Re: Cutouts

Posted by Bob Carabbio on October 27, 1997 at 19:03:40

In Reply to: Cutouts
posted by Dean Travis on October 27, 1997 at 13:59:04

It's kind of a question of quality -
While I side with Mike F. on preferring a mechanical cutout, If PROPERLY MADE the diode is potentially better.
By properly made I'm referring to whether or not the diode is provided with a way to dissipate the heat it produces.Running at night with the headlights on, 10 Amps charge at 0.7 volts diode drop is 7 watts of power. While that doesn't sound like much, if it's flowing through a diode only supported by its leads (as I've seen in some diode conversions)and mounted inside the cutout can, the diode will get VERY hot and become VERY dead..
If it's dead shorted, then you have the classical "Stuck Cutout" situation but you can't do anything about it as Mike says.
If the diode is a Stud mount type, or a press in, and mounted to an ALUMINUM heat conducting block coupled to the inside of the can you've got a quality unit that should last forever.
Bob Carabbio

Follow Ups:
Re: Cutouts Mike Flanagan October 27, 1997 at 22:41:33(4)
Re: Cutouts Bob Johnson October 28, 1997 at 09:26:45(3)
Re: Cutouts Larry Jenkins October 28, 1997 at 15:51:49(2)
Re: Cutouts Bob Johnson October 28, 1997 at 16:27:52(1)
Re: Cutouts Mike Flanagan October 28, 1997 at 17:50:26(0)

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