____ Thanks for posting the mag.article, Nick ! _ I had-to overlook it when I first noticed it, cuz I then couldn't read it's rather small-print,, however I've since enlarged it (and posted it below).
____ I had HAD hopes that the writer of the article would at-least have some ADVANCED-insight -(compared to the-average) into what's ACTUALLY what with Ducati's alt.system,, but
disappointingly (as most-always is the case), he sadly only has pretty-much just the same rather common
misconceptions as do most-all others who
think they know what-all is what concerning this particular subject-matter.
__ While there are also some-other slighter concerns which I have with the mag.article-writer's chosen-wording, I'm only going to address just the main-concerns which I have with his related conceptions,
as follows.......
mag.article wrote:The assumption about the Duke 60w alternator being designed for peak efficiency with a 6v load might be a bit rash given the Italians' traditional ignorance of the finer details of electrickery,
____ The level-state of "electrickery" employed by Ducati's '60-watt' charging-system is actually WAY-HIGHER than this mag.article's writer apparently has any conception-of ! ...
The way that Ducati takes advantage of
flux-field induction-force both within their alternator, (so as to increase alt.power-output ONLY as the load-system consumes it !), and also within their current-regulation circuits, (so as to effectively keep otherwise excessive alt.power-output 'repelled' until the load-system happens to require it), as well,,
all strikes me as being fairly quite innovatively/ingeniously done, (at-LEAST in comparison to wasteful Brit.bike-type Z.diode-controlled regulation !),
for well-tailoring power-production (at BOTH ends of the charging-system) for the varied-demands of the load-system, in such a non-wasteful/'
green' fashion as only Ducati has found to accomplish (without any kind of actual circuit-switching) !
__ Anyone who learns-of & understands exactly how it all works together, will then find their-self awed with a true art-form (in the field of controlling electricity) ! _ It's all indeed quite worthy of fascination & admiration !
Fortunately, the simply-designed Ducati 60w unit is easy to convert to run efficiently as a 12v unit. Just disconnect the two wires from the windings soldered to a tag which is screwed or riveted to 'earth'.
Solder them back together and then insulate/secure them to prevent them making electrical contact with any of the surrounding parts
____ The indicated suggestion of un-soldering the stator-winding lead-ends off-from 'ground', is pretty-good advice ! _ HOWEVER I must
much-DISAGREE with the added direction of soldering the two winding lead-ends back-together ! _ Because not-only is there NO resulting*advantageous-reason for making that series-connection, (* as is unfortunately expected by those with mere 'basic' training),, but there IS also two fairly-good reasons to NOT do that !
__ Rather instead of connecting the two stator-winding lead-ends together in series (as directed), they should each be soldered to another third wire-lead (like the w-c.method), or even BETTER-yet, EACH separately to a separate wire of it's very-own. - (So that ANY other method of rectification-setup can then be chosen, EXTERNALLY,, at any future time.)
__ The primary-reason for NOT connecting the two stator-windings in SERIES-fashion, has to do with maximized-efficiency by helping to make-sure that the alternator's generated power is rather 'consumed' by the INTENDED-load, instead of being partially wasted ! ...
Most of those who only have just a 'basic' understanding of electrical-workings, usually don't think to CONSIDER the fact that the alternator-produced power which runs-through the intended load-system, must ALSO run-through the alt.stator-windings themselves as well,, and so therefore the alt.stator-winding itself, ALSO actually contributes it's-own share of (acting)-load (to the 'TOTAL [effective]-load', of the ENTIRE
alt.power & load-system), AS WELL !
So when the two stator-windings are circuited-together in 'series', that then (at least !) DOUBLES the working-impedance of the alt.stator ! _ Which in-turn means that a GREATER ratio of the alt.produced power will then become dropped-across the alt.stator ITSELF, (and-thus
wasted, as it's directly-converted to EXTRA heat !), THUS-then leaving even LESS power left-over for consumption by the INTENDED-load !
