Alternator (adjustable) voltage regulator
Contents
1. Warranty Terms This unit is covered by a 24 month warranty on a return to base basis We will repair or replace free of charge The warranty does not include damage from incorrect installation The warranty is void if the cover is removed or if the unit is tampered with Unit serial number Shipped date Fitted date sie oem Contact Details For any questions or warranty matters contact Graeme Polley New Zealand 07 843 1582 Email SAR aeroconsult co nz See test rig results on You Tube http tinyurl com zmd4 test ri Latest copies of this manual can be obtained from http tinyurl com zm4manual ZM4 Voltage Regulator User Manual 2013 Version 11 Page 24 of 242. The dilemma of a standard dumb regulator is twofold it only offers single voltage target and that target is often not even correct outside of the automotive use Ideally a regulator should acknowledge the chemistry occurring in the wet cell batteries and provide two different set points When the engine starts up we would like the battery to charge as fast as possible This is accomplished by setting a voltage target of 14 4V the actual depends on your specific battery type Once the battery reaches this value it is at approximately 80 of full charge capacity and gassing occurs This signals that the highest safe level of charging has been reached We should not exceed this gassing voltage or we could damage the battery but neither should we go too far below it or we will take longer than necessary to charge the battery At this stage the battery will continue to accept or absorb charge at a gradually decreasing rate ZM4 Voltage Regulator User Manual 2013 Version 11 Page 6 of 24 Since the charging rate tails off we should choose some sensible point to stop the intense charging and switch to just maintaining or floating the battery at a charged state We do this by reducing the voltage set point by 0 6V and it is vital for the long term health of the battery Typical target values for dumb regulators are between 13 8 and 14 2V which is too low for the absorption stage and too high for the float stage So you have the
3. friends with boats discovered what I d made and I soon found myself making ones and twos for friends To date there are more than 160 units in active service in both private and commercial settings Installations have ranged from launches to yachts motor homes to off road vehicles and even trains and a paddle steamer and an aircraft As a hobby venture for me it provides a wonderful opportunity to meet people from all walks of life learn what they re doing and help them solve their battery problems I m sure you ll find that the ZM4 does a fine job for you as it has in my own launch since 2004 Graeme Polley ZM4 Voltage Regulator User Manual 2013 Version 11 Page 3 of 24 Why do I need a new regulator Here s the dilemma To charge your battery efficiently you need a relatively high charging voltage 14 5 V But if you stay at that voltage permanently you will overcharge and damage the battery Conversely if you use a lower charging voltage lt 14V you will prolong the battery life but will take a long time to reach full charge in some cases you might never actually reach full charge The solution is an adjustable multi stage voltage regulator for your alternator The ZM4 allows you to configure the optimal charging voltage for your specific battery and after a set time will automatically switch to a lower healthier voltage The best of both worlds Typically with automotive regulators the batter
4. is Connect this wire directly to the alternator field terminal you will have already arranged removal of the internal voltage regulator and will have a field wire outlet now on the alternator brush block You should connect this wire with an inline fuse Samp ZM4 Voltage Regulator User Manual 2013 Version 11 Page 16 of 24 Note connecting the unit in a reversed polarity will damage several chips within the unit Take care not to reverse connections If your alternator has a D connection then you will need to connect an ignition light to this terminal in order to excite the alternator If you have a double battery bank i e Start and House make sure you have the connections wired correctly in order that the BATT wire is always seeing a battery connection to sense the voltage present That s it By way of additional advice we encourage you to double check your wiring before reconnecting the battery We also advise you to avoid future headaches by choosing colour coded wires as follows Red for BATT Black for NEG Blue for FIELD Yellow for IGN For a tidy installation we suggest you use blue fork Connectors to connect your wiring on to the ZM4 The fork connectors are available from Jaycar PT4623 they come in packets of eight for 3 50 Alternator Terminal Designations Output Negative Field Auxiliary Tachometer Bosch Ingram Lucas Paris Rhone Sev Marchal Motorola CAV AC Delco Valeo Mitsubishi Nip
