Could a strimmer run an alternator? (Darwin Award opportunity?)

Why not use what is left in the batteries to power an inverter to power a modern battery charger. Charge the batteries up in no time:encouragement:
 
Amulet said:
I need power but don't have space for a generator. It would be easy to permanently install an alternator in some corner. Could one munge a strimmer so that its motor had a short splined shaft to plug into an alternator through a hole in the side of the cockpit (rather like a blender thingy)? Would the power and rpm match? I could easily stow a strimmer motor with a bit of a prong of shaft. I'd like to be able to create a charge of about 30 amps.

I don't really think this is a serious question - unless someone fairly expert says it's OK and easy!
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I would say you are peeing in the wind and you will be wasting your time and efforts. The cutting in voltage of the alternator will damn near stall the engine, an alternator from a car does not have a soft start and it will by nature of the beast want to charge higher at low revs once the rotor is energised. I think your work with the effort and cost that you will have to apply will be at a total loss. I'm sure if you have room for such a set up you have room for a suitcase generator which imho is the way to go.
 
grumpygit said:
I would say you are peeing in the wind and you will be wasting your time and efforts. The cutting in voltage of the alternator will damn near stall the engine, an alternator from a car does not have a soft start and it will by nature of the beast want to charge higher at low revs once the rotor is energised. I think your work with the effort and cost that you will have to apply will be at a total loss. I'm sure if you have room for such a set up you have room for a suitcase generator which imho is the way to go.
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I'll pee to leeward in future. The correct solution is to replace the concrete mixer in my saloon with a civilised engine that can also generate power. Trouble is, it'd cost about 80% of the current value of the boat and perhaps increase its value by about 2%. Could sell the boat to pay for it.
 
God! Don't you just love being British. I've had some weird ideas in my time too, some have even worked, but being a true eccentric takes more time than I have left.
 
Amulet said:
My engine is no longer made, but it's like this http://farymann.de/en/showpdf.aspx?Seite=Engines&Datei=Farymann_18_W_YRS&en=1. There ain't any way to attach a pulley.
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On a large bare flywheel old slow reving diesel I have seen an alternator fitted with a small rubber tyre being driven off the flywheel rim,if you were ruthless enough you could make a hole in the flywheel housing, fit a not so small wheel & tyre to keep the Alt revs within limits & use this principle,not a lot of engineering involved.Depends how much you want your batteries charged effectively from the engine.

Jim
 
lydiamight said:
Wouldn't it make a lot less noise if you used a battery powered strimmer?
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Very much so, but the extension chord with auto-retracting reel would make it more expensive.

Then again, the auto retracting reel comes with the built in option of auto-return home.
That should be worth something?
 
davidej said:
Someone ran a thread here a year or so ago about making a genset from a small Honda industrial engine. I seem to remember it was quite successful.
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When we had the 3 day week ( try telling kids of today about that & they would never believe you)I found a generator in a skip. I mounted it on a frame & powered it with a lister diesel out of a boat, (air cooled, constant rev with watermota variable pitch prop). Worked Ok & we were able to use our office 5 days a week
 
SAPurdie said:
How about an alternator off the prop shaft?
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Many years ago Amulet did have such an arrangement. Problems: (a) an alternator has to spin one helluva lot faster than the prop to generate power, and (b) you can't run the engine in neutral to generate power.
 
I have been down this road quite a few times myself.
On a budget so trying to use what is available to make it work.
There are some you win and some you chalk up to experience (which is valuable for next time) but I am not optimistic about this one.
Will it ever deliver? Or will it just be a frustrating drain on your time and money.

This suitcase genny gets good reviews and comes in at £169.99 plus £7 delivery.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Wolf-Portab...erator/dp/B00LJ17JVC/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

I know, its the best part of £200 that you probably dont want to spend.
 
What a flurry of fun. Nothing makes me inclined to pursue the idea. My motivation - saving space is the primary goal. I managed a fridge in my tiny boat because the compressor could be squeezed behind the loo and plumbed to the chamber. Now... I can't easily fit a suitcase generator anywhere. I could build an alternator into unused space, say behind the cockpit seats. The petrol motor needs to be above deck in use. I was looking for a solution which enabled me to move only the motor - to lift it out and attach it to drive a buried system through a hole in the wall.

Insane.
 
Amulet said:
Many years ago Amulet did have such an arrangement. Problems: (a) an alternator has to spin one helluva lot faster than the prop to generate power, and (b) you can't run the engine in neutral to generate power.
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1. More and bigger pulleys. (Really. An intermediate pulley pair & two drive belts would solve this issue)
2. Stronger mooring lines/bigger anchor.

:0)
 
Amulet said:
What a flurry of fun. Nothing makes me inclined to pursue the idea. My motivation - saving space is the primary goal. I managed a fridge in my tiny boat because the compressor could be squeezed behind the loo and plumbed to the chamber. Now... I can't easily fit a suitcase generator anywhere. I could build an alternator into unused space, say behind the cockpit seats. The petrol motor needs to be above deck in use. I was looking for a solution which enabled me to move only the motor - to lift it out and attach it to drive a buried system through a hole in the wall.

Insane.
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Put the suitcase genny in the tender and have a long extension lead. :0)

I once had a p.b. 2T generator and it was hellish. Never again.
 
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