Generator build?

[ptannjr]

Ok, i have a mower with a shot rear end. It has a 8.5hp briggs motor that is good. I am thinking of just building a generator with it. I know i can take a GM alternator and a battery with an invertor to give me both 12v and 110 volt. I have also looked at buying a generator head. But one that will work for this set up costs the same as the whole generator with motor, so there is NO benifit going this route.

Looking for other alternatives, and ideas. The rearend for the mower is going to be too much money to bother with since i have a newer Murry 21hp 46in cut now.

This is the mower i have, well one just like it.
http://www.turfmaster.co.za/new_site/products/otherproducts/yardman/YardBug.jpg

[Christian for Israel]

go to a salvage yard and ask if they have any old truck generators. alternators are ok but you have to have a charge to activate the coils for power to be produced. generators don't require this. a truck gen will be more common than one for a car, besides being more powerful.

or you can build your own alternator. this site shows you how:
http://www.otherpower.com/otherpower_experiments.html

[PAian]

I would look into how to convert your engine to use ethanol. As ethanol can be distilled rather easily from scraps. Not shore how easy or hard it is to convert a regular engine with that new sensor

[Partisan Rock]

In post SHTF times, the noise or an engine will be heard for miles.

Learn to go with out them.

Before your in a fire fight over it

[MOlivo]

Generators come with a whorde of problems. Maintence, gasoline, as previously mentioned noise/people trying to steal it if they dont have one. I think everyone should have one, especially in FL, but dont plan on using it much in a post SHTF situation of a really big scale.

[Christian for Israel]

folks, every situation is different. the 'do-it-yourself-tech' that you decide now won't be important may be just what you'll need to save your life. imho we should learn to build EVERYTHING we can now...SHTF is, by definition, an unknowable situation.

[Partisan Rock]

Better to spend some money on books to build wind turbines.

We built one out of junkyard parts for $300 a few years ago.

[Christian for Israel]

i prefer savonius rotors...they're easier to build and have more torque.

[alpmco]

I made one years ago. I used a 3.5hp Brigs horizontal shaft but your motor would work just as well especially if you can weld up the mounts. At the time I could not weld so I made a wooden mount and wagon assembly.
I used it for camping and it worked great but it was terribly noisy even with a bigger muffler. (Now I know how to make it quieter)
First you need an alternator like a single wire out of an 85ish GM. 80 amps is fine but your motor could handle 100 amps.
Get a schematic on the wiring, some alternators require a toggle switch to momentarily activate the alternator and get it alt-ing.
Get a the larger deep cycle battery and a auto amp meter to monitor the charging status. A volt meter is also good to have so you monitor the battery condition when the gas engine is not running.
Put it all together and fire it up. I only had to run the engine for an hour or so to fully charge the battery and then I could run my lights, fans and TV all night. Everything I had was 12 VDC. I was unaware of 110 VAC inverters and they were expensive anyway. This was in the days before everyone had laptop and all the electronics of today ... around 1986. I'll have to look around tonight and see if i have a photo of it. I just gave it away last year (less battery) since I had not used in a long time. Besides I now have 110VAC generators.

The beauty of the auto alternator generator with a battery is you don't have to have the engine running to have power. That's stealth mode! if you're frugal you can go for days without having to charge the battery.

[ptannjr]

That is cool. kind of what i was thinking. i could add 2 BIG ASS deep cycle batteries. they could run for some time. They would charge pretty quick too. Now i need to just get around to it!!

[Christian for Israel]

round tuit's are available on the net. here: http://myrtlewoodgallery.com/get_a_round_tuit.htm

[alpmco]

That is cool. kind of what i was thinking. i could add 2 BIG ASS deep cycle batteries. they could run for some time. They would charge pretty quick too. Now i need to just get around to it!!
If you have the cash get two 6 volt golf cart batteries instead of two 12 volt deep cycles from the auto parts store. They will cost double. Hook them in series to get 12VDC. It will be worth the extra cost.
I don't know the physics of it but the golf cart batteries will last longer, charge quicker and also have a longer discharge/recharge life then the 12DC ones at the parts house. I was told that is because the 6VDC are true deep cycles and the ones at the auto parts store are really starting batteries with thicker plates. The twin 6VDC are popular with motor home and travel trailer owners that have room for them and do a lot of wilderness camping.

[Gunfixr]

:rofl: CFI, that's good. My dad has one of those somewhere, I hadn't heard that in quite awhile.

[Christian for Israel]

i'm old, what can i say. :shock: :oops: