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Forum Index : Other Stuff : Delco Alternator Question?
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WindyMiller Regular Member  Joined: 05/04/2011 Location: United StatesPosts: 62 |
GidDay Everyone! I have a quick question? I have been playing with a Delco 63 amp alternator and a petrol motor producing 100 volts DC at 2500 RPM or there abouts. This alternator is just a stock unit with the original diodes and all. So far even know it can reach atleast 180 degrees of heat it has not failed yet. The question is in regards to the Cap mod written up by Gordon? Would adding any capacitors make any difference in the power output and the amount of RPM needed to achieve this output voltage? The bigger concern with trying the cap mod has to do with how the regulator responds when switched back to the battery charge mode? Would the caps cause the regulator to go haywire or would it work as before the caps where added? The alternator as built is connected in the Y configuration and has its original diodes rated PIV100. I have not and am not interested in reconnecting in Delta as the Delco windings will melt with the added amps of the delta connection. For those test I have bought another alternator rated at 105 Amps connected Delta. The 63 amp unit can produce about 6 amps at 100 volts? Or 63 amps at 14 volts. Atleast that is how I understand it? The method I used to archive this is by using one of those little boxes that allows your alternator to produce a 110 Volts DC source in one mode and charge the batteries in the other mode. We use this unit alot around the place for running lights, drills. WeedWackers, Old fashioned Hot Plate. Etc. Anything with a brushed motor or heating elements. The idea is the same basic one layed out in the Alternator Secrets book by Lindsey publications. Only the box I am using is a original unit made in the 1970's. Robert |
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| VK4AYQ Guru  Joined: 02/12/2009 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2539 |
Hi Windy The cap mod would be very limited usefulness as it is designed as a low amp voltage booster for low speed wind turbine application, with your application you are running a a good speed for the alternator so no great use. Sounds a bit deadly as 110 volt DC is a real killer compared to AC. All the best Bob Foolin Around |
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| WindyMiller Regular Member Joined: 05/04/2011 Location: United StatesPosts: 62 |
Hi VK4AYQ The idea is only dangerous if you happen to be careless and touch one of the live terminals by accident? I am in the process of adding rubber boots over exposed connections on the volt meter and the alternator post as I find suitable rubber boots to fit? I always plug in everything before I plug the extension cord into the generator after starting the engine. The engine I have also seems to die when a heavy load like a short accurs as it is really too small for the job at hand. I am going to leave it that way to prevent fire works. The idea is the same as the premier power welder system only my box lacks the welding options. The box I am using was made by GTO Enterprises in the 1970's and is not much different than this one http://www.aeroelectric.com/articles/When_is_110V_not_Over_V oltage.pdf. Do to the system being 110 Volts DC at several amps and 400 cycles plus yes it could be considered dangerous and should be considered dangerous. I have also played with an Induction Generator that was running away up to about 325 Volts AC. Now that was scary to me! I also have one that I believe to be able to do around 600 volts runaway as well. The key is to think safety, be alert and do not try anything stupid when working with dangerous electrical generator equipment. Electrical linemen's glooves would be a good idea as well! Being in the US I have personally always wondered about the safety of plugging something into a 220 Volt 50 HZ outlet in European systems? Robert |
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| VK4AYQ Guru Joined: 02/12/2009 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2539 |
Hi Windy Sounds like you are careful as you have survived for this long, just keep others away. We use 240 volt AC in Australia too but it isn't as dangerous as DC due to the body reacting to AC as a convulsive action, whereas DC causes a lock up of muscle that can freeze the position and result in a continuing shock. DC above 36 volts can be lethal and 110 DC is deadly whereas AC is usually survivable. When I was at college fifty years ago a fellow student was killed by 110 DC, so it burned it into my mind to this day. Old saying: It's the volts that jolts but the mills that kills. Meaning the current through the body that does the damage, not so much just the higher volts. The link on your box wouldn't work for me I think Win 7 stuffed it up. Foolin Around |
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| WindyMiller Regular Member Joined: 05/04/2011 Location: United StatesPosts: 62 |
Hi VK4AYQ, Sorry about your friend. I am very careful when I work with electric machinery as I am well aware of the dangers of electrical energy. Link If the link is not linked as a hyperlink then it does not work. Sorry about that. I probably will remove the modification soon anyway? I prefer the Induction Generator to messing with Auto Alternators. They used to sell back in the day Portable Generators that where DC 120 Volts. My dad had for a short time a Homelite unit that was DC until he blew it up. Just makes me wonder if that is why they quit making them besides the obvious reasons? I know British Railways used 90 to 110 Volt DC traction systems as well on the Class 08 shunter. Interesting that they did not have any serious problems with them? There are still 99 of them in existance right now. Several of them are still working for a living even know they are 50 years old. I do not want to argue with anyone on the dangers of DC and electricty in general as I am well aware of them. I just want to have a unique chat about engineering. Robert |
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| VK4AYQ Guru Joined: 02/12/2009 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2539 |
Hi Rob Sorry to be a pain in the neck over safety but there are other people reading this that may not have your experience with DC devices. I to would rather get into the engineering side as that is my trade or was before I retired, but I do play with electrics as well. At my workshop I had a electric crane 10 ton Coles crane that had 110 volt dc motors and generator to do all the work, was quite good as long as the breakers where kept clean and it didn't rain. All the best Bob Foolin Around |
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| WindyMiller Regular Member Joined: 05/04/2011 Location: United StatesPosts: 62 |
VK4AYQ, No problem Mite! Educating ourselves about the potentially dangerous nature of the beast we are working with is sometimes the best thing we can do before tinkering with stuff at all! Robert |
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| Warpspeed Guru Joined: 09/08/2007 Location: AustraliaPosts: 4406 |
A bit off topic, but a delta connection would very likely produce some nasty circulating harmonic currents, because the waveforms are not pure sine waves. A star connection with a floating mid point solves that particular problem very neatly, which is why they do it that way. Most of the alternator diodes I have tested will work to at least 200 volts and probably much more, even though they may be rated to only 100 volts max. What happens is, a manufacturer builds a whole bunch of diodes and they are individually automatically non destructively avalanche tested (for breakdown voltage). The really good ones might be rated at 600 volts, and will probably withstand much more than 600 volts. These are stamped xxx/600 (or something similar) The next batch might avalanche between 500v and 600v, these are stamped xxx/500, and so on down to the crappiest which become xxx/100 devices. But superb quality control in your diode factory has resulted in every diode coming off the production line testing better than say 580 volts. But you still need to supply bulk orders of very cheap xxx/100 diodes to the alternator manufacturers. So they just stamp as many of the good diodes as being rated at only 100 volts. So don't be too surprised if your alternator diodes easily survive voltages way above the rated 100 volts. Cheers, Tony. |
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| WindyMiller Regular Member Joined: 05/04/2011 Location: United StatesPosts: 62 |
Warpspeed, Thank you for the explination. This maybe off topic? Do you know if Sparweb is still around these parts? I have alot of questions for him about the induction machine? I tried to registor at the field lines site but it says I do not have premission? I emailed them but heard nothing back? I guess I am not welcome on the fieldline for some unknown reason or another? Robert |
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| Warpspeed Guru Joined: 09/08/2007 Location: AustraliaPosts: 4406 |
Sorry Robert, but I don't know who Sparweb is. Cheers, Tony. |
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