Alternators

Keith1138

Keith1138

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 18, 2015
Location
Harrisburg NC
At what rpm do you think an alternator would have to turn to create enough power to turn on a light bulb or register on a voltmeter?
Only thing I can find online is rpm required for a battery to maintain a charge.

This is for a science project smaller electric generators have become difficult to either secure or connect turbine to due to the machined shafts on them.
 
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it likely depends on the alternator. Most 1 wire require ~1500 engine rpm to get 12v output to excite the alt to charge. The 3 wire gets that signal straight from the battery or ign. You would then need to convert the engine RPM to alt rpm through the pulley ratios.
 
Well I picked up an el cheapo alternator off of Amazon. It ended up being an ACDelco for a 70s f250 for 35 bucks. Spinning it slowly about 2 revolutions per second it generates around 20 mili volts according to my multimeter.
 
Do you know if it’s internally or externally regulated ?
 
Ron said:
Do you know if it’s internally or externally regulated ?
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I do not know. It is a three wire alternator. So it might be internally regulated. I wonder if there is a way to bypass it.
 
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snipes243 said:
@Desertfox1023 should be able to answer this. He built hydro electric generator for his senior project. If he can remember that far back.:laughing:
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@Keith1138 ... text me if you really want to know way to much about Pico power generation... which the technical term for what you are asking 🤦‍♂️

Edit: the face palm is at me not you because as Clay said I've spent way to much time on such things and still keep up with it regularly
 
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I added a 10SI to my diesel Japanese tractor and it charges great at even idle but I do not know what the actual RPM at the alternator is.

 
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