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Home > Archive > Alternative Power sources > November 2005 > Homemade Generator Question
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Homemade Generator Question
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| Chris F. 2005-10-30, 7:21 pm |
| I'm working on a homemade generator, built from a large marine battery,
1500W AC inverter, and an old truck alternator rigged to a small engine. I
got the rig going the other day and it worked quite well, but the problem is
that the alternator is not regulated. With no load on the inverter, and the
engine revved up, the output soars past the limit of the inverter and causes
a warning light to come on.
Is there any way to regulate the output of the alternator? Well, I know
it's possible, but can anyone point me to some schematics or something?
Thanks for any advice.
| |
| Martin Riddle 2005-10-30, 8:21 pm |
| The Arrl handbook has a solidstate regulator project, at least it did years ago. I used it in a honda civic for years with out any
trouble.
Cheers
"Chris F." <zappymanREMOVETHIS@hotmail.com> wrote in message news:Upc9f.116573$Ph4.3572698@ursa-nb00s0.nbnet.nb.ca...
> I'm working on a homemade generator, built from a large marine battery,
> 1500W AC inverter, and an old truck alternator rigged to a small engine. I
> got the rig going the other day and it worked quite well, but the problem is
> that the alternator is not regulated. With no load on the inverter, and the
> engine revved up, the output soars past the limit of the inverter and causes
> a warning light to come on.
> Is there any way to regulate the output of the alternator? Well, I know
> it's possible, but can anyone point me to some schematics or something?
> Thanks for any advice.
>
>
| |
| Ecnerwal 2005-10-30, 10:21 pm |
| In article <Upc9f.116573$Ph4.3572698@ursa-nb00s0.nbnet.nb.ca>,
"Chris F." <zappymanREMOVETHIS@hotmail.com> wrote:
> Is there any way to regulate the output of the alternator? Well, I know
> it's possible, but can anyone point me to some schematics or something?
> Thanks for any advice.
Well, you could go to either the truck you pulled the alternator out of,
or an auto junkyard, or an auto parts store, and probably get a
compatible regulator rather easily that way. Building one isn't too hard
if you know how, but getting from not knowing how to knowing how is a
journey better taken with your own copy of _The Art_of_Electronics_ in
hand, and ideally with someone else who knows what's what to give you a
hand once in a while, rather than through newsgroup postings. Having a
project in mind can make the learning process easier...
An ideal setup for this might be slightly different than the off the
shelf auto regulator - one that would slow the engine down as well as
reduce the field current (when voltage went up) and speed up as well as
increase field current (when voltage went down).
--
Cats, coffee, chocolate...vices to live by
| |
| Ulysses 2005-10-30, 10:21 pm |
|
"Chris F." <zappymanREMOVETHIS@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:Upc9f.116573$Ph4.3572698@ursa-nb00s0.nbnet.nb.ca...
> I'm working on a homemade generator, built from a large marine battery,
> 1500W AC inverter, and an old truck alternator rigged to a small engine. I
> got the rig going the other day and it worked quite well, but the problem
is
> that the alternator is not regulated. With no load on the inverter, and
the
> engine revved up, the output soars past the limit of the inverter and
causes
> a warning light to come on.
> Is there any way to regulate the output of the alternator? Well, I know
> it's possible, but can anyone point me to some schematics or something?
> Thanks for any advice.
>
>
If your intention is to run the inverter and not to charge batteries
directly then an alternator with a built-in voltage would work well. I'm
using a GM Delco 65 amp alternator (such as what they show here)
http://theepicenter.com/tow02077.html
connected to an 85 Ah deep cycle battery. This feeds the inverter. Without
the battery in the circuit the voltage can go well over the maximum for the
inverter but never seems to rise above 14.5 volts with the battery in there.
Since I am only running it to charge batteries most of the time (charger
plugged into the inverter) I am using a 700 watt inverter. But since I also
have the battery I can attach another 800 watt inverter and run loads up to
at least 1300 watts for a limited time. I have not tried more than 1300
watts yet but theoretically I should be able to get about 1600 or more out
of it. The built-in voltage regulator so far seems to do a good job of
keeping the battery topped-off without overcharging it.
| |
| Craig L 2005-10-31, 2:21 am |
| Doesn't a marine battery charge different than a car battery. and if you use
the battery and inverter without the motor running and than start the motor
to recharge it dumps to much power in to the marine battery. I don't know
for sure, This is what is keeping me from building this unit.
Craig
"Ulysses" <therealulysses@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:11mauma28pqb4fc@corp.supernews.com...
