1. What regulator do I need? Are all 12v regulators created equal or are there specs I need to know about?
2. Any ideas what the amp output of my generator would be (for adding accessories)?
NO, not all regulators are alike, they have specific amperage settings and should match the amperage output of the generator. Your local shop should have tested the generator for amperage output, load tested the generator and done this within the correct RPM ranges. This is all going to depend on how they built the generator. This tells you what the generator is capable of doing. If the generator will do 40 amps max then go with a regulator that is pre-set for a range of 35-38 amps. All good rebuilders have access to a very large selection of replacement Delco Voltage regulators. Now days there are only 2 regulator manufacturers, one brand is made in USA the other is made in India....stay away from the INDIA brand....They have a cheap price for a reason I personally refuse to sale them. The other option is to find a NOS Delco or older aftermarket reg. but you still need to know the amperage output of the gen. Once you know this and if your local shop cant put you on to a good quality regulator then Message me and I can help you out.
You mentioned adding accessories. This should have been worked out the the folks building the converted generator. They needed some idea of what your adding.
If you know what your doing your original generator could be built to produce 45 to 50 amps, this isnt going to happen with just changing field coils, you will have to change armature as well and then again, the regulator has to match. Typically if you have a 45 amp 6 volt generator and you do a typical conversion to 12 volt you loose some amperage. Not that big of a deal but if you want to convert to 12 volt and increase amperage output thats a different ballgame and you need to know what your doing to achieve that goal.
If the generator will do 45-50 amps and you install a 25 amp rated regulator your higher amp generator wont do over 25 amps.
Sorry for the lengthy post but trying to be as informative as possible so that you understand whats going on.
Ken
