Alternator overvoltage protection circuit

摘要

Disclosed is an alternator overvoltage protection circuit having a TRIAC and a MOSFET. The TRIAC is electrically connected to the MOSFET and the TRIAC is electrically connected to a magneto. The TRIAC is configured to ground the magneto when triggered by the MOSFET. The MOSFET is electrically connected to an alternator and configured to conduct when the alternator operates in an overvoltage condition. Also disclosed is a method of alternator overvoltage protection for a piece of outdoor power equipment, the method including providing a TRIAC and an alternator rotated by an engine having a magneto, wherein the alternator outputs a voltage when rotated by the engine. The method further includes configuring the TRIAC to ground the magneto when the alternator operates in an overvoltage condition, thereby disabling the magneto, which stops the rotation of the engine and stops the alternator from outputting voltage.

主权项

1. An alternator overvoltage protection circuit comprising:
a conditioner section, a trigger section, a drive section, and a disable section; said conditioner section is connectable to an alternator rotated by an engine, and said disable section is connectable to a load; said trigger section is located between and electrically connected to said conditioner section and said drive section; said drive section is located between and electrically connected to said trigger section and said disable section; said load is a magneto connected to and configured to supply spark to said engine; said conditioner section is configured to condition voltage output received from said alternator, and output said conditioned voltage to said trigger section; said trigger section is configured to receive said conditioned voltage from said conditioner section; said trigger section is further configured to output current to said drive section when said alternator output voltage exceeds an alternator overvoltage threshold, wherein said trigger section does not output current to said drive section when said alternator output voltage does not exceed said alternator overvoltage threshold; said drive section is configured to activate said disable section when said drive section receives current from said trigger section; and said disable section is configured to divert at least a portion of current away from said magneto to a ground of said alternator overvoltage protection circuit through a low impedance path when said disable section is activated, thereby removing spark from and disabling said engine.