5. worst of both worlds during motoring bursts the battery won t fully charge but long term it will overcharge damaging the battery A standard charging curve looks something like this Bulk Charge Absorption Float 16 0v 15 0v 14 4v 13 8v 14 0v 13 0v 12 0V Full charge current Constant set voltage Constant float voltage Three step charging sequence Initially the alternator is set to full power and the battery voltage steadily climbs To avoid overcharging the battery the regulator must limit the voltage absorption stage Eventually we decide that the battery is charged enough and the voltage set point is lowered float stage ZM4 Voltage Regulator User Manual 2013 Version 11 Page 7 of 24 How the ZM4 works Broadly the ZM4 regulator consists of a timer block voltage comparison logic and a transistor output stage The timer block is responsible for overseeing the transition between the absorption and float stages and is factory set from 40 to 80 minutes according to your battery capacity The voltage comparison logic continuously monitors the battery voltage and compares it to the voltage level you have selected with the adjustment control knob If it detects that the battery voltage has fallen below your set point the output transistor stage will be turned on to increase the field current to the alternator Once the voltage level has been raised back to your setting the fi
6. Do not leave batteries discharged for extended periods of time Plan your battery capacity to ensure your house batteries are run no less than 50 of capacity Provide a means to cross connect battery banks for emergency starting Protect circuits with fuses or circuit breakers Voltage drop is the enemy look to find the offending connections and fix them Connecting batteries in series the amp hour capacity remains the same as a single battery however the voltage is doubled Connecting batteries in parallel the amp hour capacity is doubled and the voltage remains the same as a single battery If you have a solar panel connected make sure it has a blocking diode to prevent a reverse charge or to upset the sense side of the ZM4 ZM4 Voltage Regulator User Manual 2013 Version 11 Page 13 of 24 Alternator size I always recommend a Bosch 80 90 amp alternator which is about the highest rating without going into high priced alternators A rule of thumb for alternator belt size is a follows Alternator size Battery size Belt requirements 0 75 amp 200 to 400 AH single 10mm belt 75 100 amp 400 to 600 AH single 12mm belt 100 150 amp 800 to 1000 AH dual belts No matter how good any smart regulator is if the alternator is not spinning fast enough then you will not get a good charge current into your battery bank The following graph shows the importance of keeping alternator rotor rpm as high as pos
7. GN terminal i e remove the fuse Final settings to voltage should be made once engine is at normal cruise RPM Note voltage setting should be done ONLY when the Yellow Absorption LED is on Note The adjustment has been factory set to provide the correct ratio between Absorption and Float if for some reason you require a different ratio we can talk you thru the required internal adjustment to obtain a different ratio ZM4 Voltage Regulator User Manual 2013 Version 11 Page 19 of 24 Absorption v Float Alternator Volts Note Absorption phase Yellow LED on and battery at 14 60 volts Alternator Amps Alternator Volts Note Float phase Green LED on and battery at 14 00 volts ZM4 Voltage Regulator User Manual 2013 Version 11 Page 20 of 24 Suggested Set Voltages 12 volt units Suggested set Voltages From To Lead Acid Absorption setting 14 8v Lead Acid Float voltage 14 2v Gel Cell Absorption setting 14 2v Gel Cell Float voltage 13 6v Nickel Cadmium Absorption setting 15v 15 5v Nickel Cadmium Float voltage 14 4v 14 9v 24 volt units Suggested set Voltages From To Lead Acid Absorption setting 28 4v 29 6v Lead Acid Float voltage 27 2N 28 4v Gel Cell Absorption setting 27 6v 28 4v Gel Cell Float voltage 26 4v 27 2N Nickel Cadmium Absorption setting 30 0v 31 0v Nickel Cadmium Float voltage 28 8v 29 8v Remember to set vol
