had to pull the clutch in and give the engine a squirt to wake the regulator up before it would switch to charge mode.