> This sounds suspiciously like the generator set I posted about some 
> time back, wrt to the unusual alternator configuration.  Is it a two 
> stroke engine?  The one I was fixing had awfull frequency  changes 
> with transient loads as well, but to be honest what can you expect 
> from a mechanical governor in a $65 generator set?
>
> If it's the same, the voltage regulation is so poor simply because 
> there is no "active" regulation to speak of.  The field coil is 
> driven from the high voltage output via a current limiting 
> capacitor, and I suspect something like magnetic saturation is used 
> as a crude regulator.  I did think a proper electronic regulator 
> could probably be cobbled together given sufficient motivation 
> (which I didn't have at the time).

At the time I passed your comments & description on to a friend who is 
highly experienced in such areas and he said that the system you 
described is very common in lower cost units.

This was son the "some day" list when I received  acall today asking 
me if i could provide a concert power source in 48 hours time. So a 
short term fix is requirded. Said knowledgeable friend suggested 200 
watts of lighting - essentially my solution 2 - but one would still 
want to avoid step load changes.

I'll be having a look at this tomorrow (now today as it's 12:11am 
here).


        RM


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