Alternator regulation

[GregH]

I've been searching the inter-webs for an answer but not luck.

For Alternator 12176N-1G, is it an internally regulated?

[hanleyclifford]

I've been searching the inter-webs for an answer but not luck.

For Alternator 12176N-1G, is it an internally regulated?

I went looking for an answer too but nobody wants to state that it is internally regulated. Most alternators for sale these days are internally regulated and the industry has got most folks bamboozled into believing it is a good thing. It helps them a lot because having the regulator part of the alternator gives them 2 chances to make you replace it instead of one. It is easy to convert to external regulation which gives you the added capability of dialing in your desired output voltage. It's worth a trip to an alternator shop to get answers on a specific alternator, and get what you really want.

[joe_db]

I've been searching the inter-webs for an answer but not luck.

For Alternator 12176N-1G, is it an internally regulated?

I am about 95% sure that it is. It isn't the easiest one to look up.
See:

[ndutton]

My take is it is not technically internally regulated but rather its integral regulator is piggybacked externally like the Motorola alternators. On the Motorolas the regulator also serves as a sealed cover over the spark producing components, a critical part of its J1171 Ignition Protected rating.

[hanleyclifford]

My take is it is not technically internally regulated but rather its integral regulator is piggybacked externally like the Motorola alternators. On the Motorolas the regulator also serves as a sealed cover over the spark producing components, a critical part of its J1171 Ignition Protected rating.

Good point, Neil. When I converted one of those to external regulation I found it necessary to reinstall the old "regulator" just to keep the unit sealed.

[GregH]

And... is it easy enough to convert to externally regulated?

[hanleyclifford]

If you have the old Motorola you will see two wires on the regulator. One goes to coil+. Another will be grounded on the alternator case. There might be another marked "aux". All of these will come away as you remove the regulator from the back of the alternator. Behind that will be a wire running from the regulator to the field. That is the only wire needed for your new external regulator. You must defeat the other wires and reinstall the casing leaving a newly cobbled field connection running thru the now inert casing.

[joe_db]

If you have the old Motorola you will see two wires on the regulator. One goes to coil+. Another will be grounded on the alternator case. There might be another marked "aux". All of these will come away as you remove the regulator from the back of the alternator. Behind that will be a wire running from the regulator to the field. That is the only wire needed for your new external regulator. You must defeat the other wires and reinstall the casing leaving a newly cobbled field connection running thru the now inert casing.

My spare alternator is a Motorola 50 amp that came with some A4s. It took maybe 10 minutes to swap it to external regulation.