With that rather quite-important issue-point revealed & understood,, then even those with mere basic-training conceptions, will of-course certainly realize that whichever effective-load has the greatest impedance/resistance (within a series-type circuit *), will thusly consume the GREATEST amount of power ! _ And certainly of-course ya much-PREFER for that power-consumption to-be utilized by the 'INTENDED-load' as solely as possible, and NOT any at-all dropped & wasted by the alt.stator itself,,
(* as after-all, the load-system & the alt.stator are indeed actually in a 'series-circuit' together) !!
And when those two stator-windings are connected in 'series', that then works-AGAINST charging-system efficiency, because the stator-winding itself THEN becomes an ENLARGED-part of the entire effective load-system, (thus leaving even-LESS of the total-power to-be consumable by the intended-loads) !
(It is possible however, that this brought-up concern is POSSIBLY not too important, PROVIDING that the actual load-system is very-MINIMAL,, in other-words, if the main-load -[headlight] is off-line, THEN the load-system's resulting higher-resistance & minor power-drop [with resulted REDUCED current flow-rate] will-then leave the alt.stator-winding as a relatively-MINOR load, and thus-THEN not near as much of a concern for absorbing & wasting power. _ [This variable electrical-aspect falls-under the category known as 'impedance-matching', and isn't a common-concept that many with mere basic-training are very well aware-of.]
) __ Now on the other-hand,, keeping the two stator-windings left in PARALLEL-configuration, effectively-cuts the stator's total-resistance to just 1/4th of that of the proposed series-arrangement ! _ Thus keeping the stator-itself MUCH-less of an obstacle to current-flow, so that the produced-power can then be left rather more concentrated mainly-on the INTENDED loads !
AND-also, parallel-arranged stator-windings provide the SAME amount of raw 'power' as when arranged in 'series' fashion, so-thus there's really NO 'voltage' disadvantage (or advantage) once the alt.power is circuited ! - (Please understand that there's NO established 'voltage' BEFORE the raw-alt.power becomes 'circuited' *, [rather-only: 'tension', that's directly-proportional to built-up power], so-thus the end-created 'voltage' remains the very-same, REGARDLESS of whether the stator-windings are arranged in 'parallel' OR 'series' !)
(* A circuit [with whatever it's particular values], is actually what really determines whether the raw-alt.power is formed-into some combination of
higher-voltage & lower-current, or
lower-voltage & higher-current.)
__ Winding-down this-section no...
There's NO good-reason for preferring the alt.stator-winding power-coils to-be connected-up in 'series',, but-RATHER however, there IS indeed GOOD-reason* for preferring that the alt.power-coils are arranged in 'parallel' configuration ! - (* Cuz whenever the load-system demands HIGH current-power -[think- powerful-headlight activation !],, certainly THEN,
ya sure don't want the alt.stator to be a greater resistive-load than the load-system itself !!! _ Cuz if the stator-winding's resistance-load on the alt.power is ANY-greater than that of the actual intended-loads,, then MORE power will be spent by the stator-winding itself, than is actually spent by the
DESIRED load
! _ And of-course ya must prefer that most-all available power is rather utilized by just your intended loads !)
__ BOTTOM-LINE... If ya really care to fully power a high-load like a strong/bright headlight, then
do-NOT connect-up the two stator-windings in 'SERIES' ! - (As it would-then be fairly quite-STUPID to do so !) _ Because for efficient power-transfer TO-just the load-system,
the stator-itself should ALWAYS be kept-from any possibility of becoming more resistive than the intended load can be,, and connecting the two stator-windings in 'series', is a fairly-big step in the WRONG-direction for being sure to maintain that efficiency-requirement !
THE Duke alternator works by taking A.C. from each of the two sets of intertwined 6v windings and stuffing it through two half-wave rectifiers which sit piggyback on the regulator unit, alternately losing half of each winding's full-wave output in the process.
____ Aside-from the "6v",, what's basically meant to-be conveyed, is fairly true,, (however just not worded quite as well as ought-to have been).
I am quite-pleased however, that the article-writer, (like fellow-member DucWiz), realizes that we're dealing-with a dual "half-wave" rectification-system, (and NOT actual 'full-wave', like fellow-member MotoMike has maintained) !
