The simplest scheme for smooth ignition and attenuation of LEDs. Homemade ballast regulator for a wind generator Connection diagrams for an external regulator
This system is installed on manufactured cars and serves to simultaneously lock all doors when the left front door (driver's) is locked with the key or when its lock button is pressed. When you unlock this door with the key or lift the button, all locks are unlocked. You can unlock the lock of any door separately by lifting its lock button. When the car hits an obstacle, all locks are automatically unlocked thanks to an inertial sensor in the control unit.
The locking rods are driven by gearmotors that combine a DC electric motor with permanent magnet excitation and a gearbox. Faulty central locking control unit and gearmotors are replaced.
The central locking is controlled in negative mode. The diagram shows how contact tab 5 moves from the 3rd contact to the 4th (open close) which goes to the central locking unit. The block, receiving the minus of opening or closing, supplies the electric locks with + and - of alternating polarity depending on the position of the 5th contact.
On domestic cars, the central locking plus unit fits through a fuse that it is advisable to change. The fact is that over time, this fuse begins to lose contact and, accordingly, the doors stop closing even from the alarm remote control.
If, when the alarm is connected correctly (the control from the alarm is connected to the minus wire to the white and brown wires), the central locking stops working with the key, change the blocks to the opposite ones (5-pin to 8-pin).
On foreign-made cars, in principle, everything is the same, the only thing is that the central locking unit can come together with other electrical equipment (immobilizer, standard alarm, door windows, etc.). Therefore, finding the central locking control wires is a little difficult.
P.S Almost all cars have a negative central locking control.
Door lock system diagram
1 – mounting block 2 – 8 A fuse 3 – control unit 4 – right front door locking motor gearbox 5 – right rear door locking motor gearbox 6 – left rear door locking motor gearbox 7 – left front door locking motor gearbox with contact group A – to power supplies B – conventional numbering of plugs in the block of the control unit C – conventional numbering of plugs in the blocks of locking gear motors
On the Internet there are many schemes for smooth ignition and damping of LEDs powered by 12V, which you can do yourself. All of them have their advantages and disadvantages, differ in the level of complexity and quality electronic circuit. As a rule, in most cases there is no point in building bulky boards with expensive parts. In order for the LED crystal to smoothly gain brightness at the moment of switching on and also smoothly go out at the moment of switching off, one MOS transistor with a small wiring is enough.
Scheme and principle of its operation
Let's consider one of the most simple options circuits for smoothly switching on and off LEDs controlled via the positive wire. In addition to ease of execution, this simplest scheme has high reliability and low cost. At the initial moment of time, when the supply voltage is applied, current begins to flow through resistor R2, and capacitor C1 is charged. The voltage across the capacitor cannot change instantly, which contributes to the smooth opening of transistor VT1. The rising gate current (pin 1) passes through R1 and leads to an increase in the positive potential at the drain field effect transistor(conclusion 2). As a result, the LED load is switched on smoothly.
When the power is turned off, the electrical circuit breaks along the “control plus”. The capacitor begins to discharge, giving energy to resistors R3 and R1. The discharge rate is determined by the value of resistor R3. The greater its resistance, the more accumulated energy will go into the transistor, which means the longer the attenuation process will last.
To be able to configure the time of complete switching on and off of the load, you can add to the circuit trim resistors R4 and R5. At the same time, for correct operation, it is recommended to use the circuit with resistors R2 and R3 of small value.
Any of the circuits can be assembled independently on a small board.
Schematic elements
The main control element is a powerful n-channel MOS transistor IRF540, the drain current of which can reach 23 A, and the drain-source voltage can reach 100V. The circuit solution under consideration does not provide for the operation of the transistor in extreme modes. Therefore, it will not need a radiator.
Instead of IRF540, you can use the domestic analogue KP540.
Resistance R2 is responsible for the smooth ignition of the LEDs. Its value should be in the range of 30–68 kOhm and is selected during the setup process based on personal preferences. Instead, you can install a compact 67 kOhm multi-turn trimmer resistor. In this case, you can adjust the ignition time using a screwdriver.
Resistance R3 is responsible for the smooth fading of the LEDs. The optimal range of its values is 20–51 kOhm. Instead, you can also solder a trimmer resistor to adjust the decay time. It is advisable to solder one constant resistance of a small value in series with trimming resistors R2 and R3. They will always limit the current and prevent a short circuit if the trimming resistors are turned to zero.
