The old alternator-in-a-generator-trick

Anyone heard of it or know how its done? My Dad was told by a guy that you can stuff a latemodel import alternator in a generator. Any truth to this rumor?? It would solve some reliability issues that I am concerned with.

We will do some checking with a local alternator rebuilder tomorrow. I'll let you know what we find out!

 

I've got a generator on my Toyota...I tell the kids it's a NOS pump!!!

 

I chromed the generator that's goin' on my '30 Ford coupe...did the whole thing..housing, pulley, fan, front cover and back cover....you should see the look on a rebuilder's face when you hand 'em that!

 

There is a guy in Washington state that builds them that way. if you have no luck, let me know and i'll find the info.

 

I think it was a flathead generator with a Mitsubitchy alternator crammed inside .Don't forget that a generator will charge a DEAD battery after a jump/ push start , an alternator won't , I would just run a rebuilt Generator.

 

I have also heard about that trick. There seems to be some opinion that there is a heat issue. Make sense as alternators have a lot of ventilation and generators don't. I would assume that a bunch of engineers a lot smarter than me have had this thing figured out a long time ago. Just my 3 cents.(inflation)

 

That was common is the early '70s.
Heat build up was a problem that shortened the life of the alternator.

The new ricer alternators should be better suited,they are smaller and materials have improved.
They can also be expensive.
Just make sure that plenty of air can flow through the generator housing when its assembled.

If necessary,I'd drill some extra vent holes in the generator case.
Just lay them out so they look like they belong.

 

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it's called Starbones, Coffin. look under the Apparel section.

 

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Don't forget that a generator will charge a DEAD battery after a jump/ push start , an alternator won't

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HUH
Correct me if I'm wrong.
No you can't charge a battery with AC, but an alternator is an AC generator which uses a regulator to give your "12V" of DC current. Effectivly giving you a DC generator.

 

Here is a flathead conversion that I bought off of Ebay. I have heard that they had some problems. I haven't tried this one yet.

 

The company is Electrotech - here's their webpage:

Electrotech Home

Here's their flathead generator/alternator conversion:

Alternator Conversion

At $400, it better work! There was a discussion on BillB's Techno Site sometime back with regards to heat. Someone poasted pics of the conversion all apart.

If I was going to do one of these, i might get one of Red's headers finned aluminum generator covers to help with the heat - and they look cool!

 

Might be a good way to save weight as the shipping weight is zero pounds.

 

Looks pretty cool. But I would think that heat would be an issue. I know that the little alt on the later model chevys (like luminas) had a tendency to overheat and eat themselve for lunch.
And that was without being stuffed inside a generator housing.
Just a thought.

 

Alternators put out a lot more amps, critical if you are running any kind of modern equipment on your car. If you aren't running any kind of modern lighting or (heaven forbid) ac or electric rad fan, etc.a generator will work fine. As soon as you start piling on the accesories, you need the extra juice that an alternator provides.

 

I woundn't do it. (again) I paid for this conversion and it never worked well. (too many problems to list). I now run genny rebuilt to 12 volts.

 

the only thing leaning me towards an alternator is the fact the my flattie is going to be running a unilite elactronic...what's the worst that could happen with a generator?

 

I've often wondered why you couldn't run a generator AND an alternator. On an open drive system, you could mount a pully on your tranny yoke & run an alternator there. Your engine mounted generator would keep your car running & the alternator would provide higher amps as needed (as long as you were moving!)

Or have I been inhaling too much zinc again?

 

They work fine as long as all you want to do is toodle back and forth from the fairgrounds to your motel/trailer.

If you want to actually drive the thing, be prepared for heat-induced failure.

 

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So, remind me again why you wouldn't want to just use a generator? I'm serious here.

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My Pops has gone to the dark side. He is going to run a lot of modern convienences on it. We are worried about the generator powering it all. Mostly, though, it was a reliability issue. He will be putting on many miles in the coming years. I don't want to see him stranded... (although you guys have convinced me that it should be ok)

But after talking to the alternator shop and Powermaster (aftermarket alternator mfg) We will probably just use a generator after all. There is NO way I'm letting him put an alternator on his flatty!
Thanks again for the help!

