| Author | Message | ||
| captain ron (Captain_ron)
Rating: N/A |
I just got a brain storm, which you guys may tell me it was just a brain fart but here's my idea/question. can I mount a generator head where my ac compressor is now and run it off of the same belt and make it work? | ||
| Nick Badame Refrigeration Co. (Dnick85)
Rating: N/A |
Ron, How do you plan on maintaining constant RPM on your engine so you don't OVER/UNDER volt your appliances? Nick- | ||
| captain ron (Captain_ron)
Rating: N/A |
Thats why I'm asking you guys? can you put some type of relay/voltage regulator or thingamajig on it to control the voltage. or some way of keeping a constant rpm that would be at the right voltage? there's enough braniacs on this board to figure out something. | ||
| truthhunter@shaw.ca Rating: N/A |
Fist the application (specs) intended, I understand you had mentioned a career shift back on National Athiest Day , just how much power are you needing to run you reconfigured entertainment bizz, are we talking Woodstock sized music boxes over the 300 kw range? 6kw Turning the Coach into some kind of mobile marijuana grow room? | ||
| Gary Stadler (Boogiethecat)
Rating: N/A |
Actually if you took one of the newer vairable speed generators apart and used the generator end and electroncis from it, you could probably end up with a nifty doodah. I'm sure someone could do it but it would definitely take some hairy tech and machining skills. Then there's Auragen, a system made mostly for ambulances etc, that does almost exactly the same thing... creates 120 volts at 5kw pure sine wave, regardless of engine speed. The hit with these though, is that they are nastily expensive, about the same as a big inverter (because that's basically what they are, a BIG alternator and a BIG inverter) Interestingly, there's one on ebay as I type, for 2 grand... Item number: 7607549143 That's what I think, if anyone thinks I really can think...  Now MY soapbox: Truthhunter, Ron is as serious about his bus as any of us, and he's actually doing it, which is more than I can say for a lot of people here. Isnt the pot comment kinda out of line? There's jokes and there's taste, and at least I personally think your comments just missed both... | ||
| John MC9 Rating: N/A |
It'd be a world easier to use a 12 (or 24) volt generator run from an engine pully, to an inverter (or three). Then, the engine speed wouldn't change the voltage. Of cuz, it'd be cheaper to just buy a frikkin gas genset and mount it there.... | ||
| Ed Jewett (Kristinsgrandpa)
Rating: N/A |
Ron, your Hz, or herts (cycles per second) is controlled by 2 things, number of poles on the generator and RPM. There are ways around those obstacles but not cheaply. Your best bet would be a truck alternator and an inverter. I saw a 160 amp truck alternator somewhere the other day for $99, and a sine wave inverter on ebay for $300. That would be about the same as a small generator head. A smaller alternator and a couple of batteries would work great. Or tap into the bus alt. That is why everyone uses this setup, because it is the most efficient. The brainiacs have already though of everything else. I have never set up such a contraption so maybe some of the more knowledgable folks will chime in now. Gary,Jerry etc. where are you? Ed | ||
| truthhunter@shaw.ca Rating: N/A |
BWtC NO those were serious specification questions, asked to efficiently refine my replies at a relevant level as these electrons that we displace to email are not free (cheap but not free). I actually commend CplR on his expedited effort and hope he is still doing entertainment when I am privileged to meet him. Growing Gangai is actual socially responsible in some parts of the world and most is done indoors. $I in fact use to produce my own when I need a supply to smoke$ (didn't like dealing with criminal so it was better to cultivate than traffic for my "needed" supply back then). Aren't soap boxes grand my friend??? | ||
| David Hartley (Drdave)
Rating: N/A |
Ohhh.. Geeeezzz... No wonder TH asks such complicated questions and involved "minutia".... Brain Damage You really need to get a bus and a life away from the boards. Find something to do man.... | ||
| truthhunter@shaw.ca Rating: N/A |
Got the buses, just need the proper design to fulfill the well defined criteria; $I did recreate a few buses in the past, but this will be my first MCI 8 $, that fell well just way to short. Using it to explore "my way" will come in due time, I am please to put myself into context with the object of more effective communication. As Bob Marlie use to say to "I&I" , no need to smoke no more $it quite working for him too, apparently once he could no longer hid from his conscience any longer$ (Been 13 years for me on that one Dr,D) So does it take one to know one??? haheha | ||
