[Spridgets] Alternator Project

[Miniac7 at aol.com]

Tim,
 
Thanks so much for the explanation. Based upon that, I'm going to give my  
potential conversion additional consideration. My deal is I don't have a 
stereo  in the Bugeye and I hardly ever drive it at night, or in the rain.  
Consequently, I'm not usually straining my electrical system to greatly...  
with the exception of brake and signal lights and the occasional horn  toot.
 
Thanks again,
Howard
 
PS: If it's a project you want, come to my place and help me put the Mk1  
back together. Or, were you talking about you own projects...  




 
In a message dated 7/10/2012 6:53:49 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,  
thcollin at mtu.edu writes:

Howard,

The very last picture is a performance comparison  between my 
generator and the new alternator. The graph shows that the  alternator 
puts out a higher voltage at lower RPM's and the high voltage  is 
consistent across all RPM ranges above idle. Then I don't have to  
think about the mechanical voltage regulator. Critics will say that I  
have just exchanged mechanical voltage regulation for electrical  
regulation and both can fail. Ya, that's true, but I feel that there  
is a good reason that all modern cars have alternators rather than  
generators. The brushes in generators carry a high current while the  
"brushes" in an alternator carry very little current and that's  good.

I left my radio on once and found the battery dead. I put the  charger 
on for a short while then went shopping with my wife. The battery  
didn't get charged enough to start the car when we wanted to leave 
the  fruit market. My wife ended up pushing the car so I could pop the 
clutch  to start the car. Only had to go a few feet, but she's a tiny 
person. On  the plus side we had a woman come running over to offer to 
help push. She  said she'd had to do that to cars she owned. Just then 
the car started. I  think with an alternator the battery might have 
been up to par with the  short drive - at least enough to restart.

The car idles a few hundred  RPM's lower now too. That surprised me. 
Still thinking that one through.  Theoretically the spark should be a 
bit hotter as the coil now sees a  consistently higher voltage.

Mainly, and most importantly, this was a  project! I like doing 
projects and am sad when they are over. Now I'm  trying to think up 
the next one. Projects are good!

At 06:00 PM  7/10/2012, you wrote:
>I've been considering doing this to my Bugeye.  Can you explain the 
>benefits before I give it further  consideration?
>
>Thanks,
>Howard Collins

Tim  Collins
http://www.flickr.com/photos/12702006@N07/sets/