Some information on our range of ADR regulators
Our ADR electronic solid-state regulators are designed to be the most durable and efficient on the market. Other electronic regulators do not meet all of these stringent criteria!
- Extremely low heat production: Less than any other electronic regulator available. The ADR can be mounted in areas with limited ventilation and high ambient temperature. This requires sophisticated support circuitry. Other designs and even the original mechanical regulator produce significantly more heat!1
- High heat tolerance: Industrial grade parts are selected so the regulator functions flawlessly in high ambient temperature environments.2
- High current capability: Sustained operation at full output is not a problem!
- Survives high voltage spikes: A bad HT ignition lead can cause repetitive huge voltage spikes in the electrical system!3
- Survives reverse battery connection: Accidents happen, even to the most careful owner.
- Low RPM self-start of the dynamo: A design enhancement avoids the need to “blip” the throttle to bring the dynamo on-line.
- It is able to develop a couple of amps output at about 1000 engine RPM.4
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1. The original Lucas mechanical regulator produces about 6 watts of heat.
Most of the electronic regulators we have seen and tested produce at least 13 watts at 22 amp output. In an enclosed space, the temperature of the regulator will (and does) skyrocket, and this is superimposed on high ambient temperatures already present in the engine compartment. In comparison, our regulator produces no more than 2.5 watts at 22 amp output.
No other regulator available for this application produces less heat than the ADR.
2. Some components such as electrolytic capacitors have limited lifetimes at high ambient temperatures. Even those rated for 100°C have degraded lifetime at high temperature.
These sorts of components are stringently avoided.
3. The electronic components in our regulators are rated for voltages well above the 7.2 and 14.2 volts of automotive systems, and there are protective devices which limit the voltage seen by these components to well under their maximum voltage. Interestingly, some other electronic regulators have microprocessor control. Microprocessors are notoriously prone to damage or destruction by voltage spikes and electromagnetic interference.
4. No other regulator design switches on sooner.
They rival the self-start capability of the original Lucas mechanical regulator.
The one question you're probably all asking?
Why can I buy an Indian copy mechanical RB106 for around £30.00 and an RF95 for just over £100.00 but the ADR106 and ADR95 costs more???
The answer is simple. You get what you pay for!
How do you tell that it's an Indian made copy? - Easy!
The Indian units only have the words "VOLTAGE REGULATOR" in raised letters on the right hand side of the lid along with the terminal markings A1 A F D E across the top front and a silver sticker on the front face of the lid that says
"Contacts to be cleaned prior to fitment on vehicle" (RB106 types)
Indian made RF95's are much the same but they don't even have the terminal markings stamped into the lid.
On one side of the base you will see a stamping something like "1 12v B6"
There may also be a green sticker on the back of the base that says
"CERTIFIED QA".
Lets just say that QA (Quality Assured) probably just means it's been assembled correctly!
Why do the biggest classic car parts retailers sell them?
Simple - They sell them because up until now there has been nothing else available.
The retail price takes into account manufacturing costs, manufacturers selling cost, shipping costs from India, import duty, importers mark up, the sellers mark up and VAT in the UK.
All of a sudden your retail price is knocked down to around £5.00 manufacturing cost. The more you pay for it, the more the profit for the company that sold it to you.
Sellers mark up varies.
Why do the Indian made 6v units and all Indian RF95's cost so much more when they cost no more to make? Re-sellers sell on the myth that the original 6v items are rarer so command a higher price. The same goes for the RF95 as it's rarer than the RB106.
Total rubbish!
This assumption is true of original Lucas units but not of any reproduction unit.
What do you get for your money? Cheap and nasty foreign made products mass produced in a factory in India.
Until now they were all that was available when your old original unit finally gave up.
It looks a bit like your Lucas original and some sellers even sell them as a Lucas RB106 or RF95 so you think that's what you're getting.
They should be advertised as "Lucas type" or "Replaces Lucas".
They don't last long - some people report 6 months, some maybe a year.
One of my customers got through 5 in three years!
