Reply To: RADIO SHACK RECTIFIER

[jrm80]

THANKS AGAIN FOR THE REPLIES. YES, I DO KNOW WHAT A BRIDGE RECTIFIER IS. IT CONVERTS AC TO DC, BUT DOES NOTHING TO REGULATE VOLTAGE. AT HIGH RPMS THE VOLTAGE CAN GET WAY OUT OF HAND AND BOIL OFF THE ACID IN THE BATTERY. NOT FATAL, BUT NOT DESIREABLE EITHER. MY ENGINE IS A THE MARK 55 AND ORIGINALLY CAME WITH A SELENIUM RECTIFIER AS YOU INDICATE, AND IT HAS A NEGATIVE GROUND, SO IT IS IDEALLY SUITED FOR A BRIDGE RECTIFIER. I ACTUALLY HAVE TWO OF THESE ENGINES AND HAVE ALREADY INSTALLED THE RADIO SHACK RECTIFIER ON ONE. IT IS WORKING JUST FINE, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE VOLTAGE PROBLEM WHICH CANNOT BE AVOIDED WITHOUT SOME SORT OF A REGULATOR. AS INDICATED, I’LL BE LOOKING INTO THE B&S REGULATOR TO HOPEFULLY RESOLVE THAT ISSUE, BUT HAVEN’T DONE SO YET

TO ADDRESS THE OVERKILL ISSUE, THE ONLY REASON I’M LOOKING AT BRIDGE RECTIFIERS WITH 1000 VOLT RATINGS IS AVAILABILITY. AND PRICE. I HAVE THE PRICE OF A 35 AMP 1000 VOLT RECTIFIER DOWN TO ABOUT .75 APIECE. I DIDN’T WANT TO BUY THEM IF THERE IS ANY DANGER OF FRYING MY BATTERY OR STATOR, BUT IT APPEARS THAT IS NOT A PROBLEM. THAT BEING THE CASE, UNLESS THE B&S REGULATOR PANS OUT, I’LL GO AHEAD AND ORDER THEM.

IF ANYONE ELSE IS LOOKING FOR THESE RECTIFIERS, YOU CAN GET THEM THROUGH ALIEXPRESS FOR UNDER A DOLLAR AND IN SOME CASES WITH FREE SHIPPING.