Engine and Transmission Tech

Just a scant 4" from backing plate to fan, this alternator design is based on the old reliable GM Delcotron with a few upgrades such as a rear ball bearing. It will tuck in nicely in front of a cylinder head, eliminating the need to hang it out to the side of the engine. This was accomplished by a redesign of the brush system and by removing the electronics to the firewall where a generous heat sink and small fan will keep them cool, reliable and easily serviced. There are 4 wires to the alternator itself. One from the rotor winding (brush contact) to the regulator, and 3 from the stator windings to the diode package (rectifier), carrying the 3 phase power generated by the alternator. The power lead will connect to the output of the rectifier and the regulator connections are very flexible and can be connected directly to the output for a 1 wire type hook-up, or the sense wire and ignition wire can be used for better charging and monitoring of the system by the driver. Output is 100 amps.

Eventually this should become an available product, how quickly will depend on demand. For now they will be available on a very limited basis. Production units will be similar but not identical to the prototype.

JB

Jim, Good work. Is there anything you can't make fit!

Thanks for the work Jim. Is there a target price as yet ? Being electrically challenged, I've wondered why the , backside of the flywheel, could not be be a "rotor" for alternator use /big magneto? Plenty of S.F.M. roverman.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/27/2010 08:23PM by roverman.

Yes, although I'm afraid it'll be quite expensive at least to start with. But that's better than not being available at all. You don't even want to know what the cost was on the prototype. The first units will be essentially hand made and there's a great deal of labor that goes into them as well as quite a lot of machine time. So the initial price will be $679 plus a usable core with a 2 month lead time. Once I'm set up to investment cast the rear cover I hope to cut that in half but that may not happen before the end of the year. Even at that price I'll probably be working for minimum wage, but that's what it takes to introduce a new product.

JB

Just send it to China & have it cloned. ;)

Yeah, but then what excuse would I have to set up for investment casting? I did a little of that back in undergrad, making jewelry and such and it's a pretty neat process. I also knew a guy who busted a round hole in his garage floor, dug a pit under it and ran a pipe down the side for air from a shop vac and a propane line, and with about a 1 quart crucible he had himself a right nice oven for melting aluminum. He was doing sand castings right in his garage.

But now let's be honest about this, is there really anybody except me who is going to need one? Maybe one or two of those guys putting a 3.5 in their Porche where the front of the engine hits you in the elbow. Other than that? Doubt it.

JB

Jim, I think there are many applications for a truly short alternator like you have mocked up there. But I think your initial price will cause many people to balk.

There's an outfit that sells various SI alternators, including a 6 volt positive ground model that I bought for my 54 F100. I wonder if they would take an interest in your design. Powermaster, I think.

Hard to say, and that's the point where I get bogged down. It seems I'm cursed (or blessed) with an artist's psyche. I love the creative process but when it comes time to commercialize I don't seem to have the knack for it. And I've not been able to sort out why either. Don't mind talking to any person from whatever station in life but I think maybe I'm just too honest to be a good salesman. I don't mean that as a criticism of salesmen, it's just that I suspect I don't know when to shut up. Probably the root of the problem is that I'd just rather be creating things, and profit just never was a real strong motivation like it is for most folks. I could live in a palace or subsist on a pittance and be happy doing either one. Of course, having money does make many things easier, like buying nice things to work with so from a practical standpoint it is important, and I've done pretty well on that accord. But in terms of a motivator to get out and sell it just doesn't seem to work very well for me.

I guess what I need is to hook up with someone who is a good salesman, then maybe I'd get somewhere with some of these things.

JB

Jim, if you have it properly protected, I'm shure you know what that entails, why not license to manufacture/distribute? MSD, Powermaster, etc. ? roverman.

That's what I'm saying Art. I know that'd be a good idea, but that's the point where I begin to lose interest.

JB

Yeah, it's a matter of mutually exclusive personality traits; those traits which makes a person creative are like the opposite of what makes a person commercially successful.

Ok, So how do we slay these "Demons" holding us back ? I had planned to retire "early", on Rover Roller Cam sales. LOL, roverman.

Ok, I have an ot question for you concerning alternators, I am currently building up my other toy, the VW powered trike, the alternator is of external regulator design, they do have internal units available, but I'm trying to use what I have.
Is there any reason that a Ford style Solid State regulator not do the trick on the Motorola alternator?

Not sure what you're playing with John, but if it's the old Mopar style they had a very good and simple regulator, why wouldn't you just use that? It's solid state and has a 3 wire connector on a pancake package that'll go just about anywhere and they are pretty cheap.

But to answer your question, the only concern would be armature current. If you can measure the resistance of the Mopar and Ford armature windings and they come out pretty close, then it should work.

Jim

Here is a diagram I found, I will try to find a pic of the actual alternator, it is the type with the pulley on one end and the cooling fan on the other.





Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/17/2013 12:15PM by flitner.

Quote:

Don't mind talking to any person from whatever station in life but I think maybe I'm just too honest to be a good salesman. I don't mean that as a criticism of salesmen, it's just that I suspect I don't know when to shut up. Probably the root of the problem is that I'd just rather be creating things, and profit just never was a real strong motivation like it is for most folks. I could live in a palace or subsist on a pittance and be happy doing either one. Of course, having money does make many things easier, like buying nice things to work with so from a practical standpoint it is important, and I've done pretty well on that accord. But in terms of a motivator to get out and sell it just doesn't seem to work very well for me.
I guess what I need is to hook up with someone who is a good salesman, then maybe I'd get somewhere with some of these things.

Well Jim, I'm a creative-type: Artist/sculptor/illustrator/furniture and graphic designer. Like you I was an entrepreneur. I'm in sales now, working with clients who buy creative and print. I'm honest to a fault most days but that's why folks trust me. I talk people out of spending money foolishly. If I had the time to take on this project I would do it in a heartbeat. Hot rod guys aren't only shoehorning big motors into LBCs but Miatas, BMWs, Alfas, etc. I think Summit and Racing Junk would be a big market for your alternator.

Cheers,
Tim