Car alternator conversion...another way no milling.

[DragonFly III]

A buddy of mine was in need of some power since he stayed in a pop up camper behind his parents.  Next to the camper is a water fall (quite small) about 3 1/2 feet tall.  Since this is about the alt I will not go into specifics of the waterwheel. 
He had several alternators on hand. (his dad is a mechanic) so I took two of them, one large one small.  I have no way of accurately milling so I came up with another idea.  I took both rotors out of the alternators and found the shafts to be the same Dia. but different lengths.  I pounded and pressed out the shafts and replaced the smaller rotors shaft with the longer one from the larger alt.  It gave me just enough room (barely) for the magnets that I mounted onto the fingers of the rotor and then placed the new rotor into the larger alt.  With just a spin from my fingers it achieves a few volts.  With some belts of gears we will connect the alt to the water wheel to get the required RPMs.

[Bruce S]

Inquiring minds want to know see pics 
Details on the alts so other may give the same trial.
RPMs and volts achieved
 
Cheers
Bruce S

[DragonFly III]

I do wish I had pictures of the alt.  I was in such a rush to get it done that I forgot.  The homeowner got really busy and production on the water wheel have halted.  When it does get up and running I will update, maybe start a new post cause who knows when they'll get back to work on it.

I can tell you that the large alt came from a large ford pickup, f350 or so.  It's just a frame now.  The smaller one was out of a ford bronco.  I wish I could have used the smaller one cause it is new.  I believe around 100 amps is what the owner told me. I kept the stator. I'll make a rotor out of an induction motor rotor or something.

I also told them that I would gladly take the converted alt if they don't use it.  I need to build a few hawts or a waterwheel since a nice sized creak borders part of the property.  My VAWT is for the ground and my new location is surrounded by trees.  actually my VAWT alt would be great for a waterwheel.  It's a 16" car rim, radial flux.  I could attach the veins directly to it.

OK way off the subject.

So as soon as I have numbers I will post

[DragonFly III]

here are some pics of the converted

[DragonFly III]

The mags are from  an old hard drive.  They are wedge magnets that I cut in half to fit on the fingers of the rotor.  They are 1" at bottom and 1 1/4" at topand 1 3/8" tall with a thickness of 5/16 before I cut them in half to make 2 wedge magnets. 

I removed the coil from inside the rotor so that I could move the 2 halves of the rotor closer.  This way the mags were lined up side by side.  I forgot to measure the air gap but it's pretty close.

[DragonFly III]

I posted this on the wind section first because it related to both but because the project I happened to build it for was for a water wheel it was moved here.  Is there a way to post it on both or shall I just redirect members to this section?

[Basil]

I like that you took two different size's and made one.
I will have to remember that and try it one day.
Used the coils the way they were right?

[DragonFly III]

Yes the coils were left alone.

[ghurd]

Depending on how they drive and gear it, may find it does better in IRP than Star.
Worth a try?

Probably better in Star with that small head.
If they can't get it spinning fast enough, there are voltage doubler circuits.

I am just saying don't give up if it doesn't work on the first try, there are ways to make it do something.
G-

[DragonFly III]

I am a very ambitious person but unfortunately the owner of the waterfall is not.  He moved into his parents basement and now does not need it.  I still want to go ahead with the project to see what it does.  I am also thinking of building a small mill aroung this alternator if they ultimatetly decide against the water wheel.  At my new location (hopefully) there is abundant airflow if I get up high enough.  Lots of surrounding trees to get above.

[DragonFly III]

Here are some numbers on the larger alt.


Here is what they built before they stopped

[DragonFly III]

the alt is a motorcraft

[comp]

just waiting to see if there are any updates

[DragonFly III]

Unfortunately the guy I was building the set up for decided against putting in the windmill.  I'm probably going to get it back from him so that I can run some test on it. (the Alt)