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1. 07:24 PM - Reverse Engineering an Ultralight Charging System (Jared Yates)
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| Subject: | Reverse Engineering an Ultralight Charging System |
I'm puzzled by a very simple and basic charging system and I suspect that
the great minds on the list might be able to help figure out how it works.
The manufacturer hasn't been forthcoming about the circuitry.
Here is the extent of the technical documentation that I have found so far:
http://vittorazi.com/manuali/Quick_wiring_Vittorazi_Moster185_electric_starter_eng.pdf
This is a small single-cylinder 2-stroke engine. The flywheel has a
permanent magnet, and there is a coil at the top for generating the spark.
There is a similar coil at the bottom that is intended to charge the
battery. The coils are grounded to the engine case, and on the charging
coil, there is a single wire that exits the coil and goes to a small potted
device that is presumably a regulator and rectifier. It has three
conductors: one for the coil output, one for the battery charge, and a
ground. I would guess that the coil is creating an AC current with a
frequency related to the engine RPM.
It seems like most of the lawn mower regulator/rectifiers have two wires
for the incoming AC, then one wire for the outgoing DC, plus a grounded
case. What stumps me about this one is that since the gadget in the circuit
only has three wires and an insulated case, it must mean the AC voltage
happens between the engine ground and the single coil output wire. I
haven't yet put a multimeter on the leads while the engine is running but I
suppose that would be good data.
Through a set of unrelated circumstances, I fried the included factory
regulator circuit, and while I could buy another one from the Italians for
$50, it seems like a good opportunity to better understand how this system
works. It may be possible to make a better circuit, since there are
complaints that the factory circuit drains the battery if it isn't
disconnected after each flight. The factory system is intended for a sealed
lead acid battery. My end goal is to provide some charging energy to the
tiny lithium iron phosphate battery, which is the smallest EarthX with its
own little BMS. Currently the battery is working fine to run the starter
motor and strobe light, but I'm sure it will require occasional recharging
if I don't work up some circuitry to charge while in flight.
I'm tempted to try a bridge rectifier and some type of voltage regulating
circuit. Any ideas?
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