Has anyone in encountered adding a generator driver by adding another pulley or a larger fan belt.
I have a 1.5kva generator that the motor decided to **** it self the cost to replace the motor is uneconomical, so the little mouse turning the wheel thought is it feasible to mount the generator under the bonnet and drive it off the ute's motor.
I assume that either I could have a pulley added to the motor or after mounting use a longer fanbelt (yep I understand whatever works the biggest drama is working out the correct size pulley for the generator)
The next question is where do I mount the electrics, suitable size cable from the generator to the relocated electrics, from there to an Anderson plug at the back of the ute and then Anderson plug wired into the caravan switchboard.
Why you ask I would like to run a standard fridge in the van, and when on the move there is 240v power available along with the portable generator for when we stop where the is no power.
I have heard of this being done, is it worth it or am I whistling dixie
DeBe said
05:15 PM Sep 20, 2014
The problem being that the generator needs to run at a fixed speed to give 50HZ. If its a 2 pole genny its 3000RPM or 4 pole is 1500RPM. Not realy practical if driving as RPM is going to vary. Probably ok if you are parked & fix the revs!!
The Hats said
05:19 PM Sep 20, 2014
G/Day mate.
Unless you can do ALL The work your self it would cost more than a new Genny. there is a lot of engineering and I doubt.
The Genny could handle the heat under the bonnet.
Cheers
The Hats
Ron
Pete49 said
10:52 PM Sep 20, 2014
to add to all the above it will also suck hp from your motor
Pete
Peter_n_Margaret said
11:24 PM Sep 20, 2014
It is not uncommon to add a second alternator to the motor to provide power to the 'house'.
This can then be 'tuned' to provide optimum voltage without the 'smarts' of modern alternator electronics.
It is much more efficient fuel wise to do this than run a conventional generator which are notoriously inefficient and polluting.
Cheers,
Peter
OKA196 motorhome
Aus-Kiwi said
12:38 AM Sep 21, 2014
Fit another 120 / 200 amp alternator ..
Cloak said
07:37 AM Sep 21, 2014
I was looking at fitting a commercial generator to a PTO on the light truck but after the costs got way out of control I've now decided to fit additional sola panels, batteries and controllers
duplicating what the van will have. I like the LION battery over Lead acid too. Definitely a 200 amp alternator will be needed.
Delta18 said
02:30 PM Sep 21, 2014
Gundog wrote:
The next question is where do I mount the electrics, suitable size cable from the generator to the relocated electrics, from there to an Anderson plug at the back of the ute and then Anderson plug wired into the caravan switchboard.
Why you ask I would like to run a standard fridge in the van, and when on the move there is 240v power available along with the portable generator for when we stop where the is no power.
I have heard of this being done, is it worth it or am I whistling dixie
I am no electrician but I can see that if you try to run 240v to your van, regardless how it is generated, via an Andersen Plug you are inviting more trouble than I weigh! You won't live long enough to read all the posts telling you it can't / shouldn't be done.
Cheers Neil
oldtrack123 said
01:13 PM Sep 22, 2014
Gundog wrote:
The next question is where do I mount the electrics, suitable size cable from the generator to the relocated electrics, from there to an Anderson plug at the back of the ute and then Anderson plug wired into the caravan switchboard.
Hi
One simple quick answer
YOU DO NOT !!
A highly experienced electrician ,who is aware of ALL the risks & regulations could make a" reasonably safe "system
A DIYer to attempting such, could end up ELECTROCUTING himself or some one else.
ALL 240V ,no matter how it is generated /obtained can KILL, unless everything is done correctly .
ALL States of Aus have severe restrictions on who can do any 240V work
For Mr average about the limit that he can do is make plug connections
NO wiring that involves tools
PeterQ
Gundog said
04:13 PM Sep 22, 2014
It would be a professional completed project, way out of my skill set
Cloak said
05:23 PM Sep 22, 2014
I saw an ex fire rescue truck for sale with a 16 KVA 240 / 415V driven off the PTO... for a measly $20K....
Make a good tug maybe?
Jaahn said
01:08 PM Sep 23, 2014
Gundog wrote:
It would be a professional completed project, way out of my skill set
Hi Gundog,
Others have said most of the answers but here is my summary.