8. User Manual For servicin ig or installati all Graem n Alternator adjustable voltage regulator ZM4 ZM4 Voltage Regulator User Manual 2013 Version 11 Page 1 of 24 Table of Contents Tabl of Contents aceasta ott act aac acct EMEN 2 BACKOROUING ibid ga hey tata Adal dard dca a quad qa datu ea 3 Why do I need a mewregulatOr 2 529 3 d Eia Set Ra ue EeeR Ene Net Gaited Ea ram enitn 4 Why do I need the ZM4 regulator sais ecco enter acp re oer anticancer 5 Alternator battery charging basics eeeeeeseeeeeeeeeennmnnn 6 How tne ZM4 WOTKSs sedens ord recs iets poete kia eee aae apo eda aoa dato dd eaa 8 HOW Ie Works TOW Chart cinsinin RES R T INN CU Sua R IURI E CDI UNE EOS 9 Alternator modiTICallOli sas cen ade acne Ea cou aUo dx ara Uodevaus M duNA A e cM a dM a Reda M a 10 Battery SWItCh dcus date abusus Fecha Ge a tenia t dua AAAA COR Rap oa ga nM 12 Installation pes acct aa ical next V ua cv cV E os VN a Rau 13 Alternator Size i oar acces X n 14 Installation Mounting sic deae va ibd re oa Pra ea a rra Eae ua Pea eua Vado ER EE RR RR EE RR ENRES 15 Tstallabion WiN s coetus olus betur diues ond met ud Ds E aa dudes 16 Alternator Terminal Designations eeeeeee einen nennen nnns 17 ZM4 Wiring COMMGURAUION cs dci die oci aaa b dd o i e e i d d 18 Set Upare ou nevada ade bod ddbsdewiddbvtz eot s vus arb cu vat ad chus Ca nad 19 Absorptio
9. accidently short circuiting the battery Note always remove the negative terminal first Connect at least 18 gauge 1 5mm tinned wires to the following terminals Negative Terminal NEG Connect this terminal directly to a good negative supply bus bar If you are unsure place it directly on the negative post of the battery suggest you use a black wire for this terminal Positive Terminal BATT Connect this terminal directly to the positive side of the battery If you have two batteries i e a start and house suggest you connect it to the house battery this will prevent any spikes from high drain current items like starters etc Suggest you use a red wire for this terminal You should connect this wire with an inline fuse 250ma located close to the battery Note This wire must not be disconnected during engine running as it is the sense wire to tell the regulator the state of the battery voltage removal of this wire will cause the regulator to sense a low voltage and charge at maximum output Ignition Terminal IGN Connect this terminal to the ignition switch to avoid confusion a suggested colour is Yellow With a correct connection the fan on the ZM4 can be heard running when the ignition is selected ON You should connect this wire with an inline fuse 250ma located close to the ignition switch D Field Terminal FIELD This unit controls the earth side of the brush block so you can leave the ignition connection as
10. as all electronics are powered by the house battery as they almost certainly will be they will not be subject to damaging voltage spikes during start up More information can be found at the BEP website including installation hints http www bepmarine com product mainmenu 0 product 714 digital voltage sensing relay dvsr BE pVSR I maros vanan SEE MEAS N There are several options in set up in idees f respect of which battery is charged first ao parte ovna please ensure you have the correct one RED for your needs ZM4 Voltage Regulator User Manual 2013 Version 11 Page 12 of 24 Installation tips Make sure your pulley ratios are correct for your cruising rpm i e the alternator needs to be turning at least 3000 rpm and preferably 5000 rpm and up to 8000 rpm for a decent charge to be outputting from your alternator Ensure your earth leads from the engine block to the alternator and starter are not used via the block If there is any high resistance the earth trace will find itself tracking through your engine bearings and could cause arcing Get peace of mind and run separate earth leads Try to use the same type of batteries i e Lead acid Gel AGM Don t mix them up Your installation should have two battery banks one for starting and one for house loads Charge batteries in parallel using a voltage sensitive relay Make sure you your engine has enough belt to drive the alternator you select
