Ample power next step regulator info

[meridian]

Is anyone using an Ample Power next step regulator setup for two alternators. Ample is out of business and my manual is missing the troubleshooting pages. The fuses are good. Everything worked fine for 25 years. There may have been a lightening strike a day or so ago. The regulator is getting power but the alternators aren’t energized.

 

[Irish Rambler]

Can't help I'm afraid.
I use the British built Adverc 2 alternator system and its proven ideal, a friend has an Sterling and he's pretty fed up with it. Horses for courses I guess.

 

[gsholz]

Basic alternator trouble shooting:
1- Make sure alternator output is connected to battery. I.e. alternator output shows battery voltage when engine is not running.
2- Make sure regulator is outputting field voltage. Measure voltage on field wires from regulator to alternators with engine running at 1000 rpm.

If the regulator does not output field voltage, and you have voltage to the regulator you have narrowed it down to the regulator. You can double check that your alternators are working by TEMPORARILY connecting battery voltage to the field via a fused wire.

This may help
http://dublerfamily.com/Regina_oceani/Manuals/Electrical/next step regulator.pdf

 

[meridian]

1. Yes
2. No
I did Hotwire the alternator POS to FIELD and got 14 volts. Guess it time for a new dual controller.. old one was installed in 1995.

 

[koliver]

I have it.

Under "trouble shooting" it basically asks you to get hold of them at their website, which of course no longer exists.

What problem are you having?

My manual consists of 3 pages of very general information. It does include a graph of Error indication: Errors are identified by On and Off times of the red LED as shown:
Error _____________ on___off
cant turn field off______1____1
cant turn field on______1____3
Bat Volts disconnected__3____1
over temp____________3____3
voltage runaway_______6____3
Bad temp sensor_______6____6

Hope this helps.

 

[twistedtree]

Is there any sort of on/off control for the regulator? Typically they are tied into the ignition switch. Check to be sure thee is power to that input on the regulator. Also, the regulator will need to get power from somewhere, probably from the alternator positive terminal, via a fuse. Check the fuse, and be sure there is power at the regulator. Without power and the "on" signal, the regulator will not output field voltage.


There might be other things that can signal the regulator to shut down, so check those too.

 

[meridian]

No error codes shown

 

[meridian]

All fuses ok. Power indicator is on

 

[twistedtree]

All fuses ok. Power indicator is on

OK, sounds like you have exhausted the possibilities. Time for a new regulator...

 

[eheffa]

OK, sounds like you have exhausted the possibilities. Time for a new regulator...

Any suggestions as to a good programmable external regulator?

I have a Balmar which works; but programming it with the magnetic screwdriver is very tedious. One would think that in 2019, we could have good quality external regulators that could be programmed on-screen over bluetooth or some sort of screen based menu system?

-evan

 

[DavidM]

There are the Adverc and Sterling regulators, both of which are inferior to the Balmar IMO.

Yes the Balmar is tedious to program, but you only do it once.

David

 

[CMS]

Any suggestions as to a good programmable external regulator?

I have a Balmar which works; but programming it with the magnetic screwdriver is very tedious. One would think that in 2019, we could have good quality external regulators that could be programmed on-screen over bluetooth or some sort of screen based menu system?

-evan

This may help make it a bit easier...

Programming a Balmar External Voltage Regulator






.

 

[eheffa]

This may help make it a bit easier...

Programming a Balmar External Voltage Regulator

.

Thanks very much.

That's a very useful article. I will print out portions of that for reference.

-evan