 

I put lots of miles on old, clapped out flatheads when I was young, and the generator and starter are just about the only things I never managed to break. Early Ford generators I have actually taken apart have never shown any failures, and have gone right back together with new brushes and bearings because I had them apart anyway. Getting them clean enough for paint was always the hard part of the rebuild. I've never had any problem with regulators either, and would expect the new electronic ones available in 6 and 12 volt to be an improvement on the old ones. Add up the amperage of your lights and acessories and compare to generator rating--you probably shouldn't run a combination that's going to be maxed out all the time.

 

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the only thing leaning me towards an alternator is the fact the my flattie is going to be running a unilite elactronic...what's the worst that could happen with a generator?

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Nuthin' bad is going to happen if you run a generator with the Mallory. The unilite only takes 9 volts to run. use a quality voltage regulater and if your really nervous mallory sells a surg-protector for about 12 bucks.
Actually, altranators are more likely to make a big spike than a generator. So I would think you would be better off with the Genny.
If amps/ zot is what you're after take a 6 volt Genny and upgrade it to 12V.
BTW just for grins ( ) the Mallory only uses 1 amp per 1,000 RPM.
Current draw is not an issue with this dist.

 

thanks porknbeaner

 

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If amps/ zot is what you're after take a 6 volt Genny and upgrade it to 12V.


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You'll have to upgrade both the armature & the fields or you end up with LESS amperage...you can convert a 6V to a 12V w/o changing the armature, but you're limiting your current that way - something to do with the way they're wound.

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Nuthin' bad is going to happen if you run a generator with the Mallory. The unilite only takes 9 volts to run. use a quality voltage regulater and if your really nervous mallory sells a surg-protector for about 12 bucks.


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Voltage "spikes" are relative. You're generating pulsed DC with a generator. With an alternator, you're generating AC, but rectifying it which is pulsed DC, but at a higher frequency, so the pulses are closer together meaning smoother/cleaner power. You need an oscilliscope to see the difference.

If you run a generator, buy the surge protector...I think they run closer to $35 these days unless you can get jobber/wholesale price somewhere...

Current draw isn't the issue with the Unilite. I think the original concern over current draw was modern stereo, halogen lights, A/C?, etc -type of upgrades...

 

I have a question here... If your doing this so it still looks like a generator, while still having an alternator... thats going in a hotrod that has an outward look of "I dont give a ____ (use your favorite explative...)what you think about my car." Then why not go with an alternator and just say "screw you" if somebody questions you as to why your period correct traditional hotrod has a later model alterantor!

Its alot like still having a cam driven fuel pump on the block with a spacer that blocks off the hole for the pushrod while running an electric fuel pump! Make up your mind... but dont make it "look" like its something it isnt.

My .02...

 

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I have a question here... If your doing this so it still looks like a generator, while still having an alternator... thats going in a hotrod that has an outward look of "I dont give a ____ (use your favorite explative...)what you think about my car." Then why not go with an alternator and just say "screw you" if somebody questions you as to why your period correct traditional hotrod has a later model alterantor!



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I'm doing it because..."I dont give a ____ (use your favorite explative...)what you think about my car."...I don't want an ugly alternator on <font color="red"> MY </font> car. I'll never bad mouth your car if you disagree. different strokes...

I've run a Chrysler ign. with a generator with no failures for 6 years now.

 

Ah gotcha...

Normally its a "To fool others into thinking its a gennie-rat-tur... or regular fuel pump... or stock stereo... etc

 

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I'm doing it because..."I dont give a ____ (use your favorite explative...)what you think about my car."...I don't want an ugly alternator on <font color="red"> MY </font> car. I'll never bad mouth your car if you disagree. different strokes...


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Zactly! Couldn't have said it better myself!!!

 

Here's just a thought...get a generator off of a '59 to '61 Cadillac that came with factory air conditioning....'59 Caddys came standard with a 35 amp genny...but with air they came with a 45 amp deal...my '59 had the factory air on it, power seats, power windows, and auto headlight dimmer on it...that genny powered all of that crap just fine....the only prob I ever had with it was when I cooked it cuz I never rebuild the damn thing...ended up putting a GM one wire alternator on the car just to keep it rolling....now that genny is the one that I chromed and rebuilt that's going on my Model A with a 390 Caddy mill....

 

Very interesting. Is the high amp genny in the same stepped down case? Like this one?