__ Of somewhat particular interest, is that the writer used the word "intertwined", but-yet didn't mention anything about WHY Ducati had chosen to wind the two separate stator-windings together in the very particular-manor that they chose to do. _ So it seems that he, (much like most-all others of those with just a mere basic-understanding of the actual-physics of such workings), must've missed-the-boat on exactly what's-what with the Ducati-alternator. ...
Obviously, Ducati MUST'VE intended for the INEVITABLY-interacting induction-effect* between the two separate stator-windings, to actually PURPOSEFULLY-occur !
(* Which due-to the '
DUAL half-wave rectification-process', HAS-to alternately take-turns, [
which F-W.rectification can't accommodate].)
By disconnecting the alternator from earth internally you effectively put both sets of 6v windings in series, hence they become a single set of 12v windings.
____ This faulty-conclusion is a prime-example of the much TOO-common/BASIC-type reasoning, which
is-NOT actually correct when applied to the outputs of (stand-alone) alternators !
That straight-forward (but
incorrect) basic-reasoning
would-possibly be correct however, only
IF it possibly-
could somehow be possible for such alt.stator-windings (all on their-own, without being connected to a circuit) to actually produce & offer any
actual '
VOLTAGE' itself (anything like the way single battery-cells actually-really do *),, BUT the running alternator's stator-windings DO-NOT all on their-own offer any established/pre-created
actual-voltage in ANY such set-amount, (since an alternator only provides merely 'tension' & raw-power, [which is little-more than
potential-voltage, before becoming connected to a circuit] ) !
(* the power-output of batteries [& transformers] is naturally predisposed to offer actual 'voltage' that's pre-established BEFORE connection to a circuit !)
__ So-therefore there's actually NO 6v + 6v already available (directly-from the two alternator-windings), to-be added-together ! _ That kind of figuring is the simpleton's-way of trying to make simple-sense of what's-what, but it's actually misleading as to what's REALLY going-on !
And that all-TOO common MISconception has long-been a personal-battle for me to get all straightened-out (at-least for those who really-care to learn the actual-TRUTH) ! _ But generally-trained people with but a mere BASIC-understanding, keep-on (wrongly !) applying what they
think they understand (about electrical-voltage, etc), towards alternator-power as well,, and it's just NOT correct to assume that alternators ever have & offer ANY preset voltage-amount !
____ Where those with mere
basic-training derive their related conclusions from, is apparently based on the fact that TWO 6v.batteries will still only provide just 6-volts total while connected in 'parallel',, but when connected in 'series', they THEN provide 12-volts total.
Likewise (and
seemingly more relevant), a center-tapped transformer which has 6-volts established on both sides of the center-tap, then automatically indeed has
12-volts between the opposite-ends of it's entire secondary !
And it's this-same 'basic' factual-reasoning that leads others to jump-to-conclusion and go-ahead & (falsely) apply that-same rather common basic-reasoning to alternator-windings' power-output, as well.
BUT the
difference is that THOSE basic-type examples are dealing-with
already ESTABLISHED voltage-amounts !! _ So in THEIR cases, there IS indeed ACTUAL 'voltage' (PRE-established), that WILL be able to combine &
add-up together !
__ However in the case of alt.stator-winding output,, there's ONLY mere 'raw-power' available, withOUT any
established-voltage (that could be manipulated by altering the circuit-arrangement from parallel to series) !
'Raw-power' (that's not-yet had it's 'tension' fashioned-into any set-amount of 'voltage'),
adds-up together REGARDLESS of being combined in 'parallel' OR 'series' ! _ And that totaled-up power will produce the very-SAME voltage-amount (once applied to a circuit), EITHER-WAY !
This is a fortunate stroke of luck because if one of the windings was the other way around then they would cancel each other out and you would have a perfectly efficent OV output alternator.
____ The jest-point of that statement of-course WOULD-be pretty-much true, (with the series-connection that HE has suggested). ...
His intended-point being akin-to:
a flashlight with it's two D-cell batteries inserted with their polarities in OPPOSING-directions, would-THEN have 0-volts to power it's light-bulb with,
so he figures it's a "stroke of luck" that the two stator-windings conveniently happen to have their polarities already properly-arranged so that they can both be LEFT connected-together so SIMPLY, (so as to have their current-flows properly-combined in 'series').