Resistance R1 is used to set the gate current. For the IRF540 transistor, a nominal value of 10 kOhm is sufficient. The minimum capacitance of capacitor C1 should be 220 µF with a maximum voltage of 16 V. The capacitance can be increased to 470 µF, which will simultaneously increase the time for complete switching on and off. You can also take a capacitor for a higher voltage, but then you will have to increase the size of the printed circuit board.
Minus control
The above translated diagrams are perfect for use in a car. However, the complexity of some electrical diagrams consists in the fact that some of the contacts are connected to the positive, and some to the negative (common wire or body). To control the above circuit by minus power, it needs to be slightly modified. The transistor needs to be replaced with a p-channel one, for example IRF9540N. Connect the negative terminal of the capacitor to the common point of three resistors, and connect the positive terminal to the source of VT1. The modified circuit will have power with reverse polarity, and the control positive contact will be replaced by a negative one.
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A generator voltage regulator relay has been created to adjust the “voltage” supplied to the on-board network and to the battery terminals in a given range of 13.8 - 14.5 V (less often up to 14.8 V). In addition, the regulator adjusts the voltage on the self-excitation winding of the generator.
Purpose of the voltage regulator relay
Regardless of experience and driving style, the car owner cannot ensure the same engine speed at different times. That is, the crankshaft of the internal combustion engine, which transmits torque to the generator, rotates at different speeds. Accordingly, the generator produces different voltages, which is extremely dangerous for the battery and other consumers of the on-board network.
Therefore, replacing the alternator regulator relay should be done when the battery is undercharged or overcharged, the light is on, the headlights are flashing and other interruptions in the power supply to the on-board network.
Interconnection of car current sources
The vehicle contains at least two sources of electricity:
- battery - required at the moment of starting the internal combustion engine and the primary excitation of the generator winding; it does not create energy, but only consumes and accumulates at the time of recharging
- generator - powers the on-board network at any speed and recharges the battery only at high speeds
Both of these sources must be connected to the on-board network for the correct operation of the engine and other electricity consumers. If the generator breaks down, the battery will last for a maximum of 2 hours, and without the battery, the engine driving the generator rotor will not start.
There are exceptions - for example, due to the residual magnetization of the excitation winding, the standard GAZ-21 generator starts on its own, subject to constant operation of the machine. You can start a car “from a pusher” if it has a DC generator installed, with a device alternating current such a trick is impossible.
Voltage regulator tasks
From a school physics course, every car enthusiast should remember the principle of operation of a generator:
- when the frame and its surroundings move mutually magnetic field an electromotive force arises in it
- The stators serve as the electromagnet of DC generators, the EMF, accordingly, arises in the armature, the current is removed from the collector rings
- In the alternating current generator, the armature is magnetized, electricity appears in the stator windings
In a simplified way, we can imagine that the magnitude of the voltage output from the generator is influenced by the value of the magnetic force and the speed of rotation of the field. The main problem of DC generators - burning and sticking of brushes when removing large currents from the armature - has been solved by switching to alternating current generators. The excitation current supplied to the rotor to excite magnetic induction is an order of magnitude lower, making it much easier to remove electricity from a stationary stator.
However, instead of terminals “–” and “+” constantly located in space, car manufacturers received a constant change in plus and minus. Recharging the battery with alternating current is not possible in principle, so it is first rectified with a diode bridge.
From these nuances the tasks solved by the generator relay flow smoothly:
- adjusting the current in the excitation winding
- maintaining a range of 13.5 - 14.5 V in the on-board network and at the battery terminals
- cutting off the power to the excitation winding from the battery when the engine is turned off
Therefore, the voltage regulator is also called a charging relay, and the panel displays a warning light for the battery charging process. The design of alternating current generators includes a reverse current cut-off function by default.
