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Re: Europa-List: Ducatti Rectifier/Regulator

Subject: Re: Europa-List: Ducatti Rectifier/Regulator
From: Bill Henderson <europabill@bellsouth.net>
Date: Tue, 5 Aug 2008 15:19:39
For what it's worth, I got John Wigney's rectifier/regulator when his 
died and disected it.  Only parts I could find bad were the two 
rectifier diodes (MR2510) and they are directly mounted to the heat 
sink.  You can't repair though as the whole thing is potted and you 
basically tear it up when you open it.......

I guess the answer is to watch Ebay for a cheap replacement.


Bill
A010 Classic Monowheel
60% Done 150% to go


  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Duncan & Ami McFadyean 
  To: europa-list@matronics.com 
  Sent: Tuesday, August 05, 2008 2:59 PM
  Subject: Re: Europa-List: Ducatti Rectifier/Regulator


  That mode of (slow) regulator failure is common. And not just on 
Europas.
  I have it creeping up on me too, but can confirm that the regulator 
does not see more than 40C (as measured on the body of the regulator), 
except perhaps after shutdown, at which time there would be no greater 
junction temperature, which should be able to endure in excess of 100C . 
So the failure mode may not necessarily be related to temperature. 

  Duncan McF.
    ----- Original Message ----- 
    From: Bryan Allsop 
    To: europa-list@matronics.com 
    Sent: Tuesday, August 05, 2008 9:56 AM
    Subject: RE: Europa-List: Ducatti Rectifier/Regulator


    Hi Steve,
     
    My regulator is positioned on the firewall behind the plenum 
chamber, without a heat sink. Last time he did an annual inspection 
Graham Singleton looked at it oddly, and asked if I had experienced 
problems with the regulator. Apparently overheating had been common 
problem. I told him that I had not, and forgot about it.
     
    Only last week I had a radio failure in flight. I noticed that the 
voltage had dropped and returned to investigate. Sure enough, there was 
no voltage from the Ducati regulator to the battery. After an hour or 
two trying to prove to myself that I did not need to buy a new 
regulator, I failed, and had to spend =A375 + del. to purchase a new 
one. 
     
    Retrospectively, I can look back and recognise that the failure has 
been taking place intermittently for more than a year. I can recall odd 
times when the voltage had dropped, and I put it down to other things. 
More recently it has taken a little time for the voltage to come up to 
the charging level. It is a bit like old age, you begin to accept that 
visiting the bathroom in the middle of the night is normal.
     
    My recent investigations illustrate that there is quite a history 
overheating problems with Ducati regulators. Hopefully the later models 
have been improved. Certainly the back of my unit does not give a good 
heat sink area. Despite this, the regulator has been installed and 
working for over eight years.
     
    This all leads me to suggest that you would be well advised to 
position the regulator in a way which will minimise heating problems. A 
good heat sink would be an advantage.
     
    Hope this helps.
     
    Bryan
     

    > From: steven.pitt2@ntlworld.com
    > To: europa-list@matronics.com
    > Subject: Europa-List: Ducatti Rectifier/Regulator
    > Date: Sun, 3 Aug 2008 19:33:01 +0100
    > 
<steven.pitt2@ntlworld.com>
    > 
    > Dear All,
    > I hope I am not repeating a thread but I would appreciate input 
---From the 
    > forum on where builders have positioned their regulators. My 
reason for 
    > asking is that I may have an intermittent fault in the electrical 
generation 
    > system and having done some fault tracing with Conrad Beale and 
Skydrive it 
    > is pointing to the rectifier and the possibility that it has 
become 'cooked' 
    > and thus developed the intermittent workings.
    > My fitment is on the flat above the pilot's footwell, but the 
opinion 
    > expressed so far is that there is not enough air circulation to 
keep it 
    > cool, especially after landing. I still have the side gills to the 
top 
    > cowling.
    > Thanks in anticipation.
    > Steve Pitt
    > G-SMDH Trigear XS. 
    > 
    > 
    > Checked by AVG - http://www.avg.com 
    > 
    > 
    &g===========
    > 
    > 
    > 


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