Generator, with Optima?

Slowplane

Slowplane

Senior Member
I have a stock electrical system. 6V gen., cutout, positive ground. stock EXCEPT I have an Optima battery.
Its been suggested to me that this system will destroy the Optima, and that I should install an alternator. Well, I want to keep the generator. I hadn't heard this warning before, and I'm now asking those sharper than me for input. If this is a fact is there a "fix", so that I can run the generator AND the Optima? (maybe in the cutout area?)
Thanks for all help, Jeff
 
What you really need is a little electronic voltage regulator added to your stock generator. It will fit inside the generator band, unseen by all.
 
I 've had a 6 volt Optima battery in my late 28 station wagon for several years along with a powerhouse generator. No problems. I also use a Battery Tender on it if it sets around for an extended time. Works fine.
 
I can't imagine why you can't use the generator, seems like there are a lot of old wives tales out there.
I would recommend one of Tom W's voltage regulators, but, I would recommend one no matter what battery you use.
 
A generator should work well with an OPTIMA battery or any other battery as it sets the voltage the generator puts out. BTW one thing you cannot do with an alternator that you can with a generator is push start the car with a dead battery or crank it to get it started.
 
jrelliott said:
A generator should work well with an OPTIMA battery or any other battery as it sets the voltage the generator puts out. BTW one thing you cannot do with an alternator that you can with a generator is push start the car with a dead battery or crank it to get it started.
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Ummmm, I've done it....:confused: Wouldn't it be easier to push/ crank start a vehicle with an alternator because the alternator charges the battery at much lower RPMs than the generator does.
 
Patrick L. said:
I can't imagine why you can't use the generator, seems like there are a lot of old wives tales out there.
I would recommend one of Tom W's voltage regulators, but, I would recommend one no matter what battery you use.
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There is nothing fundamentally wrong with using a generator with an Optima battery. The problem with Ford's original generator design is that it outputs a constant amperage, and once the battery is charged, the stock generator keeps over charging it. By the same token, at night with the lights on, it does not quite put out enough current for the lights and that slowly runs the battery down (unless you move the 3rd brush for higher current, which is too much during the day).

On a conventional battery, over charging it just boils the water out and you add water regularly. But you can't do that on an Optima battery and over charging it will in fact mess it up.

Adding a voltage regulator stops this over charging of any style battery. It limits the voltage that the generator puts out, which slowly reduces the amps going into the battery as it reaches full charge. This is a good thing.
 
DJ S said:
Ummmm, I've done it....:confused: Wouldn't it be easier to push/ crank start a vehicle with an alternator because the alternator charges the battery at much lower RPMs than the generator does.
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As long as a generator is turning it is producing, not so with an alternator with a completely flat battery.
 
My last battery was the Optima, it lasted 16 years with only the generator charging it, I also use quartz halogen bulbs, once I parked the car and forgot the ignition, sat 3 months battery was totallyu dead, after 5 min with my 6V only trickle charger I hand cranked it, 20 min of driving later the battery would start the car

all the time the Optima was in the car the charging rate was 14 amps, if I took a long daylight drive I turned on the headlights part of the drive---since the battery lasted 16 years it must not have too high a rate for my use---or too low for my use because it was never dead, but i could tell by slightly slower cranking in the 16th year that it was near the end, then it just died

Generators usually have larger pulleys than alternators because generators reach max output at lower rpms than alternators
 
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In response to DJ S, an alternator needs the fields energized to produce electricity. There is very little residual magnetism in the alternator fields and it gets the additional magnetism from electricity applied to the fields. If the battery is dead, no energy to magnetize the fields. On a generator, you have quite a bit of residual magnetism in the fields and will start generating electricity even with a dead battery. As the voltage starts building up in the generator as it is spinning, it enhances the field strength through the field windings via the third brush.
 
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