| captain ron (Captain_ron)
Rating: N/A |
I take no offence at tha comments made by truth hunter. the only time latley I felt some ones comments were un called for was Aces comments about comparing my credit rating to his friends. that's tasteless. I've always said money can buy you a classy bus, a classy house in a classy neighbor hood with a classy car and classy clothes but it can't buy you class | ||
| truthhunter@shaw.ca Rating: N/A |
so back on track then,we are; how about those apoplication specs CplR??? | ||
| David Hartley (Drdave)
Rating: N/A |
CR, You can mount another alternator and use the old compressor pulleys. Maybe something like a big leece-neville 250 or 300 amp job. Then take the d.c. from that to run a couple of inverters to power the a/c units. In the long run it makes more sense than to try to re-invent making a.c. power from the main engine directly. The engine speeds and fuel used would not make that idea efficient. Those cute little Honda eu-series portable generators make d.c. and have an inverter inside to make the a.c. output. They speed up and slow down depending on demand. They are very efficient and only make and use the power that is demanded. Of course that's my opinion, I have been fooling around with those ideas for a long time but just can't justify the expense and headaches... I know I guy that has one of those vari-drive pulley - belt rigs on his Prevost with a 4kw head, he complains constantly that the belts wear out and the pulleys get stuck. But when it works it works pretty good. ( thats why he removed it! ) | ||
| Bob Wies (Ncbob)
Rating: N/A |
Ron, a few years back they made a variable drive for 120VAC generators for sailboats which was belted in a specific configuration in order to control Frequency (Hz) as I explained to you in an earlier email. For the life of me though I can't remember the brand. Perhaps FF remembers. Was it you desire to use this generator for OTR use or while boondocking? KGP is right. Frequency is that which does or does not burn up your sensitive appliances depending wether it's High or Low. Voltage can be adjusted either automatically or with a potentiometer. Hope you're able to come up with an answer...I'm afraid it's been too long since I retired from the generator business. regards, NCbob | ||
| motorcoach1 Rating: N/A |
Ron if you look back in the archives, i believe some one asked a similar question and the only thing i know of is a reeves drive that will work and the RPM has to fall within 2 to 300 RPM. on boats are ok they get up to seed and stay in that range but driving around town i doubt it would work. I do know of another system but the RPM problems stay the same. I know it can be done I've worked and help design these systems and every thing has a price and my brain is costly. i quit doing it for free and don't have the funds to prototype another project. | ||
| jlvickers Rating: N/A |
What Capt Ron is trying to do has been done in airline aviation for many years. The large airliners 707/727/737/747 and later series airplanes have a engine driven CSD that drives a 40-kva alternator 115 volts A/C 3 phase 400 cps. This CSD allows the alternator to produce 115 VAC @ 400 cps 3 phase power from the engine at Idle to full take off power. CSD stands for constant speed drive. I wonder if some one might make a CSD for a diesel engine that might do the same thing? jlv | ||
| David Hartley (Drdave)
Rating: N/A |
http://www.fabcopower.com/ | ||
| Ken Wildman
Rating: N/A |
About 10 years ago several issues of Bus Conversion magazine had a variable speed gen-head advertised - on the inside back cover if my senile confusion isn't too great. If I can remember how to find the room where those issues are stored (my home office) I'll check it out. I am pretty sure that I haven't seen ads from this company in years. Ultra Ken | ||
| FAST FRED Rating: N/A |
Today a huge alternator with "wild" (no V regulation or diodes) is used with an inverter built for the job. Carrier uses a similar setup on boats to run the HVAC , but with commercial boat equippment prices, it would be out of thee question for a coach. The other problem is the drive is very powerfull , on the order of 60 hp was used on inital cooldown , but I think the RPM is reduced , not what most alternators like. Boat setups were only for "cruise" a variable belt arangement that worked for a few hundred RPM range 1200 to 1800 , and was slow to respond to engine speed or load changes.But it did make AC with no noisemaker. Today an inverter does a far better job. Aircraft CSD would be fine , but require a HUGE cooling setup,and is quite limited in rpm input, If you think boat stiff is Expen$ive, aircraft will shock you! FAST FRED |