>
> "Chris F." <zappymanREMOVETHIS@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:Upc9f.116573$Ph4.3572698@ursa-nb00s0.nbnet.nb.ca...
battery,[color=darkred]
I[color=darkred]
problem[color=darkred]
> is
> the
> causes
know[color=darkred]
>
> If your intention is to run the inverter and not to charge batteries
> directly then an alternator with a built-in voltage would work well. I'm
> using a GM Delco 65 amp alternator (such as what they show here)
> http://theepicenter.com/tow02077.html
> connected to an 85 Ah deep cycle battery. This feeds the inverter.
Without
> the battery in the circuit the voltage can go well over the maximum for
the
> inverter but never seems to rise above 14.5 volts with the battery in
there.
> Since I am only running it to charge batteries most of the time (charger
> plugged into the inverter) I am using a 700 watt inverter. But since I
also
> have the battery I can attach another 800 watt inverter and run loads up
to
> at least 1300 watts for a limited time. I have not tried more than 1300
> watts yet but theoretically I should be able to get about 1600 or more out
> of it. The built-in voltage regulator so far seems to do a good job of
> keeping the battery topped-off without overcharging it.
>
>
>
>
| |
|
| Here's a schematic for an easy to build regulator that will allow you to
adjust max amperage and max voltage.
http://www.homepower.com/files/mark8.pdf
Q
Chris F. wrote:
> I'm working on a homemade generator, built from a large marine battery,
> 1500W AC inverter, and an old truck alternator rigged to a small engine. I
> got the rig going the other day and it worked quite well, but the problem is
> that the alternator is not regulated. With no load on the inverter, and the
> engine revved up, the output soars past the limit of the inverter and causes
> a warning light to come on.
> Is there any way to regulate the output of the alternator? Well, I know
> it's possible, but can anyone point me to some schematics or something?
> Thanks for any advice.
>
>
| |
| Chris F. 2005-10-31, 11:21 am |
| Yes that's a very useful article, I think that's all the info I need.
Printing it right now......
The only difference is that in addition to charging batteries, I intend to
use mine to power the inverter while the engine is running. A full 1500watt
load will drain the 100Ah battery too fast, and will require the alternator
to give it some additional juice.
I think I can figure it out from here, but any additional comments are of
course welcome.
"Q" <hugemoth@access4less.net> wrote in message
news:1Sn9f.3937$Rl1.1485@newsread1.news.pas.earthlink.net...[color=darkred]
> Here's a schematic for an easy to build regulator that will allow you to
> adjust max amperage and max voltage.
>
> http://www.homepower.com/files/mark8.pdf
>
> Q
>
> Chris F. wrote:
battery,[color=darkred]
I[color=darkred]
problem is[color=darkred]
the[color=darkred]
causes[color=darkred]
know[color=darkred]
| |
| Ulysses 2005-10-31, 2:21 pm |
|
"Craig L" <craigl@deskmedia.com> wrote in message
news:-4mdnes7XrhNNvjeRVn-qg@deskmedia.com...
> Doesn't a marine battery charge different than a car battery. and if you
use
> the battery and inverter without the motor running and than start the
motor
> to recharge it dumps to much power in to the marine battery.
Car batteries generally have thinner plates and can deliver more power for
short bursts (like starting a car) than deep cycle batteries. I assume they
take less time to recharge but I have little experience with them--my cars
do that for me.
I don't know
> for sure, This is what is keeping me from building this unit.
>
> Craig
I had the same concern and was trying to find a way to regulate the input
voltage going to the inverter without a battery. At first I was using an
old battery that would no longer hold a charge. It worked OK to stabalize
the voltage but I had to run the engine/alternator for a few minutes before
the inverter would be able to handle a substantial load without getting a
"low voltage" alarm. With a new deep cycle battery I was concerned about
ruining the battery but with the inverter on and being used with a small
(300 watt) load the battery seems to be getting recharged but not
overcharging. I do not have an ammeter on it yet so I don't know quite what
is happening but I do know that the voltage on the battery after I run the
unit (no load before and after) is just a little higher than it was when I
started it (about .4 or .5 volts). When I run loads greater than what the
alternator is capable of supplying then of course it is drawing from the
battery. So far, as long as I run the unit for a while after using the big
loads the battery seems to be getting fully charged but not overcharged and
the voltage never rises past 14.5 volts.