__ BUT however, there's actually
NO-need to connect the two stator-windings in 'series' anyhow in the first-place, in most-any case,, because there's only mere 'POWER' offered from the stator-windings, (and NO actual/pre-established 'voltage') ! _ And '
power' itself also ADDS-together, REGARDLESS-of whether connected in 'series' OR 'parallel' circuit-fashions !! _ ('Voltage' only adds-up just in 'series', and since an alt.winding alone does-NOT offer any pre-established amount of
actual 'voltage', then thus there can-not be any 'voltages' to add-together & double-up !)
__ So therefore, IF the two stator-windings had happened to have been set with the SAME-polarity (instead of opposite), it wouldn't matter to LEAVE them both left in parallel-configuration,, because both together left set that way, would STILL produce the SAME amount of 'power' ! _ And that combined-total power-amount, could still be circuited to create/obtain the '12v', JUST AS WELL (as if arranged in 'series') !
The two wires coming out of the alternator can then be connected to a full-wave bridge rectifier
which will then utilise the previously wasted alternate half-waves of A.C. output.
____ This is pretty-much true, however those originally unused half-wave cycles which can be utilized with the bridge-rectifier were not actually "wasted" before, but rather simply 'ignored' (with the stock dual half-wave rectification-process) !
__ And there's a fairly-good REASON* for why Ducati had-to chose to ignore those opposing current-flow half-cycles (which full-wave rectification would allow) !
(* Due-to the current-flow induced current-flow effect [between the DUAL-windings on each stator-core/finger], the created
secondary-current is induced to flow in the same-direction, which happens to-be in the OPPOSITE-direction that the
extra*half-cycles [* of the FULL-WAVE rectification-process] would have-to travel ! _ So thus, (depending on the current-demand of the load), there would be a canceling-effect within the stator-windings, (with the full-wave rectification-process) !
However if the connected load-system happens to draw relatively very-little current, THEN the full-wave rectification would perform pretty-much as expected,, with the extra/added neg.half-wave cycles being offered & consumed right-along-with the original pos.half-wave cycles, without much cancelling-effect (due-to the resulted rather weak mutual-induction effect). _ So in such case as THIS, the full-wave rectification, (just as is expected by most-all who choose to switch-to F-W.rectifying), will indeed
near double the power-output (of that offered by the mere half-wave rectification),, BUT unfortunately, ONLY during occurrences when the power-demand is rather LOW !
However, whenever the system-load's power-demand happens to be rather high, THEN the resulting higher current-flow BOTH*ways (*due-to the F-W.wave-rectification) through the stator-windings,
thusly then allows the mutual-induction effect to (undesirably!) tend to self-cancel the (want-to-be higher) current-flows through both windings,, (rather than
HELP, like the mutual-induction effect is expected to desirably do, with the stock dual HALF-wave rectification-process !).
So it should be understood that (with
Ducati's dual-winding alt.stator), switching-over to FULL-wave rectification can possibly allow extra alt.power at lower RPMs for rather SMALLer current-demands from the alternator, BUT at the expense of REDUCED alt.power at higher RPMs whenever high-current demanding loads (like an extra-powerful headlight) are trying to consume larger-amounts of current from the alternator !
So therefore the regular/std.type FULL-wave vs. Ducati's stock dual-type HALF-wave rectification-processes (applied-to the stock alt.stator-winding), can possibly have much-varied advantageous-outcome results, compared to one another. - (Meaning that neither rectification-process is ALWAYS with superior power-output over the other, [quite depending-upon any varied running-conditions] !)
In theory this should double the output to 120w but in practice (and detailed theory), magnetic saturation of the stator's laminations and/or internal resistance of the stator's copper windings prevents this. It's still only 60w
____ IF the Ducati alt.stator was ACTUALLY a standard/ordinary 'center-tapped' affair (as most-everyone jumps to conclusion of), THEN allowing the EXTRA-pair of half-waves (from
F-W.rectification) to become consumable, WOULD-then indeed actually in-FACT "double" the charging-system's power-output capability, (in practice, just as in 'theory') !