Types of regulator relays
Before you independently repair the voltage regulation device, you must take into account that there are several types of regulators:
- external – increase the maintainability of the generator
- built-in – in the rectifier plate or brush assembly
- regulating by minus - an additional wire appears
- positive regulating – economical connection scheme
- for alternating current generators - there is no function for limiting the voltage on the excitation winding, since it is built into the generator itself
- for DC generators – an additional option for cutting off the battery when the internal combustion engine is not working
- two-level - obsolete, rarely used, adjustment by springs and a small lever
- three-level – supplemented with a special comparison device board and a matching indicator
- multi-level - the circuit has 3 - 5 additional resistors and a tracking system
- transistor - not used in modern cars
- relay – improved feedback
- relay-transistor - universal circuit
- microprocessor - small dimensions, smooth adjustment of the lower/upper threshold of operation
- integral - built into brush holders, therefore they are replaced after the brushes wear out
Attention: Without modification of the circuit, the “plus” and “minus” voltage regulators are not interchangeable devices.
DC generator relay
Thus, the connection diagram for the voltage regulator when operating a DC generator is more complicated. Since in the parking mode of the car, when the internal combustion engine is turned off, it is necessary to disconnect the generator from the battery.
During diagnostics, the relay is checked to perform its three functions:
- Battery cut off when the car is parked
- limiting the maximum current at the generator output
- voltage adjustment for field winding
Any malfunction requires repair.
Alternator relay
Unlike the previous case, diagnosing the alternator regulator yourself is a little simpler. The design of the “automotive power station” already includes the function of cutting off power from the battery while parked. All that remains is to check the voltage at the excitation winding and at the output from the generator.
If the car has an alternating current generator, it is impossible to start it by accelerating down a hill. Since there is no residual magnetization on the exciting winding here by default.
Built-in and external regulators
It is important for a car enthusiast to know that they measure and begin to regulate the relay voltage at a specific location where they are installed. Therefore, built-in modifications act directly on the generator, while external modifications “do not know” about its presence in the machine.
For example, if a remote relay is connected to the ignition coil, its work will be aimed at regulating the voltage only in this section of the on-board network. Therefore, before you learn how to test a remote-type relay, you should make sure that it is connected correctly.
Control by “+” and “–”
In principle, the control circuits for “minus” and “plus” differ only in the connection diagram:
- when installing the relay in the “+” gap, one brush is connected to “ground”, the other to the regulator terminal
- if you connect the relay to the “–” gap, then one brush needs to be connected to the “plus”, the other to the regulator
However, in the latter case, another wire will appear, since the voltage relay is an active type device. It requires individual nutrition, so “+” must be supplied separately.
Two-level
At the initial stage, mechanical two-level voltage regulators with a simple operating principle were installed in the machines:
- Electric current passes through the relay
- the resulting magnetic field attracts the lever
- the comparison device is a spring with a given force
- When the voltage increases, the contacts open
- less current flows to the exciting winding
Mechanical two-level relays were used in VAZ 21099 cars. The main disadvantage was working with increased wear of mechanical elements. Therefore, these devices have been replaced by electronic (contactless) voltage relays:
- voltage divider made of resistors
- The zener diode is the master device
Complex wiring and insufficient voltage control have led to a decrease in demand for these devices.
Three-level
However, two-level regulators, in turn, also gave way to more advanced three-level and multi-level devices:
- the voltage goes from the generator to a special circuit through a divider
- the information is processed, the actual voltage is compared with the minimum and maximum threshold values
- the mismatch signal regulates the current flowing to the exciting winding
Relays with frequency modulation are considered more advanced - they do not have the usual resistances, but the frequency of operation of the electronic key is increased. Control is carried out by logical circuits.
Operating principle of the regulator relay
Thanks to built-in resistors and special circuits, the relay is able to compare the amount of voltage generated by the generator. After which, too high a value leads to the relay being turned off, so as not to overcharge the battery and damage electrical appliances connected to the on-board network.
Any malfunctions lead to precisely these consequences: the battery becomes faulty or the operating budget increases sharply.
Summer/winter switch
Regardless of the season and air temperature, the operation of the generator is always stable. As soon as its pulley begins to rotate, electric current is generated by default. However, in winter the insides of the battery freeze, and it replenishes the charge much worse than in summer.
The summer/winter switches are either on the body of the voltage regulator, or the corresponding connectors are marked with this designation, which you need to find and connect the wiring to them depending on the season.
There is nothing unusual in this switch, these are just rough settings of the regulator relay, which allows you to increase the voltage at the battery terminals to 15 V.
