Build your own generator

posted Sep 22nd 2005 9:30am by
filed under: misc hacks

generator

This generator is built from an old alternator and a 2-stroke gas engine. The site has some suggestions on component mounting and properly sizing the drive pulley. The importance of getting an alternator with a built in voltage regulator is also covered. You could use this to charge a race car battery between rounds or add a power inverter to power AC items. Of course you could build a gas powered blender instead.

[thanks Howard and jon]

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17 Responses to Build your own generator

  • Aversio says:
    September 22, 2005 at 9:43 am

    This is a hack? This sucks.

    oh, and by the way,
    1st post

    Reply Report comment
  • bird603568 says:
    September 22, 2005 at 9:58 am

    Thank you Aversio, if you want to be an ass go somewere else. If you want better hacks, submit “non-sucky” hacks. It would be useful in New Orleans.

    Reply Report comment
  • Aversio says:
    September 22, 2005 at 10:09 am

    So sharing my opinion makes me an ass huh? I spose I should lie and be like, “wow! this is so cool. thanks. I’m going to go out and build one right away.”

    So you think this is a good hack? I could shit a better idea than this. Damn fanboys. lol

    Reply Report comment
  • Shaka says:
    September 22, 2005 at 10:33 am

    You may be able to “shit a better idea than this” but the difference is that you’re sitting on your ass judging other people’s creations instead of actually creating anything and posting it.

    Reply Report comment
  • Michael S. says:
    September 22, 2005 at 11:07 am

    Damn Aversio is a bitch ass punk. Gotta love opinions

    Reply Report comment
  • bird603568 says:
    September 22, 2005 at 11:32 am

    I never said it was good, but i have no room to take because I havent made any hacks recently or submitted any. But the poit is if you don’t like it then either leave or chage it (submit some).

    Reply Report comment
  • Mike Montana says:
    September 22, 2005 at 12:14 pm

    Aversion: This qualifies as ‘hack’ as it provides an easy way to get a couple days worth of power at a completely remote spot. Like running a wifi repeater out on the ocean. so with a couple bucks and crap from the shed, i can surf the web from my boat and read your fecal challenged comments.

    Reply Report comment
  • rob says:
    September 22, 2005 at 1:00 pm

    haha! its a 4-stroke in the picture :p

    very fun idea! and i think i have all the parts in my garage!

    Reply Report comment
  • debton says:
    September 22, 2005 at 1:13 pm

    Hey buddy, what’s really good with that pop-under ad. I understand you’ve gotta make a buck on this but pop-unders? come on they’re among the most annoying types of advertising on the internet, at least there’s no sound.

    Reply Report comment
  • Burn says:
    September 22, 2005 at 1:23 pm

    That would be a FOUR stroke gasoline motor… big BIG difference!

    Too bad we dont have cheap and plentiful diesel motors (way more efficient) here like they do in Asia. Think waste-veggie oil/biodiesel.

    Having used a nearly identical setup to jumpstart a dead-batteried car, I can tell you this little hack indeed ROCKS.

    You can take this device a step further, modify the alternator, and you can make a WELDER. No kiddin. Google for “weldernator.”

    Reply Report comment
  • chosenme says:
    September 22, 2005 at 1:52 pm

    Yeah, I diesel would be much better.

    I have a 85 Mercedes that I have been running on waste vegetable oil for over a month, not a burp or hiccup yet!

    Instead of making a generator out of a car alternator, you could just use an old regular AC motor. Simply turn the AC motor (1 or 3 phase) at a slightly higher RPM than what it runs at on its own. Then put enough running capacitors in parallel with the wires of the motor to make 110vac (over 20amp), or even up to 220vac (lower amperage, I havent tested) Works very well, and very cheaply.

    I had an old compressor motor and an old lawnmower engine laying around that garage I build mine out of. Works very nicely!

    I have been thinking of adding a smaller 1 phase motor to my car so that I would have free AC (when running on free WVO)

    Reply Report comment
  • Rwd fan says:
    September 23, 2005 at 3:41 pm

    I wouldn’t count on that design after a hurricane…
    http://utterpower.com/
    has slow speed diesels that make for a engine that should last years, not hours or maybe days.
    Like mentioned by some before, you could run it on veggie oil. Krispy Kreme fryer oil should make the exhaust smell yummy!

    Reply Report comment
  • jim says:
    September 25, 2005 at 2:45 pm

    I built a similar ‘generator’ a few years back. It was pretty cool as an experiment, but it does have it’s flaws. The biggest one being the belt, IMO. This isn’t a new idea by any means. I’ve repaired older Honda generators that utilized the same idea, but now everybody mounts the generator directly to the shaft which is tapered. Still pretty cool if you have some free time.

    Reply Report comment
  • Heino kela says:
    April 4, 2006 at 10:41 am

    Hello!
    I need unlockcode for City Navigator Europe v7 7.00

    I have Garmin gps18 usb and unit id is 3007820008

    Can you help me this problem,PLEASE!!!

    PS.How much pay key generator????

    Best regards, Heino Kela

    Reply Report comment
  • heino kela says:
    April 4, 2006 at 10:51 am

    Hello!
    I need unlockcode for City Navigator Europe v7 7.00

    I have Garmin gps18 usb and unit id is 3007820008

    Can you help me this problem,PLEASE!!!

    PS.How much pay key generator????

    Best regards, Heino Kela

    Reply Report comment
  • no name says:
    May 31, 2006 at 9:34 pm

    George, at utterpower.com rocks! This is the best information on AE I’ve seen in a quarter century off-grid. Thanks George.

    Reply Report comment
  • media says:
    October 23, 2007 at 4:18 pm

    hello thanks for all i just need you to help me learn more.
    thnaks and best regards Media.

    Reply Report comment

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