11. d may not be the best decision Wiring errors or compatibility issues between the alternator and regulator are prime suspects No alternator output Check to see if voltage supply to IGN terminal on ZM4 fan should be running Is ignition light connected and working correctly i e is alternator excited Check fuses Remove the field wire from ZM4 and with engine idling briefly 2 4 seconds hold the alternator field wire to earth Note you will get a spark You will hear the engine load up and the output voltage should quickly go towards 16v This would indicate that the alternator is fine and the ZM4 is at fault If you have a multi meter you can check for continuity between FIELD and earth adjust the potentiometer to lowest setting and adjust up whilst watching multimeter you should see about 1K continuity Another way of checking the field output is put a small wattage bulb between FIELD and BATT and again adjust the pot you should see the light come on High Alternator output Check to see if battery voltage is present on BATT terminal check fuse If that is OK then the unit is faulty Green LED only on when powered up If when you power the unit up and it does not have any output it is an indication the unit has been exposed to more that 18v and the main IC blows in bad cases the cooling fan does not operate investigate the cause of the power surge ZM4 Voltage Regulator User Manual 2013 Version 11 Page 23 of 24
12. eld current is disengaged Hysteresis is built into the comparison logic to ensure the feedback loop remains stable The transistor output stage consists of a Darlington pair of transistor configuration with the final power transistor rated at a maximum of 16 amps ZM4 Voltage Regulator User Manual 2013 Version 11 Page 8 of 24 How it works flow chart First hour after igntion Absorption LED on Float LED off Voltage target set to absorption value Output stage ON field current max Battery voltage below target ez stage a field current min After first hour Absorption LED off Float LED on Voltage target reduced to float value Battery voltage below Output stage ON field current max target Output stage OFF 3 field current min ZM4 Voltage Regulator User Manual 2013 Version 11 Page 9 of 24 Alternator modification Modification of your existing alternator to accept an external regulator is a requirement and can be done by yourself or a reputable auto electrical shop Depending on your alternator type an external brush block is available from most auto electrical shops We also offer a service to modify your alternator D Standard BOSCH regulator amp brush block If you have the type of alternator that uses a brush block similar to the units shown in the picture above then this is the easy way of installin
13. g the ZM4 regulator If the brushes are in good condition then the internal regulator can be deactivated and a wire connected to the ZM4 If you want a standalone new brush block pictured below they cost in the vicinity of 50 and are very easy to configure with the ZM4 We have a supply of them here and can supply them if required The D and DF links are jumpered and the ZM4 connects to the D pin after the earth lead on the underside is cut off Blank brush block for BOSCH alternators ZM4 Voltage Regulator User Manual 2013 Version 11 Page 10 of 24 D Field Df B Ww D Showing a typical BOSCH connection You will need to run a wire from the ZM4 to the alternator connection D We are willing to assist anyone with installation questions You will require a digital voltmeter to assist with the setup If you are unsure please email me with your alternator model and an overview of your battery installation and we can advise you Most alternators are configured as per the following Ground The metal casing of the alternator serves as the ground terminal and will be electrically connected to the negative terminal of the battery B The output connection it feeds the charging current to the positive terminal of the battery D The warning light connection Except in special cases this must be connected to the positive terminal of your battery through a functional warning light and switched by the ignition ke
14. ges indicated by LED indicators to show state e Can run two alternators e Size 160mm long x 65mm high x 68mm wide e Reliable solid state components used e 24 month warranty we will repair or replace free of charge This warranty does not include damage resulting from incorrect installation accident misuse or neglect The warranty is void if the cover is removed or if the unit is tampered with e Designed built and supported in New Zealand ZM4 Voltage Regulator User Manual 2013 Version 11 Page 5 of 24 Alternator battery charging basics The battery is the heart of your electrical system Your various on board gadgets draw power from it and it is the role of your alternator to recharge it The alternator is just a type of generator it converts mechanical energy into electrical energy Coupled to your engine it will generate an electrical current to recharge your battery For a given amount of rotation the amount of current the alternator produces is controlled by the field current fed to the alternator See the following diagram Field current 1 3A Alternator Rotation 0 10 000 RPM Charging current 0 80A The purpose of an alternator regulator is to continuously adjust the field current in order to maintain a desired battery voltage So it is the feld current that is being controlled in order to set a charging current which in turn establishes a desired battery voltage Confusing I know
