rectifier,regulator,and stator?

[Michael Snow]

Okay, what in the world do these things do? I know a regulator keeps the voltage going back to the battery from the alternator from over-charging the battery. But why are there 4 million different ones? I need to replace mine, but it's $80+ (or 140 from the dealer). Is there something special that the regulator has to be paired with the alternator or something? Seems LOGICAL to me that the darned things should be completely interchangable between 12v systems and that the mounting holes would be the only difference. But surely I'm missing something. Now, what's a stator and what's a rectifier and what exactly do they do?

 

[Don Wilhelm]

Mike, a the stator is stationary part in a generator (alternator) A rectifier changes AC current to DC. Some motors combine the rectifier and the regulator into one unit, some do not.

 

[fatrap]

Mike Way back I described the function of said part. Anyway the rectifier on my boat is hooked up to the water jacket for cooling. It's under the flywheel and that needs to be pulled before it can be reached. But I have a little 90 hp OMC.

fatrap

 

[Michael Snow]

Ah, so that explains why it's $100. I hate it when parts get that high with no good reason. But if it's a rectifier AND a regulator, I guess I'll just suck it up.

 

[Texas Transplant]

Just replaced the one on my Rude about 6 weeks ago. Cost was $250.00.



Tex

 

[fatrap]

That's about what it cost me a few years ago. Most outboards lack an alternator to create the electricity. The rectifier does that job. When the magnets in the flywheel pass the primary coil in the rectifier a current is created and built up and stored in some type of capacitor. At the proper moment the capacitor is discharged across a secondary winding of coiled wire. This collasped field moving across the secondary windings create your high voltage to the plug.

It also creates a lot heat which in most cases leads to having the rectifier water cooled as there is little air movement inside the cowling of a outboard.

and so it goes

fatrap