Curious question on alternators

[Bob-A]

I'm wanting a few more amps out of my "genny" so.... I'm going to run a Model-A era Delco-Remy generator instead of an alterantor. I have an aftermarket accessory bracket from back in the day that will let me do this. Just my .02 cents for this very interesting discussion.

Bob-A

 

[MrTube]

I'm wanting a few more amps out of my "genny" so.... I'm going to run a Model-A era Delco-Remy generator instead of an alterantor. I have an aftermarket accessory bracket from back in the day that will let me do this. Just my .02 cents for this very interesting discussion.

Bob-A

UhOh......

 

[newshirt]

As a newbie, I can confidently say that novices and non-owners notice the modern anachronism. It's a shock (for a non-owner) to see an alternator on a Model A.

 

[steve s]

I'm wanting a few more amps out of my "genny" so.... I'm going to run a Model-A era Delco-Remy generator instead of an alterantor. I have an aftermarket accessory bracket from back in the day that will let me do this. Just my .02 cents for this very interesting discussion.

Bob-A

I did this for many years. After I fried my 2nd generator (while in high school, 1961) my dad took my A to an auto-electric shop and told them to fix it. They rigged up a Delco gen with external regulator on firewall. I later had a faster pickup armature installed, which I believe was designed for tractors or other low rpm uses.

I will sell the whole thing cheap (plus postage) if anyone wants to go this route, although I can't understand why.

Steve

 

[Bill Steiner]

I agree with Bills input in post #8, and then;

in his post #11.

Then Bill sez,

in his post #12.

This is the post I commented about when I posted;

Bill, It is true what Mike V. Florida said about diodes. It is called reverse leakage current, however, it is only present when the diode is in a reverse bias mode.

So I took it to mean he (Bill) disagreed about reverse leakage current, which he (Bill) did not. He disagreed that reverse leakage current could run the battery down because it wouldn't affect a properly set up one wire alternator.

Now for the statement at the end of your post. I will alter it a bit to reflect my experience as follows. That's about how mine is, alternator with no master cutoff switch. Battery has never run down!

P.S. I agree with Bill Williamson whole heartedly.

If a diode has reverse leakage it will drain a batt. Not all diodes have leakage . Good ones will NOT drain a batt. Don't think I want to say more LOL. Bill S.

 

[bbrocksr]

Diodes leak ,It is slight but it will show on an multimeter.
Bill

 

[Tom Wesenberg]

Explain your electronic voltage regulator please. Do you mean it will auto adjust like for a night time ride to boost the power when you run your headlights so you don't have to adjust the brush for more power? Please go into detail.

Thanks,
Neal

Yes, the EVR will automatically adjust the generator output as needed, whether it is to charge a low battery or send more power to run the headlights, when they are turned on. The voltage regulator senses the voltage thousands of times a second and as soon as it falls below the norm the EVR will send more power to the field coils. This makes the magnetic field stronger, which makes the armature generate more electricity. As soon as the voltage is back to norm, the EVR cuts back the power to the field windings.

As you can see in this picture the EVR I make fits inside the generator and takes the place of the adjustable brush and it's holder. It's out of sight, so the generator looks totally stock, but is fully regulated, like modern cars. Actually I should say regulated like most cars have been since the late 30's, as that's when most cars were regulated by electro-mechanical voltage regulators.

 

[Sparky]

Diodes leak ,It is slight but it will show on an multimeter.
Bill

Out of curiosity I got out my meter and measured 50 milliamps of leakage across my cut-off switch. I have a 12V one-wire alternator supplied by Nu-Rex.

 

[MrTube]

Out of curiosity I got out my meter and measured 50 milliamps of leakage across my cut-off switch. I have a 12V one-wire alternator supplied by Nu-Rex.

You are most likely measuring the current being drawn by the rotor on the alternator. This is to set up a field until the alternator can produce its own.

On newer cars this supply is fed through a lamp which will light if the alternator cannot sustain its own field anymore usually labeled ALT or BATT. It must also be on a keyed switch for obvious reasons.