15. n V Float ranen nanana a aa aea a NED XE 20 S gaested Set VoItades exse p ehe enit naear eNA e dE dou EU Eaa AEEA 21 Maintenance aisaen ce cuente IM M A 22 Fault FIHdITg ced esee cam cesa Dedcese E ceca rco rubei T 23 Warranty TeriTiSz 3 3 tne etre rhe enhn snes eee Neon ean save sued ened en een A ERN Re 24 Contact Detalle ee ee teste vere Rt CT een Ua a 24 ZM4 Voltage Regulator User Manual 2013 Version 11 Page 2 of 24 Background My professional background is in aeronautical engineering but one of my passions is boating After experiencing battery charging problems in my own launch and suffering the premature failure of one too many batteries I started researching why It was a local battery manufacturer here in New Zealand who tipped me off about the problems that arise from using automotive alternators in a marine vessel designed for heavy loads such as anchor winches and bow thrusters or huge house batteries running overnight services This must be a well kept secret because alternators configured for cars seem to be extremely common in boats I then started researching the solution smart voltage regulators But I found the cost prohibitive north of 500 for complex systems with far more features than I needed Using true Kiwi ingenuity my scientist son and I decided to just do it ourselves Together we designed and built our own unit intended for our own personal use And it worked perfectly Shortly after
16. pon Denso Prestolite Silver Bullet ZM4 Voltage Regulator User Manual 2013 Version 11 Page 17 of 24 ZM4 Wiring Configuration Field connection on alternator 5A fuse ZM4 Alternator output Ignition switch 250mA fuse 250mA fuse Battery to regulate ZM4 Voltage Regulator User Manual 2013 Version 11 Page 18 of 24 Set Up It is suggested that you start this process with fully charged batteries this will provide a stable platform for setting the ZM4 set voltage Set the adjust screw to the minimum position One final check of your wiring turn the ignition switch on you should hear the cooling fan run Connect a suitable digital voltmeter to the battery that you have the BATT connection on Start the engine monitor the battery voltage and if required adjust as per the below table When the Green Float LED is on the unit will be approximately 0 6 volts lower than your set voltage 1 2volts 24v units The Green LED should illuminate to indicate the float voltage setting this should be approximately in the range of 45 80 minutes of operation If you wish to adjust the unit when the Green LED is on turn ignition switch off and then on and this will reset the microprocessor and the Yellow LED will be on you can then adjust the set voltage accordingly If you are unable to turn off your ignition switch you need to find some other method to break the circuit to the ZM4 I
17. sible A typical alternator will be happy up to 10 000 rpm the graph shows the performance with a Bosch 80 amp alternator oo eo o e N e Output current A S eo 0 1000 2000 3000 4000 Alternator RPM You need to calculate what your lowest cruising rpm is and arrange your pulley size to ensure your alternator is producing the best possible output Remember for every 25 amps you will draw 1hp power of engine energy ZM4 Voltage Regulator User Manual 2013 Version 11 Page 14 of 24 Installation Mounting Showing the ZM4 mounting feet eee ro VOLTAGE REGULATOR ABSORPTION ADJUST Showing the ZM4 connection block Mount the unit preferably remotely from the engine bay to ensure a clean dry environment Mount vertically and with plenty of airspace for the cooling fan to provide good mass airflow to the power transistor Without cooling this power transistor gets very hot 7609 C should the fan fail rated at 60 000 hours life the unit will operate quite OK however it would be prudent to have the fan operational ZM4 Voltage Regulator User Manual 2013 Version 11 Page 15 of 24 Installation Wiring Your battery is able to store an enormous amount of energy in a small space that s the point of it really But in this way a battery is similar to a bomb and you should show it some respect Disconnect the battery while installing the ZM4 to avoid
