Rectifier Temperature

170F+ is a killer. A few things affect the temp. Location (air flow), too little draw or too much draw. Place it in a place that gets good air flow whether it's in the engine compartment or inside. If it's inside place a computer fan on it or another fan to move some cooling air over it. I used to place temp strips on my ignition modules and VR. Both mine had good air flow and the temps were  approximately 140F.

If you can direct incoming air from the mouth of the cowl or from a NACA duct directly onto the regulator via a blast tube, it will be happier than behind the firewall with no airflow.  Outside air directed via a blast tube lowers the localized ambient temperature seen by the regulator, so it runs significantly cooler than it would if hot under-cowl air were moving across it from natural air currents.

Roger Lee wrote:

170F+ is a killer. A few things affect the temp. Location (air flow), too little draw or too much draw. Place it in a place that gets good air flow whether it's in the engine compartment or inside. If it's inside place a computer fan on it or another fan to move some cooling air over it. I used to place temp strips on my ignition modules and VR. Both mine had good air flow and the temps were  approximately 140F.

Hi Roger,

Please expand "........, too little draw or too much draw........."

Too much makes sense but what of too little??

AND

What would be the Goldilocks voltage range??

Mine is mounted inside the firewall, near a fresh air NACA duct 2" scat tubing. I cut a small 1/4" hole in the scat tubing pointed at the rectifier to blow some outside air over it continuously. Been working good for about 6 years.

 "........, too little draw or too much draw........."

It is a shunt regulator.
Too much Draw ... Excess current  (>30A) will cause Overheating.
Too Little Draw ... Minimal Draw (<<5A) causes the regulator to shunt the excess power to ground, causing Heating.

The Voltage will be 14.0 to 14.2 measured on the Battery.
The Voltage measured on the Bus may be slightly lower.