PWM a truck alternator

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Maybe on your failing American vehicles but not the German vehicles. Even on your American cars I still doubt that there will be any changes in voltage. Nowadays people use 2-pass voltage regulators, testing under extreme and normal heat. There shouldn't be any change, alternator chassis is connected directly to the engine chassis, same temperature.

Not so. I have often heard alternator buzz on ham radio gear. It was very obvious because the audio pattern changed when the headlights were turned on.

The original regulators were free-wheeling, switching on hysteresis... and could easily be heard in your AM radio when off-station. ...Jim Thompson

The "Citroen Ganser" dealership in Aachen, Germany, built a version with a Citroen GS engine in there. Wider tires and the roof was glued to underlying metal so it won't fly off. It regularly left stunned BMW drivers in its dust.

You know why they were called 2CV, don't you? Deux Chevaux -- Two Horsepower.

Hey, mine had 16 horses. But two cylinders, around 430cc grand total.

Where on earth did you find something solid enough to attach them to?

-- "Electricity is of two kinds, positive and negative. The difference is, I presume, that one comes a little more expensive, but is more durable; the other is a cheaper thing, but the moths get into it." (Stephen Leacock)

Not much more so than a Dauphine, IMO.

-- "Electricity is of two kinds, positive and negative. The difference is, I presume, that one comes a little more expensive, but is more durable; the other is a cheaper thing, but the moths get into it." (Stephen Leacock)

For my '61 Dauphine I used HUGE fender washers above and below the floor panels. (Lap belts only... before shoulder belts were available for passenger vehicles.) ...Jim Thompson

-- | James E.Thompson, CTO | mens | | Analog Innovations, Inc. | et | | Analog/Mixed-Signal ASIC's and Discrete Systems | manus | | Phoenix, Arizona 85048 Skype: Contacts Only | | | Voice:(480)460-2350 Fax: Available upon request | Brass Rat | | E-mail Icon at

Probably so. Though, in the eight years I owned it, not a single accident... except for a Boston yo-yo that overshot a traffic light and backed up into me, scratching the bumper bars. ...Jim Thompson

-- | James E.Thompson, CTO | mens | | Analog Innovations, Inc. | et | | Analog/Mixed-Signal ASIC's and Discrete Systems | manus | | Phoenix, Arizona 85048 Skype: Contacts Only | | | Voice:(480)460-2350 Fax: Available upon request | Brass Rat | | E-mail Icon at

Actually the old 2CV had a rather good classical frame and they were prepared for belts. Probably because some countries into which it was exported demanded that.

I had an Audi Fox crash into the rear left fender. He needed a new headlight, turn signal and all sorts of other things. Me:

Took off fender because car would otherwise not move. Required small screwdriver and starter crank, done right there in the intersection, two minutes. Threw it onto back seat, drove home. Opened a beer, donned headphones, played Led Zeppelin, pounded the inside of the fender with a round mallet. Painted the outside, let it dry. Opened another beer. Mounted it back on the car. Good as new.

Heh, I used to smirk when I saw them until a whiles back I came across a group of them in the outback. I was impressed with the solid frame and the ability to dismantle and replace just about everything with a couple of tools. magic little vehicle !!

In the outback is where they really excel. Several guys tried to get ham radio gear to a fielday site. Pouring rain, all muddy, got stuck. Here was me with my old Citroen 2CV. Sawed off a beefy stick of wood, a few guys lifted the Citroen's front, I slid it under the wheel mounts that were fully extended. Almost if they were made for that. Loaded the stuff into the back and the Citroen plowed through, the back sliding along on the mud like a fishtail. The car is totally flat and clean underneath, else I'd have gotten stuck like all the others.

They came in a 4WD version; it had complete 2nd engine/transmission for the rear wheels.

I seem to recall that car alternators were geared [well, pullyed] to spin far faster than generators. Does that agree with your knowledge?

About a 2:1 ratio, if you look under the hood, to get enough charge at little above idle. When the engine is doing 6000, the alternator will be doing 12k, but they are designed for that...

Regards,

Chris

?? My question was: how fast were old generators spun, in contrast to alternators?

Sorry, brainfade. Around 1.4:1 speedup at a guess. Dynamo pulleys were quite a bit smaller than the crank pulley...

Regards,

Chris