A Tirril Regulator question?

[Tim StevensParticipant @timstevens64731]

I have always understood that the term 'Tirrill regulator' was the posh name for a vibrating-contact regulator as used on cars (etc) from the early 1920s dynamos up to about 1970. The same type of regulator was also used for early car alternators.

Reference to various web-sites brings up a lot about alternator systems (usually dirty great big ones) – so am I right to use the term also for Joe Lucas's little box with a brass lid?

Thanks

PS Just noticed the heading lacks a double l, but too late.

Tim

Edited By Tim Stevens on 05/04/2017 18:12:01

[Tim StevensParticipant @timstevens64731]

For those with voltage-regulator history knowlege, perhaps

[Clive FosterParticipant @clivefoster55965]

Technically no.

The Lucas and similar dynamo controllers control the field current directly so they are simple vibrating contact regulators.

In contrast the Tirril regulator controls the field current in the exciter which in turn drives the alternator field coil(s) so it manipulates the relatively small current in the exciter field coils to control the much larger current in the alternator field coils rather than attempting to control the alternator field directly.

Clive.

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