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Mower Building / Setup Help => Project Builds => Other Interesting Builds => Topic started by: tonykummrow on March 08, 2011, 12:31:28 am

Title: 12 volt generator
Post by: tonykummrow on March 08, 2011, 12:31:28 am
 I would like to share something that i built this winter with everyone here. Build is complete already but I have a few pics. As i was spending the weekend ice fishing, like I do every weekend in the winter. I had noticed that our battery was dying and did not want to head home to charge itso we could keep fishing. (My 110 Generator will not run a battery charger without burning it up) I decided to build a 12 volt generator to charge batteries and have the ability to pull lots of power at one time if needed. figured it was worth a shot. So the next week I started the project. it started out with a 3.5 hp Briggs and a NIB 100 amp GM alternator. Happened to have everything i needed at home and did not have to spend a penny.
(http://i631.photobucket.com/albums/uu40/tonykummrow/Generator/th_0217111216a.jpg) (http://s631.photobucket.com/albums/uu40/tonykummrow/Generator/?action=view&current=0217111216a.jpg) This was the first prototype. after wiring it up I got about 6 hours of use out of it until the bolt holes started to wallow out and things got loose. Now that old push mower frame that i have had laying around is gonna be handy.
(http://i631.photobucket.com/albums/uu40/tonykummrow/Generator/th_0307111655a.jpg) (http://s631.photobucket.com/albums/uu40/tonykummrow/Generator/?action=view&current=0307111655a.jpg)
(http://i631.photobucket.com/albums/uu40/tonykummrow/Generator/th_0307112242b.jpg) (http://s631.photobucket.com/albums/uu40/tonykummrow/Generator/?action=view&current=0307112242b.jpg)
(http://i631.photobucket.com/albums/uu40/tonykummrow/Generator/th_0307112016b.jpg) (http://s631.photobucket.com/albums/uu40/tonykummrow/Generator/?action=view&current=0307112016b.jpg)
(http://i631.photobucket.com/albums/uu40/tonykummrow/Generator/th_0307112242a.jpg) (http://s631.photobucket.com/albums/uu40/tonykummrow/Generator/?action=view&current=0307112242a.jpg) There it is. Nothin fancy but it works. I can charge a dead car battery in very short amount of time. 14.2 volts of constant power. Thanks for looking. Any questions feel free to ask.
Title: Re: 12 volt generator
Post by: tonykummrow on March 08, 2011, 07:52:09 am
It was fairly simple to make. The hardest part was figuring out what wires went where on the alternator, as this is not the type of alternator that people use to build these. After getting the wires figures out everything was downhill from there. The local Napa owner here in town told me that a 3 hp briggs would not spin the alternator after turning on the power switch, and that i could not do it. I am gonna stop up there and show him someday here soon just to show him it can be done. I also did not change the alt. pulley to a "v" pulley, I just left the serpentine one on there. After just a few minutes of run time the donated belt had wore nice grooves in it and it does not slip.
Title: Re: 12 volt generator
Post by: mowinmachine on March 08, 2011, 06:11:45 pm
Pretty cool! I've seen people make all kinds of generators/chargers out of car alternators. I saw a few people that actually made their own wind turbines out of them and just used the fan blade out of a car as well.
Title: Re: 12 volt generator
Post by: GRUBDIGGER on March 08, 2011, 06:53:50 pm
very cool build. :D
Title: Re: 12 volt generator
Post by: tonykummrow on March 08, 2011, 11:09:23 pm
Quote
very cool build.
Thanks. my favorite part about the build is that i did not have much reference to look at. I found a few sites online that had tutorials on how to do it, and a few videos on youtube but nothing that reakky fit my budget. all others used a Delco-Remy standard number 10 alternator with simple wiring. The one i used was a little more complicated. I finished it up tonight by adding a toggle kill switch for the engine and a lighted power switch for the alternator. Will be getting an analog volt meter from the local parts store on payday to finish it up completely.
Title: Re: 12 volt generator
Post by: GRUBDIGGER on March 09, 2011, 04:42:22 pm
post pics when done.
Title: Re: 12 volt generator
Post by: tonykummrow on March 10, 2011, 07:20:58 am
will have pics soon, with better quality hopefully. I am having a hard time trying to figure out what kind of voltage meter to use. I have some ampmeters off of a few mowers but dont know if i like that idea, them gauges were never very accurate
Title: Re: 12 volt generator
Post by: swbeebe on March 10, 2011, 09:37:29 am
Just use an auto type 2.5" gauge for amps and volts. Usually you can find them cheap. Your running a car alternator, and charging car batteries. So why not?
Title: Re: 12 volt generator
Post by: tonykummrow on March 10, 2011, 07:13:54 pm
got the toggle switches wired in today. One turns on the alternator and the other kills the spark to the engine. Also installed an extension and elbow to the oil drain so that oil changes will be quicker and simpler without such a mess. Then I removed the throttle lever that controls the speed and set the engine up to run at about 2000-2400 rpm at all times.
(http://i631.photobucket.com/albums/uu40/tonykummrow/Generator/th_DSCI0707.jpg) (http://s631.photobucket.com/albums/uu40/tonykummrow/Generator/?action=view&current=DSCI0707.jpg)
(http://i631.photobucket.com/albums/uu40/tonykummrow/Generator/th_DSCI0710.jpg) (http://s631.photobucket.com/albums/uu40/tonykummrow/Generator/?action=view&current=DSCI0710.jpg)
Also ran the ground wire through the bottom plate and under the mower frame to keep it neat and clean. I will have to get some sort of rubber grommet to put between the sharp edges of aluminum and the wire that goes through the hole to keep from wearing through from the vibration.
(http://i631.photobucket.com/albums/uu40/tonykummrow/Generator/th_DSCI0712.jpg) (http://s631.photobucket.com/albums/uu40/tonykummrow/Generator/?action=view&current=DSCI0712.jpg)
(http://i631.photobucket.com/albums/uu40/tonykummrow/Generator/th_DSCI0706.jpg) (http://s631.photobucket.com/albums/uu40/tonykummrow/Generator/?action=view&current=DSCI0706.jpg)
The Positive cable runs through the divider plate that seperates the engine/Alt side from the battery, Did this because this is the more important wire and being able to see it might save trouble in the long run. Also will need to make a grommet for this one as well
Title: Re: 12 volt generator
Post by: dynamark227 on May 01, 2011, 03:57:56 pm
maybe a silly question, but one that i cannot get a firm answer on. could i run an electric engine to run an alternator and charge a battery giving me, say, 1.5-2X the input power? ive been thinking..
Title: Re: 12 volt generator
Post by: Huffy044 on May 01, 2011, 04:09:55 pm
No. But if you figure it out I will back the prototype. This would also make the United States complety free from foregn oil!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Title: Re: 12 volt generator
Post by: tonykummrow on May 01, 2011, 04:26:47 pm
that would almost be like using a battery to run a power inverter that is powering a battery charger that is hooked to the same battery. you could never create as much power as you need to actually charge the battery
Title: Re: 12 volt generator
Post by: jerb on May 01, 2011, 05:16:14 pm
maybe a silly question, but one that i cannot get a firm answer on. could i run an electric engine to run an alternator and charge a battery giving me, say, 1.5-2X the input power? ive been thinking..
you can use an electric motor to power an alternator to charge the battery than runs the electric motor, however, nothing is free, so eventually it will quit...
have even seen guys build some pretty cool tig welders using a common alternator from a car!
as for the electric motor powering the alternator that charges the battery, here ya go....interesting stuff...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perpetual_motion