It is not feasable to drive an alternating current, AC 240 V, generator from a vehicle engine which is not at a set governed speed. The cycles would be constantly varying as the engine speed goes up and down. That would not be suitable to drive an ordinary fridge or any other AC motor. If you rev the engine the generator may be damaged by the high revs and the voltage may rise above safe limits.
The 240 Volt wiring is potentially dangerous as has been said and would cost more than its worth to have done properly and safetly. An anderson plug does not have a place here either.
There are other ways to achieve what you want but this is not worth spending any money on, and it may kill someone as well.
Jaahn
03_troopy said
10:21 AM Sep 24, 2014
Jaahn wrote:
Gundog wrote:
It would be a professional completed project, way out of my skill set
Hi Gundog,
Others have said most of the answers but here is my summary.
It is not feasable to drive an alternating current, AC 240 V, generator from a vehicle engine which is not at a set governed speed. The cycles would be constantly varying as the engine speed goes up and down. That would not be suitable to drive an ordinary fridge or any other AC motor. If you rev the engine the generator may be damaged by the high revs and the voltage may rise above safe limits.
The 240 Volt wiring is potentially dangerous as has been said and would cost more than its worth to have done properly and safetly. An anderson plug does not have a place here either.
There are other ways to achieve what you want but this is not worth spending any money on, and it may kill someone as well.
Jaahn
Unless it's an inverter generator. However, I agree with the rest of your post re-dangers.
-- Edited by 03_troopy on Wednesday 24th of September 2014 10:21:55 AM
oldtrack123 said
12:31 PM Sep 24, 2014
Unless it's an inverter generator. However, I agree with the rest of your post re-dangers.
-- Edited by 03_troopy on Wednesday 24th of September 2014 10:21:55 AM
HI Troopy
Yes. an inverter generator does have a speed tolerance
But to what extent?
Bearing in mind the speed range of the average vehicle engine
Do you have any idea?
PeterQ
PeterD said
01:21 PM Sep 24, 2014
oldtrack123 wrote:Yes. an inverter generator does have a speed tolerance
But to what extent?
The actual generator in an inverter generator is a DC machine, therefore engine speed has no influence on the OP frequency. What does matter is that the generator speed is sufficient to produce sufficient DC power to drive the inverter section.
The second thing to worry about is over speed. It's easy enough to work out the gearing for generator speed at the tug motors cruising speed. However when you have that correct, Will the generator self destruct at hill climbing or heavy acceleration revs? Remember those generators are designed to work at a narrower range of speeds than the alternators in auto mobiles.
PeterD said
01:28 PM Sep 24, 2014
Peter_n_Margaret wrote:
It is not uncommon to add a second alternator to the motor to provide power to the 'house'. This can then be 'tuned' to provide optimum voltage without the 'smarts' of modern alternator electronics.
Ahh, I think we are looking back to the days when it was possible le to swing a hammer in a motor bay to repair a Holden or Falcon motor. Your Ocka may have this but what of the modern vehicles? We used to install 2 kW generators in police and fire vehicles to power Stem Lights (flood lights that rose up on an ingenious stem that came out of a can on the top of the vehicle.) I have not seen a modern vehicle that would accommodate that generator.
Jaahn said
10:24 AM Sep 25, 2014
Hi
Just another comment for the sake of completness.
Most small generators do not have a complete self contained generator unit. It generally has only a rear bearing and relies on the engine shaft to support the front end of the rotor. Or the generator rotor is fully mounted on the engine shaft with no seperate bearings.
So to seperate the engine and expect to get the generator to be driven in some manner by a pulley somehow from a belt is actually an engineering exercise that would not be easy to do. Don't bother starting unless you want the work.
Has anyone in encountered adding a generator driver by adding another pulley or a larger fan belt.
I have a 1.5kva generator that the motor decided to **** it self the cost to replace the motor is uneconomical, so the little mouse turning the wheel thought is it feasible to mount the generator under the bonnet and drive it off the ute's motor.
I assume that either I could have a pulley added to the motor or after mounting use a longer fanbelt (yep I understand whatever works the biggest drama is working out the correct size pulley for the generator)
The next question is where do I mount the electrics, suitable size cable from the generator to the relocated electrics, from there to an Anderson plug at the back of the ute and then Anderson plug wired into the caravan switchboard.