Connection to the generator's on-board network
If, when replacing a generator, you connect a new device yourself, you need to take into account the following nuances:
- First you should check the integrity and reliability of the contact of the wire from the car body to the generator housing
- then you can connect terminal B of the regulator relay with the “+” of the generator
- Instead of “twists” that begin to heat up after 1–2 years of operation, it is better to use soldering of wires
- the factory wire must be replaced with a cable with a minimum cross-section of 6 mm2 if, instead of a standard generator, an electrical appliance rated for a current of more than 60 A is installed
- The ammeter in the generator/battery circuit shows the power of which power source is in this moment higher in the on-board network
Ammeters are necessary devices with which you can determine the battery charge and the performance of the generator. It is not recommended to remove them from the scheme without special reasons.
Remote controller connection diagrams
An external generator voltage regulator relay is installed only after determining which wire it should be connected to. For example:
- on old RAFs, Gazelles and Bullheads, relays 13.3702 are used in a polymer or steel case with two contacts and two brushes, mounted in a “–” open circuit, the terminals are always marked, “+” is usually taken from the ignition coil (B-VK terminal) , contact Ш of the regulator is connected to the free terminal of the brush assembly
- in “Zhiguli” relay regulators 121.3702 of white and black colors are used, there are double modifications in which, if one device fails, the operation of the second device continues by simply switching to it, mounted in the “+” gap with terminal 15 to the terminal of the ignition coil B-VK, terminal 67 is attached to the brush assembly with a wire
Car enthusiasts call built-in relay regulators “chocolate bars”, labeled Y112. They are mounted in special brush holders, pressed with screws and additionally protected with a cover.
On VAZ cars, relays are usually built into the brush assembly, full marking Y212A11, connected to the ignition switch.
If the owner replaces the standard generator on an old domestic VAZ with an AC device from a foreign car or a modern Lada, the connection is made according to a different scheme:
- The car owner decides on the issue of fastening the body independently.
- The analogue of the “plus” terminal here is contact B or B+; it is connected to the on-board network via an ammeter
- Remote relay regulators are usually not used here, but built-in ones are already integrated into the brush assembly, from them comes a single wire marked D or D+, which is connected to the ignition switch (to the coil terminal B-VK)
For diesel internal combustion engines, generators may have a W terminal, which is connected to the tachometer; it is ignored when installed on a car with a gasoline engine.
Checking the connection
After installing a three-level or other relay regulator, a performance check is necessary:
- the engine starts
- The voltage in the on-board network is controlled at different speeds
After installing the alternator and connecting it according to the above diagram, the owner can expect a “surprise”:
- when the internal combustion engine is turned on, the generator starts, the voltage is measured at medium, high and low speeds
- after turning off the ignition with the key... the engine continues to run
In this case, you can turn off the internal combustion engine either by removing the excitation wire, or by releasing the clutch while simultaneously pressing the brake. It's all about the presence of residual magnetization and constant self-excitation of the generator winding. The problem is solved by installing the light bulb's exciting wire into the gap:
- it lights up when the generator is not running
- goes out after it starts
- the current passing through the lamp is insufficient to excite the generator winding
This lamp automatically becomes an indicator that the battery is charging.
Regulator relay diagnostics
Voltage regulator failures can be determined by indirect signs. First of all, this is incorrect battery charging:
- overcharge - the electrolyte boils away, the acid solution gets on the body parts
- undercharging - the internal combustion engine does not start, the lamps are dimly lit
However, it is preferable to diagnose with instruments - a voltmeter or tester. Any deviation from the maximum voltage value of 14.5 V (in some cars the on-board network is designed for 14.8 V) at high speeds or the minimum value of 12.8 V at low speeds becomes the reason for replacing/repairing the regulator relay.
Built-in
Most often, the voltage regulator is integrated into the generator brushes, so a level inspection of this unit is necessary:
- After removing the protective cover and loosening the screws, the brush assembly is removed out
- When the brushes are worn out (less than 5 mm of their length remains), replacement must be carried out without fail.
- Generator diagnostics with a multimeter are carried out complete with a battery or charger
- The “negative” wire from the current source is closed to the corresponding regulator plate
- The “positive” wire from the charger or battery is connected to a similar relay connector
- the tester is set to voltmeter mode 0 - 20 V, the probes are placed on the brushes
- in the range of 12.8 - 14.5 V there should be voltage between the brushes
- when the voltage increases above 14.5 V, the voltmeter needle should be at zero
In this case, instead of a voltmeter, you can use a lamp, which should light in the specified voltage range and go out when this characteristic increases above this value.
