Help identifying electrical gizmo from 1990 yacht

[lambrettaman]

Our new to me 1990 Compass 47 has an electrical device that is some sort of transformer (I believe). It is fed by (at least) a lead from the alternator. It is a large (about a foot in diameter) donut with a selector dial and a heat sink. I haven't traced the outputs yet.

What is this and what does it do?

If you had one, would you replace it with a modern bit of electronica?

Sorry the picture is oriented wrong... I haven't figured out the image sharing on this forum yet.

[S/V Adeline]

Could it be a DC to AC generator?

[Chotu]

Looks like a plasma containment field generator for the warp drive.

Wow. This is the most interesting thing I’ve ever seen on a boat. No clue whatsoever. It’s definitely a bunch of windings. But for what?

Turn it up to 6 and see what it does. Ha ha ha.

Truly a fascinating discovery.

Are there more pics? Especially of the connections to these windings?

[S/V Adeline]

It appears the blue wire just below the knob is connected to the windings. Substantial wire size.
If it does turn out to be a plasma containment field generator, I will give you $20 for it [emoji6]

[tkeithlu]

Did the previous owner race the boat? It appears that he installed an illegal warp drive in order to get to the finish line before he left the start line.

[lambrettaman]

Originally Posted by S/V Adeline

Could it be a DC to AC generator?

Or maybe an isolation transformer?

[mvweebles]

Maybe a Flux Capacitor (as in "Back to the Future")?

[Bycrick]

You’ll have to trace the wiring to be sure. My guess would be a transformer with various taps, selected by the switch to adjust the output voltage. But from what voltage to what voltage, and what current is anybody’s guess.

[LittleWing77]

Originally Posted by Chotu

Looks like a plasma containment field generator for the warp drive.

Wow. This is the most interesting thing I’ve ever seen on a boat. No clue whatsoever. It’s definitely a bunch of windings. But for what?

Turn it up to 6 and see what it does. Ha ha ha.

Truly a fascinating discovery.

Are there more pics? Especially of the connections to these windings?

Star Trek has invaded the Forum yet again this week! (Have you been talking to Mike O'Reilly, Chotu?)

LittleWing77

[LittleWing77]

Originally Posted by tkeithlu

Did the previous owner race the boat? It appears that he installed an illegal warp drive in order to get to the finish line before he left the start line.

You guys are hilarious!
LittleWing77

[Brendon]

That looks like a transformer, on top of that little gray box with the numbers on it person might want to think that that's a timer, but it isn't I would say that it's a selector for one circuit to the next get your multimeter out and start running down, put it on one, and see where the electricity is put it on two, and see where the electricity is, ECT. Sir that is my best guess, and remember it's only a guess, and most of all remember when playing with electricity be safe 110 to get you

[s/v Jedi]

Besides flux capacitor, it also sets alternator output

[carlosproa]

Looks like an old manual alternator regulator.

[fgd3]

The Trekkies don't have to talk to one another. They communicate by quantum entanglement.

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

Besides flux capacitor, it also sets alternator output

You know, I think your final electrical diagram for Jedi isn’t right. This was the component you were missing!