Why you ask I would like to run a standard fridge in the van, and when on the move there is 240v power available along with the portable generator for when we stop where the is no power.
I have heard of this being done, is it worth it or am I whistling dixie
The problem being that the generator needs to run at a fixed speed to give 50HZ. If its a 2 pole genny its 3000RPM or 4 pole is 1500RPM. Not realy practical if driving as RPM is going to vary. Probably ok if you are parked & fix the revs!!
G/Day mate.
Unless you can do ALL The work your self it would cost more than a new Genny. there is a lot of engineering and I doubt.
The Genny could handle the heat under the bonnet.
Cheers
The Hats
Ron
Pete
This can then be 'tuned' to provide optimum voltage without the 'smarts' of modern alternator electronics.
It is much more efficient fuel wise to do this than run a conventional generator which are notoriously inefficient and polluting.
Cheers,
Peter
OKA196 motorhome
duplicating what the van will have. I like the LION battery over Lead acid too. Definitely a 200 amp alternator will be needed.
I am no electrician but I can see that if you try to run 240v to your van, regardless how it is generated, via an Andersen Plug you are inviting more trouble than I weigh! You won't live long enough to read all the posts telling you it can't / shouldn't be done.
Cheers Neil
Hi
One simple quick answer
YOU DO NOT !!
A highly experienced electrician ,who is aware of ALL the risks & regulations could make a" reasonably safe "system
A DIYer to attempting such, could end up ELECTROCUTING himself or some one else.
ALL 240V ,no matter how it is generated /obtained can KILL, unless everything is done correctly .
ALL States of Aus have severe restrictions on who can do any 240V work
For Mr average about the limit that he can do is make plug connections
NO wiring that involves tools
PeterQ
Make a good tug maybe?
Hi Gundog,
Others have said most of the answers but here is my summary.
It is not feasable to drive an alternating current, AC 240 V, generator from a vehicle engine which is not at a set governed speed. The cycles would be constantly varying as the engine speed goes up and down. That would not be suitable to drive an ordinary fridge or any other AC motor. If you rev the engine the generator may be damaged by the high revs and the voltage may rise above safe limits.
The 240 Volt wiring is potentially dangerous as has been said and would cost more than its worth to have done properly and safetly. An anderson plug does not have a place here either.
There are other ways to achieve what you want but this is not worth spending any money on, and it may kill someone as well.
Jaahn
Unless it's an inverter generator. However, I agree with the rest of your post re-dangers.
-- Edited by 03_troopy on Wednesday 24th of September 2014 10:21:55 AM
HI Troopy
Yes. an inverter generator does have a speed tolerance
But to what extent?
Bearing in mind the speed range of the average vehicle engine
Do you have any idea?
PeterQ
The actual generator in an inverter generator is a DC machine, therefore engine speed has no influence on the OP frequency. What does matter is that the generator speed is sufficient to produce sufficient DC power to drive the inverter section.
The second thing to worry about is over speed. It's easy enough to work out the gearing for generator speed at the tug motors cruising speed. However when you have that correct, Will the generator self destruct at hill climbing or heavy acceleration revs? Remember those generators are designed to work at a narrower range of speeds than the alternators in auto mobiles.
Ahh, I think we are looking back to the days when it was possible le to swing a hammer in a motor bay to repair a Holden or Falcon motor. Your Ocka may have this but what of the modern vehicles? We used to install 2 kW generators in police and fire vehicles to power Stem Lights (flood lights that rose up on an ingenious stem that came out of a can on the top of the vehicle.) I have not seen a modern vehicle that would accommodate that generator.
Hi
Just another comment for the sake of completness.
Most small generators do not have a complete self contained generator unit. It generally has only a rear bearing and relies on the engine shaft to support the front end of the rotor. Or the generator rotor is fully mounted on the engine shaft with no seperate bearings.
So to seperate the engine and expect to get the generator to be driven in some manner by a pulley somehow from a belt is actually an engineering exercise that would not be easy to do. Don't bother starting unless you want the work.
Jaahn