But in the particular-case of
Ducati's rather special '
DUAL' stator-winding arrangement,, the MAIN-reason that 'FULL-wave rectification' does-not actually double the available charging-power (over the mere dual half-wave/stock-type rectification-process), is because the expected-gain is then inadvertently pretty-much more or less canceled-out by the (rather UNintended)
additionally-added & rather-OPPOSING mutual-induction effect, (due-to the 'intertwined' to&fro stock winding-circuit then flowing current in BOTH pos
and neg directions) ! _ So this is another-reason for why the two stator-windings should-not be connected-up in 'series'. _ (Although if the connected load-system is rather small, [like just a tail-light], THEN it wouldn't matter very-much.)
THIS-reason for not connecting the two stator-windings in 'SERIES',, is because THEN,
ALL the current that flows through the entire load-system must also entirely flow-through the thus-created ONE-single stator-winding, which must then CONCENTRATE the mutual-induction effect (which is-NOT desired for
full-wave rectification !). _ And-so the ADDED impedance-effect (due-to the strengthened mutual-induction effect) causes that single-winding to become even-more of an
acting-load (in the complete system-circuit), and that's a BAD-thing whenever* the load-system's resistance-level drops below the equivalent impedance-level of the stator-winding ! _ (* Such-as when the headlight is turned-on.) _ Cuz THEN more of the generated-power is wasted by the alt.stator-itself, than is consumed by the load-system !!
__
However on the other-hand, with the two stator-windings left connected in 'parallel',, the total-current of the load-system is then split-up (between the two windings), which in-turn thus considerably cuts-down the strength of the (now undesirable*) mutual-induction effect ! _ (* For F-W.rectification.)
So thus-then a much-GREATER ratio (of the generated-power) is left for consumption more-so by the LOAD-SYSTEM (rather than by the stator) !
So since the mutual-induction effect is weaker as less current is passed-through each stator-winding, that fact helps to make-the-case for keeping the two stator-windings in 'parallel' (rather than connecting them in series) !
__ The GIVEN-reasons (presented in the mag.article) for why there's not-really "120w", are just guesswork offered due-to the lack of what all the REAL/pertinent-reasons are.
__ For another-fact, the "60 watts" is merely-JUST a '
rating', and-NOT an absolute amount of wattage that the alternator is always meant to be capable of !
It's fairly likely that the amount of power that could normally be expected from only the half-wave rectified stator-windings just them-SELVES, is probably only about 30 to 45 watts (average), in the first-place, (without the added-help expected from the intended mutual-induction effect**).
____ The ' ** ' note-mark is concerning an induction-effect which Ducati had clearly meant to take advantage-of ! _ And I will happily discuss that effect, if anyone cares to have it explained,, (as I've already done-so before, to a rather light degree,, and I don't wish to go-into that here again, because THIS-post has already gotten TOO-long ! ).
____ I've added a double-pic.diagram post-attachment (below), which displays both the standard n-c.6-pole alt.stator's unique 'DUAL-winding' arrangement-scheme -(top-half), and-also, an altered-depiction showing a physically-similar alt.stator rather-with a
truely center-tapped type of stator-winding arrangement-scheme -(bottom-half).
That NON-Ducati stator-scheme (with a red-wire connected at the 'center-tap') is actually-indeed the type of center-tapped stator-winding arrangement which most-everyone (who really doesn't know-better) ASSUMES is what
Ducati's stator-arrangement pretty-much amounts-to electrically (if-not also physically). _ And IF Ducati's stator-winding arrangement had indeed been actually wound in that rather normal/straight-forward manor, THEN my somewhat-overwhelming task of trying to keep everyone straight on what's ACTUALLY what, would-then be a less-taxing endeavor,, as those folks' preconceptions would-THEN already be pretty-much more-or-less correct -(concerning their over-use of the term 'center-tap').
__ BUT however,, Ducati's ACTUAL
dual stator-winding scheme is-not so electrically straight-forward (as most-others have assumed),, and is instead rather uniquely-wound quite-more complexly, so that it's
two separate independent windings can then take advantage of the mutual-induction effect between the two (purposefully !)- 'intertwined' stator-windings ! _ As the upper alt.stator diagram-scheme attempts-to properly represent.
DUCATIly,
DCT.Bob