Convert small,older mobile home to 12 v DC

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Using an unroad worthy auto to generate power,and as a battery storage shead,Also using heat from engine through heat exchanger to heat domestic water.

-- Roger Cremeans (hank886@bright.net), August 10, 2000

Answers

Hey Rog! Sounds like you wanna be unbeholdin to any of the big companies! Don't blame you one bit-however, some things would come to mind about your plan. First-how fuel efficient is the vehicle used for chargin the batteries? How long each day will you run it? I doubt if it would be efficient enough to use for chargin batteries or heating water via heat exchanger hooked to your water heater--unless you hook a bigger alternator to the crankshaft/transmission to charge the batteries. I think a simplier way would be to use a small gasoline engine hooked to a large auto alternator [100 amp or larger ] and suppliment it with a wind turbine or if you have the extra cash--a solar unit. With the main investment in batteries [deep cycle marine/golf cart etc] it wouldn't have to run as often to charge those batts. I've also found over the years that auto engines are just not built for this kind of run time without all kinds of hassels. If you're interested- Countryside Magazine printed an article I wrote regarding a home made chaging system using an auto alternator and small gas engine. One of the fall issues of 99. If you can't find it-holler. Some others on here might be interested in it also. I'll send copies to anybody for the cost of postage and coyping- -about $2. each. Good luck. hoot. Matt. 24:44

-- hoot (hoot@pcinetwork.com), August 11, 2000.

Hoot, do you have any idea on how to determine the size of gas engine needed for various sized alternators? I haven't a clue. Seems that it would be better to hook up one and gear it up to let the engine run slower, than to try to hook up a couple of alternators for more capacity and run the engine at higher speed. Any thoughts? Does it take a full 3 hp for say a 60 amp one?

-- Notforprint (Not@thekeyboard.com), August 11, 2000.

Hey N.F.P.! I suppose there's a formula to determine the H.P. required but I don't know what it is. I used a 5 hp briggs and belted it up to a GM-75a alternator. When pulling a HEAVY load-one that's probably in excess of 80% rating, belted with same size shives on engine and alternator--it just works the 5 hp to death. Never tried hookin 2 alternators together-too much trouble with different phases for me to figgure out. If one was chargin two different sets of batteries not interconnected to each other, then I'd think it would be ok. Don't know just how big an engine it would take but would guess about a 12 or 14 h.p. Alternators will charge at a little above idle but the torque required to turn one loaded real heavy wouldn't be available in a smaller engine, i don't think. The one I had printed in last falls issue of Countryside Magazine-I kinda guessed at about 800 rpm to 1,000 rpm. Bro. jeep hooked a small alternator from a Mazda p.u. to his big gas engine that was used to turn an air compressor. Course, we're talkin about a 20 h.p. motor but the alternator doesn't seem to make a dent in the engine's power. I don't know a bunch and I guess it's correct--"Ignorance is Bliss"! I'm about as blissful as can be!!!LOL Anybody else got any experience with these things? Lettus hear frum you. Matt. 24:44

-- hoot (hoot@pcinetwork.com), August 12, 2000.

I was just reading about a young man that ran a 3.5 horse power eng. to an alt. 80 amp , the run was good ., they ran a 5 inch pulley on the eng, if you go to large of a diamater it will bog the motor down under a load . i fegure if ya had a nuff batterys in parralel to last the hole day . ya might be able to pull it off .also the wind turbine is a good source 2 or 3 would be better . see ya sam

-- sam (samparks @kc.rr.com), January 27, 2002.

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