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I know I am beating an old horse here, but I really don't understand why Rotax continues to use that piece of junk regulator that is the known weak point in the 912 electrical system. For an engine that is this expensive and has an otherwise stellar reputation, why continue to give this failure prone item to every customer year after year. I fly with two other Rotax 912ULS powered buddies and all 3 of us have had regulator failures within about 300 hours. We are all now scared to fly any long x-countries without carrying a spare regulator with us.

I personally would much rather see Rotax spend their development money on designing their own or paying someone else to develop a robust voltage regulator to fix a well known problem area before they invest in new fuel injected, turbocharged, etc. engines.

The very least they should do is warn us in the installation manual that the regulator should be mounted in an area where it is easy to replace, because you WILL be replacing it.
  • Re: Ducati Voltage Regulator

    by » 9 years ago


    Regulator failures aren't usually the regulator's fault. Sure there is a bad one now and then. Rotax isn't the only one that uses these and evidently all the others aren't failing. Poor location with exposure to too much heat, too little voltage draw or too much voltage draw causes excessive internal heat. Bad wiring setups cause issues too.

    If you are having constant issues I wouldn't think it's the regulators fault especially if it is in the same model plane.
    Try ruling out heat first. Use some heat temp indicator strips on the side of the regulator. Mine has never been over 140F. Location is everything. Vans had issues on the RV12 with their location and heat. Now they have approved in in cockpit location. Add up all your voltage using equipment and see if you are too close or over peak output. I work on many 912's every year and none of them have regulator issues, but the system was well planned out.

    Roger Lee
    LSRM-A & Rotax Instructor & Rotax IRC
    Tucson, AZ Ryan Airfield (KRYN)
    520-349-7056 Cell


  • Re: Ducati Voltage Regulator

    by » 9 years ago


    REMOS has opted for the regulator by SCHICKE, easily to identify by its large black cooling fins. I have an older REMOS which has the Ducati and I'm having problems with it. So far I have not found a supplier in the USA for the SCHICKE. Anyone have any ideas how to get one?

  • Re: Ducati Voltage Regulator

    by » 9 years ago


    Roger I appreciate your comments and like your suggestion of the temp indicator strips to check running temperatures. However I must disagree that most failures are due to installation. There is just way too much bad reputation out there across different models and system setups to blame it all on installation. Among the failures I am personally familiar with, all were mounted in the cockpit side of the firewall and none of them were drawing currents close to the rated limit. My own system never saw currents more than 8-9 amps very intermittently when the battery was being charged and 4-5 amps continuously. I even flew one trip with my panel glare shield off so I could occasionally reach behind the panel and put my hand on the regulator to see how hot it was (it was always very warm but I could keep my hand on it-I would estimate 140 F or less). My system voltage always ran at a steady 14.0 volts. Connectors were tight with no signs of overheating. I don't know what I could do to better "plan" the system.

    The point is, if this voltage regulator is so sensitive that everything about its installation has to be absolutely perfect then in my opinion it is too marginal and needs to be more robust. You have to realize that many if not most Rotax 912 installations are in experimental-amateur built airplanes and many of these folks do not do a perfect job of planning there systems. I am just hoping the factory will see my little soapbox here and also listen to the groundswell out there and put some resources into improving this item in an otherwise wonderful engine system.

  • Re: Ducati Voltage Regulator

    by » 9 years ago


    Hi James,

    Let's hope Rotax is listening.

    Polaris Ind. that make the UTV Side by Side 4 wheelers just replaced their reg/rec for too many failures.

    Roger Lee
    LSRM-A & Rotax Instructor & Rotax IRC
    Tucson, AZ Ryan Airfield (KRYN)
    520-349-7056 Cell


  • Re: Ducati Voltage Regulator

    by » 9 years ago


    Roger, do you know whose regulator Polaris switched to? Is the engine a 912?

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