Volvo Penta Alternator Regulation By Mastervolt Alpha Pro II

[Gert-]

Great thread!
Coincidentally I am installing a mastervolt Alpha Pro external controller on a Prestolite alternator.
Does anybody know why the pole pairs are needed in the setup?
Is there any other way to count them, other that pulling the alternator apart?

[offpist]

Its only used for the regulator to calculate the RPM of the alternator.

You can try to set it to 6 pole pairs and see how that works out.

[HenrikB]

As already mentioned, it is used for calculationg the RPM!
My prestolite 240A have 6 poles, and you can compare with engine RPM to see if you got it right
My parameters attached!

[offpist]

Henrik B:

I have looked over the settings and you have set "Start reducing @ 50`C" max power is 100%

My settings are "Start Reducing @ 110`C" and Max power 60-70%.
Could be a bit hig, but it has worked now for 4 years.

The point beeing, you dont want the alternator to keep hitting the "Start reducing" limit as this reduces output drasticly. Better to lower max output until temperatur under normal use settles arround 100`c.

Oh, and guys make sure you use the mastervolt temp sensor MEANT to be used for alternators, not the big black plastic one meant for battery temperature.

[Gert-]

Thanks offpist, I will enter 6, and compare the MV rpm with my engine rpm.
And yes, I have the correct sensor at my Alternator, and the other square sensor at my battery (via the shunt).
Thanks for sharing your settings!

[HenrikB]

Thank you Offpist!
That setting is a remain from before that settiong was possible in the SW. My setting makes alternator temperature (yes, the alt temp sensor..) flat out at about 70 deg C, at 180A output.
I try the output % setting instead, will probably reduce initial belt slip, when alternator output is about 250A...

[Gert-]

Hi, I have set my settings similar, see image below. I am using a Prestolite 90A alternator. How can I set this Amperage in the settings? My goal is to get the right field current on my alternator...

[HenrikB]

Have you loged in with the installer password?

[Gert-]

Originally Posted by HenrikB

Have you loged in with the installer password?

Not yet, will try this weekend.
I assume this will give you the option to select the power rating of the alternator?

[Gert-]

I tried with the installer login, but the power (or the field current) of my alternator can not be set... Does the Alpha Pro measure this itself?

[Cowpoos]

Could someone please message me with the mastervolt installer password for an AlphaPro II regulator.

[James HR40]

Originally Posted by Masterplan

I thought I would share how to connect a Mastervolt Alpha Pro Alternator Regulator to a Volvo Penta with MDI electrical control system.

An additional Oil Pressure switch ( Normally Open ) needs to be added to the Volvo Penta to provide a signal to the MDI when the engine is running. Without this the MDI will give alarms. I needed to add an extension to fit the Oil Pressure Switch.

This set up has worked really well for me.

Attached are wiring diagrams and photos of the set up.

Hope this is of assistance

I am planning to fit a Mastervolt Alphapro III external regulator to my Volvo D2-55F using an aftermarket oil pressure switch and have a couple of questions on your set-up.

1. It's not clear from the photograph where the oil pressure switch is located on the engine.
2. Your wiring diagram shows two relays, one of which is controlled by the oil pressure switch. What is the purpose of the second?

On my engine the wiring differs from the Volvo wiring diagram as the existing yellow voltage sense wire that is connected to the S terminal on the Mitsubushi alternator goes back to the house battery via a 2A fuse. I think that the Alphapro brown RegOn wire can connect to this yellow wire when the oil pressure relay is activated?

[illchi]

Interesting read, thanks for sharing Offpist and Peder!

I'm considering buying a Balmar XT-170 and rebuild it for N-type to be able to use Mastervolt Alpha Pro III. XT-170 has a different design than both the 621 and AT200 and I haven't found any pictures from inside the case.

Anyone who has re-wired an XT-170?

[GreenHeaven]

Originally Posted by offpist

Its just not called "belt management".

Mastervolt basically has two options, you can use the "Small motor" feature or the "Maximum output" setting or even an combination of these two to get the output that you want without over stressing the alternator.

It gives you the same result as Balmar calls belt management.

If you have the USB to Mastervolt interface everything is so easy to setup, monitor and configure.

and if you dont have the USB interface?

What can you adjust?

I cant find anything in the manual about programming this thing or chagning between profiles

[GreenHeaven]

Originally Posted by offpist

Good setup.
I also have an Dual setup with the Mastervolt Alpha Pro II combined with Balmar AT200 and the Balmar 60-150-sr-ig.

Many alternators are setup to be regulated on the Postive+ side.
The Alpha Pro II is regulating the alternator from the Negative- side.
But it is often easy to modify the alternator from + reg to - reg.

The Alpha Pro II is also great for LIFEPO4, as it can be configures just the way you want using an USB interface.

You know the yello wire is for the "charge lamp". I wounder if you can connect thus to the MDI instead of an relay. That way you get an error message when the Alpha Pro II is given an error.

Also I recommend connecting the white wire to the W output of the alternator.
Then the Alpha Pro II can read the RPM of the engine. This is useful if you have an really large alternator and what to limit the output on low RPM.

The REG ON is also the SENSE wire. Its important that no other load is connected to this wire. I found that even if you have an Mastershunt connected, it still uses the reading on the sens wire. I wrote to Mastervolt asking about this, but never got an reply.

In my 1000AH Lifepo4 setup i let the BMS control the REG on signal
So in an high voltage event, it will not only disconnect the battery, it will safely shut down the alternators also turning of the regulators.

When it comes to the temp sensor on the alternator, i found it difficult to get an correct reading using the Mastervolt sensor. The alternator would reach 120`C (using an handheld IR meeter) and the Alpha Pro II would only read about 85`C. Dont understand why they put an rubber layer around the sensor.

Anyway of the alternator is running to hot, especially in an LIFEPO4 setup then you can reduce the output using the "small engine" mode.
I configured it to give maximum output at 5500 RPM. Of course this will never happen so the output is permanently limited. I get about 250A out of 350A in this way, at 2300 RPM.


Using an Masterbus->NMEA2000 interface you can send all kinds of information to your display.

Volt Batt 1 (service)
Amp Batt 1 (service)
SOC Batt 1 (service)
Temp Alt 1
Field curr Alt 1

Volt Batt 2 (Start)
Amp Batt 2 (Start)
SOC Batt 2 (Start)
Temp Alt 2
Field curr Alt 2

could you tell me what version of firmware you have in your alpha pro 2 please, and what version of masteradjust you used?

I am unable to see USER DEFINED option for battery types, and I cannot get small motor mode to work at all let alone set %output to rpm numbers

All the voltages it reports are incorrect as verified by a good meter, yet it works. Very puzzled