18. tage at your normal cruise rpm if possible and only adjust after battery level has stabilized If you have a lead acid battery with vented caps then you can set the voltage to the upper limit If the battery is maintenance free sealed type then you need to set the voltage to the lower end of the scale Over the following weeks of operation monitor the water levels in your battery you will find that due to gassing you will use slightly more water this is quite normal Further this is a far better situation than not using any water at all A perfect charge rate setting will see the battery acid just bubbling not boiling Once you have this set there should not be any further adjustments required ZM4 Voltage Regulator User Manual 2013 Version 11 Page 21 of 24 Maintenance The only maintenance required is to clean the fan screen filter every 12 months This does depend on the environment that the ZM4 is mounted in To remove the filter pry the top cover off and wash the filter element in soapy water dry off and refit The only purpose of the filter is to prevent fingers getting caught in the fan blades ZM4 Voltage Regulator Page 22 of 24 ZM4 Voltage Regulator User Manual 2013 Version 11 Fault Finding Write down the circumstances leading to the discovery that a problem exists Make it as clear as possible If you re not charging and you just installed a new alternator suspecting the regulator has gone ba
19. y W Tachometer connection if required for a digital tachometer D On the brush block the return path for the field current this is the connection for the Field terminal of the ZM4 DF The source for the field current this will switch the earth side of the brush block ZM4 Voltage Regulator User Manual 2013 Version 11 Page 11 of 24 Battery Switch We do not recommend using an OFF 1 Both 2 type battery switch as shown this switch requires input from the skipper and if you forget to isolate your start battery you could run that flat overnight A better choice is individual battery switches As a suggestion if you are running a start battery and a house battery separate the two i e run separate bus bars and use a VSR Voltage sensitive relay The following wording is copied from the BEP web page The DVSR Digital Voltage Sensing Relay allows charging of two independent battery banks from a single charging source When the voltage on the start battery rises to a charged level the DVSR engages allowing the 2 battery to charge When charging stops and voltage falls the DVSR will disengage isolating the two batteries from each other Dual sensing functionality enables the sensing of two battery banks allowing two way charging Another advantage of BEP s VSR is that the house battery is completely isolated from the engine battery during the voltage hungry starting procedure This means that as long
20. y acid does not get enough charge and this leads to acid stratification which is where the water separates to the top and the acid settles on the bottom and in a pure acid form will attack the battery plates leading to premature battery failure Charge voltage is probably the single most important factor in charging as all other factors are related to it Signs that you could do with a new alternator voltage regulator include Your battery is not charging to full capacity e Your battery is charging too slowly and you re wasting fuel running an engine to charge it e Your battery suffers from sulfation e Your battery suffers acid stratification damaged plates e You re technically minded and want better control over the charging behavior ZM4 Voltage Regulator User Manual 2013 Version 11 Page 4 of 24 Why do I need the ZM4 regulator Reasons for choosing the ZM4 for your replacement regulator include e An easily adjustable voltage setting to accommodate different battery types e Can be built for 24 volt systems on request e Will regulate any N type alternator The principle of operation is that the ZM4 provides an earth to the field of the alternator the other side of the brush block goes to V e Any type of alternator can be run by this regulator providing field current draw does not exceed 8 amps continuous or 16 amps intermittently Most alternators only draw 1 3 amps max e ABSORPTION and FLOAT sta
Download Pdf Manuals
Related Search