The wire that controls the tachometer (marked W only on relays for diesel engines) is tested with a multimeter in tester mode. It should have a resistance of about 10 ohms. If this value decreases, the wire is “broken” and should be replaced with a new one.
Remote
There are no differences in diagnostics for the remote relay, but it does not need to be removed from the generator housing. You can check the generator voltage regulator relay with the engine running, changing the speed from low to medium, then high. Simultaneously with the increase in speed, you need to turn on the high beams (at a minimum), the air conditioner, the monitor and other consumers (at a maximum).
Thus, if necessary, the owner vehicle can replace the standard relay voltage regulator with a more modern modification of a built-in or remote type. Health diagnostics available on our own with a regular car lamp.
If you have any questions, leave them in the comments below the article. We or our visitors will be happy to answer them
Once the wind generator is built and charges the battery, sooner or later the question of a battery charging controller arises. I now have two wind generators that directly charge three car batteries, but in this mode I have to monitor the charging and turn off the batteries when they are charged, etc., but this is not always possible. Often, in a strong wind, the batteries quickly boil, but they do not have time to charge completely, and they have to be turned off so that the water does not boil away.
In order not to monitor the battery, I thought about a controller, but buying a ready-made controller for a wind generator is too expensive for me. I began to look for easier and cheaper ways to control battery voltage. I saw a lot of different circuits on the Internet, but I’m not good at electronics and I’m unlikely to be able to solder something like that. But a solution was found after a long period of “smoking on the forums.”
It turns out that an automobile generator relay-regulator is an almost ready-made ballast regulator for a windmill, since it maintains the generator voltage within specified limits by turning off the excitation winding in the automobile generator when the voltage exceeds 14.4 volts. But instead of the excitation winding, my generators have permanent neodymium magnets glued in and they cannot be turned off.
If you can’t control the generator voltage, you can simply burn excess energy by dumping it on an additional load (ballast) while charging the battery. Then the car relay-regulator is used as a signal for the key, which drains the excess onto the ballast.
The entire controller consists of only four parts, this is the relay-regulator itself with negative control (Volga, Gazelle, UAZ), a transistor (irfz44n), a 120 kOhm resistor, and a ballast, which can be used as car main light bulbs, an incandescent filament, a boiler and much more that can consume a lot of energy.
Below is a photo of a homemade controller for a wind generator. The controller works like this: when the voltage on the battery rises above 14 volts, the voltage disappears at terminal “W” of the relay-regulator, this voltage locks the transistor and when there is none, the transistor opens and passes current through itself to the ballast load, and when the voltage drops below 14 volts, then voltage appears again at pin “Ш”, which closes the transistor and no current passes through it.
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In the circuit, I used a relay-regulator "Astro 58.3702 14 volt 5 Ampere", any analogues with negative control can be used, that is, they must turn the negative voltage on and off. This regulator has a transparent body and there are two lights, the red one indicates that it is on, and the green one lights up when the voltage is above 14 volts and indicates that the battery is charged.
The transistor used IRFZ44N, this is a powerful transistor that can pass high currents through itself up to 49 Amperes. I pulled the resistor out of the old circuit from the charger, and as a ballast I had a 100/90 watt car light bulb, connected the low and high beams in series.
I ordered the transistor online, and everything else at an auto parts store, but I assembled and connected the controller in just an hour and it immediately started working without any problems. True, I struggled a little with connecting the transistor, since this was the first time in my life that I held such a contraption in my hands, but everything worked out. As you can see in the photo below, the controller was assembled literally “on the knee” even without a soldering iron, but it works perfectly, and the cost of the parts is only 200 rubles.
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By the way, car relay regulators are also well suited for solar panels; if the panel is powerful, then you can use the circuit described above, and if the charging current does not exceed 5 Amps, then the relay regulator can be used for its intended purpose, that is, connect it to the battery, and minus solar panel through “Ш”, and when the voltage exceeds 14 volts, the relay-regulator will disconnect the panel from the battery, and when the voltage drops, connect it again.
At the request of users, I described the ballast regulator circuit in more detail with a new circuit diagram and new photos.
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