From what I have read
http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-a...l?msg_id=001BAG
is it best NOT to use an internal voltage regulator for charging deep cycle
batteries directly. However, I have bypassed that part of it and basically
am using my unit as an inverter generator and charging batteries with a
3-stage regulated charger. And of course it will also power small
appliances and tools and, unlike your standard off-the-shelf inverter
generator it continues to supply power when the engine is shut down. Plus
there is no part on it that costs more than $150 to replace (brand new Honda
4 HP engine). I have a Honda eu2000 that wore out (almost 12,000 hours!)
and I was quoted $800 to repair it. Well, my engine/alternator/inverter
does almost everything the Honda did, uses about the same amount of gas, is
almost as quiet, supplies power when it's off, and can uses a multitude of
different engines, alternators, inverters etc.
One thing I think I should mention is that, according to what I have read
and observed, the alternator needs to turn clockwise (as seen from the
pulley end) in order for the external cooling fan to work properly. The
designs I have seen online all have the alternator turning counter-clockwise
unless they have engines that run opposite of all of my small engines.
One more thing I found is that microwave ovens seems to take a lot longer to
heat with modified sine wave than with a good sine wave. It might be the
voltage difference but I believe that is about the same for all MSW
inverters.
>
> "Ulysses" <therealulysses@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:11mauma28pqb4fc@corp.supernews.com...
> battery,
engine.[color=darkred]
> I
> problem
and[color=darkred]
> know
something?[color=darkred]
I'm[color=darkred]
> Without
> the
> there.
> also
> to
out[color=darkred]
>
>
| |
| Ulysses 2005-10-31, 2:21 pm |
| Ah, there alternator is turning clockwise :-)
"Q" <hugemoth@access4less.net> wrote in message
news:1Sn9f.3937$Rl1.1485@newsread1.news.pas.earthlink.net...[color=darkred]
> Here's a schematic for an easy to build regulator that will allow you to
> adjust max amperage and max voltage.
>
> http://www.homepower.com/files/mark8.pdf
>
> Q
>
> Chris F. wrote:
battery,[color=darkred]
I[color=darkred]
problem is[color=darkred]
the[color=darkred]
causes[color=darkred]
know[color=darkred]
| |
|
| Chris,
Just attach the inverter to the battery, attach the alternator to the
battery, and adjust the maximum voltage on the regulator to just under
the max rated voltage of the inverter. The engine/alternator will
automatically provide whatever amperage is needed to keep the battery at
whatever voltage you set, regardless of the draw from the inverter,
assuming the engine/alternator has the capacity to keep up.
Q
Chris F. wrote:
> Yes that's a very useful article, I think that's all the info I need.
> Printing it right now......
> The only difference is that in addition to charging batteries, I intend to
> use mine to power the inverter while the engine is running. A full 1500watt
> load will drain the 100Ah battery too fast, and will require the alternator
> to give it some additional juice.
> I think I can figure it out from here, but any additional comments are of
> course welcome.
| |
| Martin Riddle 2005-10-31, 10:21 pm |
| Yea, you dont want to spin the nut off the alternator shaft.
"Ulysses" <therealulysses@yahoo.com> wrote in message news:11mcmk4naa91b2e@corp.supernews.com...
> Ah, there alternator is turning clockwise :-)
>
>
> "Q" <hugemoth@access4less.net> wrote in message
> news:1Sn9f.3937$Rl1.1485@newsread1.news.pas.earthlink.net...
> battery,
> I
> problem is
> the
> causes
> know
>
>
| |
| nospam.clare.nce@sny.der.on.ca 2005-11-01, 12:21 am |
| On Tue, 01 Nov 2005 02:15:38 GMT, "Martin Riddle"
<martinriddle@hotmail.com> wrote:
>Yea, you dont want to spin the nut off the alternator shaft.
>
>
That is not generally an issue, as alternators ARE made that run the
other way, and they use the same right hand threaded nut. For MANY
alternators out there, there ARE fans available to run them the other
way.
Some however also have the brush centerline offset, and they do NOT
like to run backwards.
Not TERRIBLY difficult to design a mount to run the alternator end-on
to the engine insted of tucked in beside it - making it turn the RIGHT
way.
| |
| Ulysses 2005-11-01, 7:21 pm |
|
"Martin Riddle" <martinriddle@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:edA9f.5741$cg6.4049@trndny04...
> Yea, you dont want to spin the nut off the alternator shaft.
>
> "Ulysses" <therealulysses@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:11mcmk4naa91b2e@corp.supernews.com...
Oops, I spelt their wrong. :-(
[color=darkred]
>
to[color=darkred]
engine.[color=darkred]
and[color=darkred]
and[color=darkred]
something?[color=darkred]
>
>
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