The technology used in the Indian copy is exactly the same as that used in 1935 when Lucas first bought us a dynamo regulator. Basically two mechanical switches.
One is a cut out that breaks the circuit between the dynamo and battery when the engine is stopped and the other a switch that switches on and of very fast, primitively regulating the voltage.
Technology has come a long way since then and the build quality of the Indian made unit is far from that of the original Lucas unit. So, you've got an out-dated regulator built to a low standard. To the untrained eye, it looks the same as your original so you part with your money. You'd buy them if they cost £150.00.
What other option have you got?
Have your original rebuilt at great expense and hope the person that rebuilds it has the necessary skill and tools to set it up?
Indian copies are made of thermo setting plastic which softens as it heats up.
It gets hot under the bonnet of your classic, even hotter on a hot day.
The plastic softens and the vital air gaps between the regulator and cut out contacts alter. This throws the charge voltage sky high.
The cheap ceramic field resistor mounted underneath gets hot as the voltage rises beyond its capability and it melts the plastic around it. Then the regulator fails or worse still the cheap, soft cut out contacts stick together. This heats up the dynamos field as the dynamo tries to act as a motor and tries to turn the engine.
There is no fuse to blow and protect things so the wiring acts as a big fuse.
So big, it doesn't blow, it just heats up and melts.
Sound familiar?
There's also another contender in the replacement RB106 regulator market in the form of a 12v negative earth unit that is rated at 35 amps output and available via a certain online auction site for between £70.00 and 85.00. No dynamo ever controlled by an RB106 was capable of outputting 35 amps so if you buy one and connect it to your dynamo in the false belief that it will allow a 35 amp output, you will certainly damage your dynamo and most probably your vehicle wiring. These units are not fused either. Beware!!!
Now, enter the ADR106 and ADR95
From the outside, the same as your old Lucas unit.
That's what counts, but that's where the comparison stops. Under that lid is not 82 year old cheap technology. What you'll find under the lid of an ADR106 is our latest Solid State, surface mount technology that's well protected against faults and fully fuse protected. This fuse not only protects the regulator, but also the dynamo in the event of overloading or short circuit. It's also protected against reverse polarity if you were to connect the battery back to front. It happens!
Lets look at all the components used in the manufacture of the ADR106.
1. All these parts are made in England by local manufacturers chosen by us.
2. The terminals and screws are all nickel plated.
3. The base and lid is made from high temperature resistant fine mesh fibreglass that can withstand under bonnet temperatures.
4. The lid clip is smooth galvanised spring steel. It won't rust.
5. The heat sink is made of high grade pure aluminium.
This takes away the tiny bit of heat produced by the ADR106 to keep its components cool and ensure a long, reliable life.
6. The ADR's PCB (printed circuit board) was tested on real vehicles before going into manufacture. Talking of manufacture, it's made here in Lincoln by a reputable English company using the highest quality components all of which are over-rated for the job they have to do making the PCB the toughest and most hardy available.
They satisfy or exceed all current manufacturing standards but you'd expect that from the company that leads the way in electronic regulator technology wouldn't you?
Each PCB is tested after manufacture to ensure correct operation. The original prototypes are still doing sterling service on the test vehicles. We also tested them to the limit and beyond on our test bench. We short circuited the output and inputs.
We overloaded them and ran them at full load for 24 hours with a fan heater blowing hot air to replicate a hot under-bonnet scenario.
Finally, the 14 different components that make up the ADR106 or the 19 that make up the ADR95 are assembled by skilled hands to our exacting standards right here in Lincoln.
Each one is accurately set to the required voltage and current settings.
Each assembled unit is then tested again before being boxed and labelled with a build date and unique serial number. Fitting instructions are included in each box.
Last but not least, the box is labelled ready to go off and give its new owner years of sterling service.
The proof is in the pudding - We haven't had one failure to date.
That's why the they walk all over the Indian made copies and don't cost the same.
A huge investment and three and a half years development have gone into bringing these amazing units to you.
Why not spend your money wisely and see for yourself just why the ADR106 and ADR95 are so good?
Click HERE to buy yours.