Message text written by Tom O'Malley
>Years ago I read that the voltage stabiliser was not a voltage
>regulating device in the conventional sense, but rather a device that
>would deliver the *correct* voltage to the gauges with regard to
>ambiant temperture. In other words....the gauges are heaters and will
>give different readings in winter and summer if the supply voltage was
>truly constant. There might also be thermal drift as the interior of
>the car warmed up.
<
I bet that there IS some dependence on ambient temperature. However, I
doubt
that this is accounted-for by the stabilizer. I think the temp of the
footwell
may well be quite different that that of the gauges! The heater output
is in the footwell. The gauges are likely to be much cooler in the winte=
r,
and
hotter in the summer when the stabilizer is in the shade. I think it is =
an
electromechanical
voltage regulator. Actually, it probably acta as a current regulator wit=
h
a known
load, hence also regulating voltage. That is why Dan Masters said that
adding load to the stabilizer will cause it to deliver a lower voltage. =
It
appears
to be regulating current. This is just fine for a known load, but if tha=
t
load
changes over 30+ years due to corrosion, ageing, etc of the gauges, the
regulation is less than optimal. A modern stabilizer would be preferable=
when it comes time to change the thing.
They are cheap too! I could make some up on a limited scale for (probabl=
y)
less than $10 for parts, and time is free, right?
Mine seems to be functional right now, so this is academic to me.
-Tony
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