Building your own generator

[RafeyRJX]

So now you all have 24v lipo chargers are they new? Use the alternator to charge a 12volt car or leisure battery, then plug or wire you lipo fast charger to it. If you want to use a 24v alternator then do so, just charge two 12 volt batteries in series etc. my point wasn't the appliance of science it was the over appliance. Take a simple problem and make it harder and more complicated. Wonderful. Bet you can't make coffee without an expensive machine from argos

[dillwhacker]

I would just have a 24V alternator and a beefy 24V battery.
Then let the alternator control the charging current, as it is designed to do, depending on battery voltage.
Then get your micro controller to just monitor battery voltage, and make a straight line map from say [12V = full throttle] to say [14V = tickover].
Then vary the load and see how stable the feedback is. Otherwise you will be there till Christmass faffing about with several feedback loops, which is never fun....
T

[RafeyRJX]

Please understand, I'm replying to the original post. Ie cheap and easy portable field power. Little engine, alternator , battery, boom away we go. Idiot proof. Enjoy. Have fun etc etc etc
I have every respect if you want to make something complicated, just trying to help with easy simple cheap etc

[cjcj1949]

Surely a vehicle alternator with a controller built in is designed to supply 14V to the car system. The battery is just a backup that gets charged depending on it's own chemistry and maintains as many volts as it can when the alternator is unable to maintain 14V. The current from the alternator is supplied to the battery and the load. The battery either gets charged or supplies current depending on the ability of the alternator to supply the demand and the state of charge of the battery.

What is the max voltage of your lipo chargers, hopefully more than 30V, as the 14V is just nominal...

[dillwhacker]

Sorry my last post was cobblers....for a 24V battery...
What I meant to say was make a straight line throttle curve from [24V = flat battery / heavy load = full throttle] to [28V = fully charged / light load = tickover].
I guess it will need tweaking to stop it hunting though.

[cjcj1949]

I've recently got the ability to say the wrong words. I want to say a word and something else gets spoken.

[dillwhacker]

I get my mucking worms fuddled all the time - it's an age thing.................

[tomatwalden]

Oh come on! If there was ever a thread that needed the old "popcorn" smiley back, this is it! Loving this thread, it's like reading an episode of "The Good Life". Jimmy - you are clearly Tom Good, and if your wife is anything like the Felicity Kendall of my youth, then you're a lucky man ....

[jimmyhorns]

Well I didnt mean for this to get heated...

I understand the comments about keeping it simple, one engine, one battery, one alternator, and a quick simple but crude approach to running it....

Thats not really what im going for though.... im looking to build something that you cant buy, and something that I can apply myself to.

Cheap doesnt need to mean basic, and easy to use doesnt mean to say its not complex behind the scenes. My iphone is easy to use, and is simple in its design on the outside......... im guessing a fair amount of thought went into it though....

anyway, it would appear that my rather crude lining up of the two pulleys didnt come off too badly when it came to the drilling and tapping.......

image(4).jpgphoto(46).JPG
image(2).jpgimage(3).jpg

[jimmyhorns]

So.... back in the oven it goes......photo(47).JPG

[PorscheBoy]

James, if you can come up with a drawing for the subframe, I'll see about getting it fabricated at work (if I can).

[jimmyhorns]

James, if you can come up with a drawing for the subframe, I'll see about getting it fabricated at work (if I can).

Im not sure if wood is going to be up to the job.... but need to keep the two alternators isolated from each other...

[PorscheBoy]

Im not sure if wood is going to be up to the job.... but need to keep the two alternators isolated from each other...

Wasn't suggesting wood. I was thinking of either steel or ally angle (or if we have suitable box section). Might even have stainless angle, have to see next week.

[jimmyhorns]

Wasn't suggesting wood. I was thinking of either steel or ally angle (or if we have suitable box section). Might even have stainless angle, have to see next week.

Sorry, I meant im using wood, which might be the issue!

[PorscheBoy]

Sorry, I meant im using wood, which might be the issue!

Ok. Offer still stands if you change your mind.