MJLorton Solar Power and Electronic Measurement Equipment Forum
General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: Jason on July 06, 2013, 09:29:01 AM
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I was wondering now that my lawn mower chassis is near the end of it's life if I could re purpose the engine as a generator? I have an alternator from a 2 litre diesel car which, I'm thinking, could be used to generate the 13 volt dc supply to power batteries however I can't seem to find any good quality instructions on making your own DIY generator. Is it a simple case of rotating the alternator at a specified speed or is there more to it than that? I also have a big AC motor I took out of a washing machine but I don't know if motors like that can work by supplying electricity as opposed to consuming it?
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Just go to a bearing supplier and buy a pulley with a sleeve to fit the motor shaft, about half the diameter of the lawn blades. Fenner does a whole range of pulleys that are taper lock and which you shrink onto the shaft with a setscrew. Then you keep the motor in the same orientation as it was in the mower ( you probably can use the same chassis for it) and mount the alternator so the pulley matches up the new pulley, then buy a V belt ( same bearing supplier or the car spares place) that will fit. Make the mount for the alternator adjustable to enable you to get the belt on and tension ir as well as get a belt size that fits. Then put the battery there, and you will be good to go. Remember to change the oil and service the motor, it will still need the regular annual service.
If the alternator is one driven by a flat serpentine belt and you cannot get a matching pulley then the simple thing is to buy a 2 or 3 groove pulley for the motor ( same shaft inner mounts it) and machine the inner ridges away to fit a flat belt then use that, or you have to pull the alternator pulley off and get a v pulley for it.
I did that this year to replace a drive pulley that was no longer available that drove a wide belt, as I could not easily change the other side as it is integrated into a gearbox and clutch.
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Thanks Sean. I just turned the alternator with my cordless drill and it was producing 0.16V. The engine is in good condition after I rebuilt it last year so it's a pitty that the chassis is almost gone to ruin. However its a great opportunity to re purpose the engine. As soon as the chassis gives way in the next month or two ill let you know if it works out.
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As a follow on from the how to topic, how do I generate a negative voltage? I want to make a simple multiple fixed voltage power supply providing no more than an amp. When I nievely applied a positive voltage to a TS7909 I expected the internal circuitry to invert the voltage for me but that wasn't the case as I just got back a positive output. So what's the least complex way to take a 12 volt battery turn it into a negative supply and then feed it into the regulator?
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So what's the least complex way to take a 12 volt battery turn it into a negative supply and then feed it into the regulator?
Connect the leads the other way round.
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I can't if im using a common rail on a breadboard and when I did try, the voltage regulator just short circuit causing my power supply to activate curent limit mode. I almost fried it :o The pin out of the TS7909 doesn't permit the ability to swap the leads.