DC generator

[droid_ca]

You want a DC generator so you can see the stars with more lights burning? Haven't you heard of light and sound pollution?

Why yes I have I'm trying to simplify my life more and not have to rely on others so much

[eamarquardt]

You want a DC generator so you can see the stars with more lights burning? Haven't you heard of light and sound pollution?

Why yes I have I'm trying to simplify my life more and not have to rely on others so much

I have found that the more I try to be independent by buying the tools needed, taking on projects rather than hiring them out, maintaining things myself, and otherwise trying not to rely on others, the more complicated my life becomes. Kinda self defeating in a sense but I don't have to put up with outrageous labor bills and inferior workmanship. Everything in life is a compromise!

I understand your point but that sword cuts both ways, ha.

Cheers,

Gus

[Corwin C]

Just to show how far I'm thinking out of the box ...

I'm actually considering a small boiler and a steam driven alternator or generator for those long-term instances when solar just isn't quite up to the task (stormy weather, camping in dense cover, emergency energy source). I would be able run the boiler with literally anything that burns and because steam engines operate slower than an internal combustion engine they are much quieter. Granted, it will be heavy and far from instant startup/shutdown, but it would be reliable and easy to get fuel anywhere.

Maybe something similar to this ...

[Riptide]

I had never really understood what light pollution was when I was younger (Atlanta=lots of street lights, relatively low elevation, and a load of moisture in the air). Then I went on a trip out west headed for the coast.....2AM we pulled into a parking lot, scenic overlook, at the Continental Divide, and climbed on top of the old Chevy van. My God, it's full of stars! Wow, so that is why they call it the Milky Way!

Easy to see why kids in the East have no idea what the night sky really looks like:
http://asd.gsfc.nasa.gov/archive/nightglow/states_night.html

Kerry

PS Sorry for the 2001 movie quote, I just couldn't help myself!

[droid_ca]

That is an interesting motor might go unnoticed at a steam punk convention or railroaders rally thanks for posting it Corwin C but I think mybe something I can make a little quieter but good ideas none the less

[Engineer Guy]

I saw a nice Lawnmower Engine -> Alternator Project on line a few years ago, so no dearth of examples.

One fellow executed a neat trick on a cheap, noisy Commercial Genny. He adapted the Genny Exhaust port up in diameter to a good ole Car Muffler mounted horizontally. We Geezers remember sources for such Mufflers like 'Pep Boys' or 'JC Whitney'. One detail that made a lot of sense was that he did not mount the Car Muffler to the Genny Frame. He made Brackets that mounted it on the Genny Motor. This way, the Muffler 'rode' with the Genny Engine and the inevitable vibration it produces. Otherwise, the Engine -> Muffler junction would fail over time.

We've all heard very quiet Car Engines running nearby, and the same sort of Combustion Engine - un-Mufflered - on a Truck or Harley Motorcycle going by and blasting your Ears. So, it seems the right Muffler on a homemade Genny should work proverbial wonders...

[8ball_99]

Its a neat idea.. I have a small honda 2000 generator. I know those are expensive.. But it seems several companies are coming out with cheaper knock offs of them more and more. I would think a small 1000 watt inverter type generator could be found fairly cheap. Not as cheap as a trip to the local junk yard though. Still though everytime I come up with a "project" my cost estimate always is off a little lol

A semi small, semi simple steam powered generator would be awesome.. The idea of easily turning any burnable fuel into power is pretty cool.. Even more so for people like me who live in the country and have no shorage of scrap wood, used oil, ect, ect to burn..

[eamarquardt]

One thing to think about if you want to use an automotive alternator for battery charging is that it isn't going to charge at the optimum rate due to the fixed voltage regulator. It might be worth generating the 12 volts, running it through an inverter to get 120ac, and then through a multistage charger.

Just a thought.

Cheers,

Gus

[bdosborn]

I think a typical automotive regulator will charge a battery just as efficiently as a 3 stage charger, it just wouldn't maintain it as well. Bulk and absorption charging is typically done at 14.4 volts with a smart charger, which is the voltage the automotive regulator would maintain. Current is tapered in absorption mode in the same way by both chargers. The automotive regulator wouldn't drop the voltage down to 13.2 volts in float mode but you wouldn't be maintaining the battery with the generator anyways.

On the other hand, running through an inverter and a smart charger would mean tons of losses in the conversions. Figure 20% loss in the inverter and probably 30% loss in the smart charger (mine has a 0.6 PF!). A 5hp engine is good for 3,630 watts and about 90% of that would make it through the generator as power. 3,630 watts*0.8*0.7*0.9=1,829 watts of usable power. That's about 2 hp of waste heat due to the conversion process.

Just my opinion and some back of napkin type calcs...
Bruce

[eamarquardt]

I think a typical automotive regulator will charge a battery just as efficiently as a 3 stage charger, it just wouldn't maintain it as well. Bulk and absorption charging is typically done at 14.4 volts with a smart charger, which is the voltage the automotive regulator would maintain. Current is tapered in absorption mode in the same way by both chargers. The automotive regulator wouldn't drop the voltage down to 13.2 volts in float mode but you wouldn't be maintaining the battery with the generator anyways.

On the other hand, running through an inverter and a smart charger would mean tons of losses in the conversions. Figure 20% loss in the inverter and probably 30% loss in the smart charger (mine has a 0.6 PF!). A 5hp engine is good for 3,630 watts and about 90% of that would make it through the generator as power. 3,630 watts*0.8*0.7*0.9=1,829 watts of usable power. That's about 2 hp of waste heat due to the conversion process.

Just my opinion and some back of napkin type calcs...
Bruce

Yup, it was just a thought and given the capacity of most chargers, I doubt that you'd ever see 15 or so amps DC being put into a battery. Even if you had a 100 amp/hour battery you shouldn't (rule of thumb or what's left of your thumb after building a teardrop) put more than ten amps into it. Even with the losses it wouldn't be beyond the capability of a typical alternator. Lots of folks have the inverter and charger so it would be easy to adapt. Just one more way to get the job done.

One thing to consider, if you have solar panels and a controller, is to buy or scrounge up a power supply that will feed your solar power controller when the sun isn't shining. One could use the power supply (connected to shore power) through the solar controller and charge the battery that way. Depending on your ability to scrounge it could be done for FREE.

Just tossing ideas out.

Cheers,

Gus

[droid_ca]

Great ideas
here is another idea II was wondering about what about a capacitor or even use a solar charger cause it wouldn't know that the juice was coming from an alternator or would it ...

[bdosborn]

Great ideas
here is another idea II was wondering about what about a capacitor or even use a solar charger cause it wouldn't know that the juice was coming from an alternator or would it ...

It would only work if you had 1.21 jigawatt flux capacitor.



Bruce

[eamarquardt]

Great ideas
here is another idea II was wondering about what about a capacitor or even use a solar charger cause it wouldn't know that the juice was coming from an alternator or would it ...

It would only work if you had 1.21 jigawatt flux capacitor.



Bruce

I have a spare 2.0 jigawatt flux capacitor available. Normally they run $2 per jigawatt but I'm willing to let this one go for only $1 per jigawatt with free expedited shipping.

Gus

[droid_ca]

In the future I was a Time Traveler

[Jiminsav]

what we really need is a Trident nuclear sub with wheels under to go camping in..yeah, thats the ticket.