Using an old car alternator to generate electricity...

[RebelRider.Mike]

I made a video of my alternator tear-down. Not gonna be a cinematographer any time soon, but here it is.

[billvon]

If I pursue the project further, I'll add an On/Off switch, variable resistor (for the field coil) and a V/A meter to the handlebar. A nicer looking platform with a battery mount would be good too.

Recommendation - keep field as low current as possible (more efficient) and use the bike's gearing to get appropriate voltage out.

[markz]

You should hook the alternator up to a bicycle wheel on an ebike and see what your returns are, if you have an inverter then all you'd need is 120Vac and 4A output, so 500W inverter, and a digital multi meter to see what the net loss is.

[RebelRider.Mike]

Thanks for the suggestions!

I've made no progress on the "power bike" since my last post. My old car's carburetor bit the dust and I'm elbow deep in rebuilding it at the moment. But I did finally finish edditing the second video I made reassembling the alternator.


I hope to make at least one more to show the final (or working) product.