When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Thought I'd throw together a quick gripe about alternators. Might help other people save $80 on their conversion.
1) VintageAutoGarage sells their 12V 226H alternator for $140+sh which has their tensioner bolt at the 9 o'clock position vs. the mounting bolt at the 6 o'clock position when viewed from the front.
2) Seeing as it's a standard 10SI alternator I ordered this one from DB Electrical for $63.
3) Of course 19 days after the 14 day return window closed I got around to mocking this up and realized this has the tensioner bolt at the 6 o'clock position...so i need move that 45* to 9 oclock. Sure I could just go online and find the correct 10SI with that mounting pattern but I'm tired of things not working.
4) Solidworks..
5) FDM Printer printed with some Carbon Fiber PLA.
6) Once I get on the motor today and check fit to make any revisions, I'll make some structural adjustments and reprint on one of my real carbon fiber printers.
I have the same setup as the first pic, and it works great. Since I purchased my alternator and bracketry from different sources I didn't expect them to match up, but all I had to do was re-clock the alternator 90 degrees clockwise and grind off a little of the adjustment bracket, it was a little too fat. I have no idea where you would use that half moon link.
Did you get the smallest pulley available? You will need that to allow the alternator to spin up to speed. This is particularly important for self excited alternators.
That is an interesting solution. I like your CAD work. Let us know how it holds up under real world heat and vibration.
I'm no expert on this but see this link on PLA https://www.matterhackers.com/store/...FY6EaQodNowOog.
From the answers to the questions PLA looks like it only handles about 149℉ and is brittle with low tensile strength? I'm not being critical just trying to learn.
That is an interesting solution. I like your CAD work. Let us know how it holds up under real world heat and vibration.
I'm no expert on this but see this link on PLA https://www.matterhackers.com/store/...FY6EaQodNowOog.
From the answers to the questions PLA looks like it only handles about 149℉ and is brittle with low tensile strength? I'm not being critical just trying to learn.
149℉
100% agreed I'd never use PLA for this. Even my carbon infused PLA is purely for model making and checking dimensions. But I also have an actual carbon fiber printer, prints CF reinforced Nylon with continuous carbon fiber filament layered in. 25X stronger than ABS. I also have a pair of SLA printers that use engineering plastics. Not as strong but still 60+ MPa on tensile strength. I'm sending in a few of these bracket samples to my test lab to find exact material properties in this design. Very confident I have the materials to make it work.
I have the same setup as the first pic, and it works great. Since I purchased my alternator and bracketry from different sources I didn't expect them to match up, but all I had to do was re-clock the alternator 90 degrees clockwise and grind off a little of the adjustment bracket, it was a little too fat. I have no idea where you would use that half moon link.
Did you get the smallest pulley available? You will need that to allow the alternator to spin up to speed. This is particularly important for self excited alternators.
On the back of the alt case it's just moving the bracket hole from bottom to side. Did a test fit and everything lined up give or take an 1/8".
I bought the VintageAuto alt pulley specific for the 226. I believe it is correct for the application.
Progress:
Wasn't happy with how the bolt was anchoring the bracket so I added another feature. Now the printed bracket uses the rear boss as a holding point as well. The same as reclocking the alt case, just saves me the time of taking the alt apart. Adds the tension bracket mounting hole 90* counterclockwise from where my mounting hole is.
Printing now in Carbon Fiber. Material has HDT of 305F vs. PLA which is around 135F (ASTM D648 Method B). Pretty confident it'll survive just fine.
If anyone is interested further, the base material prints with a tensile strength of 36 MPa and is reinforced in key features with continuous Carbon or Kevlar fiber around 600 MPa tensile strength.
I got everything mocked up and fit. I plan on doing 2 things: 1) reprinting on Monday with a slightly different geometry to add stiffness. 2) Getting a slightly bigger belt.
All well and good, and extremely cool, but it only takes about 30 seconds to re-clock an alternator. And on another note, you could have used the OEM generator clamp.
OEM generator clamp slightly modified for an alternator.
All well and good, and extremely cool, but it only takes about 30 seconds to re-clock an alternator. And on another note, you could have used the OEM generator clamp.
All valid options. Took me 30 seconds in CAD and then hitting a print button while I poured a tall bourbon. I've never reclocked an alternator but I am an additive manufacturing engineer...so I chose my strength.
All valid options. Took me 30 seconds in CAD and then hitting a print button while I poured a tall bourbon. I've never reclocked an alternator but I am an additive manufacturing engineer...so I chose my strength.
Ah, another engineer. Good luck. Hope your idea works for you. Kind of an "A-ha" the way you captured the bearing boss.
So, if you ever get curious about re-clocking an alternator, you can see what you missed here:
Ah, another engineer. Good luck. Hope your idea works for you. Kind of an "A-ha" the way you captured the bearing boss.
So, if you ever get curious about re-clocking an alternator, you can see what you missed here:
Thanks, pretty cool seeing what next gen additive manufacturing is capable of material-wise.
I'll definitely check that out! Thanks for the link.
10-15-2017, 09:31 AM
