Weldernator project

fiver

Well-Known Member
I think the battery's wouldn't heat up any faster than the alternator and the trashed as in a frozen battery that broke a plate would take the 'charge rate' a lot better, and then just dump it right back out again without fear of overcharging it.
 

Ian

Notorious member
2-7/8" X 5/16" thick. On ac 220 it takes about 120 amps to burn deep with 6010 or 6011 1/8" rods, have to turn it down to 100 to do a hot pass without burning holes through the base bead.
 

popper

Well-Known Member
Short the rings on an old alt. rotor. Use taps to select the number of windings of the alt., then move the rotor in or out of the case to change inductance. Kinda like a mag amp.
 

Ian

Notorious member
I've been around the Premiers many times on trail rides, they almost even do what they advertise. They squeal a little and need a bit more than "off idle" to burn a 1/8" 6011, but they weld nice and serve as a normal alternator due to the dual-purpose voltage regulator.

My only problem with Premier is spending $1500 on something I can make for less than $50.
 
F

freebullet

Guest
The rw2 would do it. Would be more frustrating than a stick on unprepped steel though. If I was gunna try, 40wire @ 24v or 35wire@36v. Only way to control amperage at a given voltage is to change wire size when using batteries.

Maybe mount your genny & stick machine to a wagon.

Still holding da beer...
 

Ian

Notorious member
Well that didn't go well. I forgot to do the basic electrical checks on this alternator before putting it back together so I checked it before mounting it up and found the field is open. Pulled it apart and checked at the slip rings directly, yep, open circuit. Not having any spare 22SI rotors here at home puts this on ice until Monday.

I did go ahead and bore out the hub on a 6-groove pulley salvaged from a junk car alternator so it would fit the big 7/8" shaft on the weldernator.

20190209_145204.jpg
 

Pistolero

Well-Known Member
OOPS, sometimes an alternator from the junk pile is there for a real reason. Now find one with
a bad stator and a good rotor.

Bill
 

Ian

Notorious member
I assumed it was in the core bin because of a dead regulator or rectifier (the usual suspects with these if the bearings aren't fried), but not so.
 

Pistolero

Well-Known Member
Did a pulley mod to fit a Civic alternator for my aircraft. Made the existing multiVee
pulley into a hub for a single V type. That was on a friend's lathe, many moons ago,
but the pic reminded me of that job, just the inverse operation.

Bill
 

Bret4207

At the casting bench in the sky. RIP Bret.
I have a Cockshutt 30 tractor that i wanted desperately to convert to 12v and with an alternator if possible for reliabilty's sake. BUt it uses a 5/8" vee belt, not a 1/2". I was all set to start machining something out on the little 6" Atlas lathe when it occurred to me to see if there were any pulleys available that might fit. Duh! I found they make Delco 10si pulleys in all sorts of sizes and configurations. I think the pulley kit, it came with spacers and a fan, ran about $15.00. Works great except I have to add a diode to the line to keep it from back draining. Everyone will tell you that a properly wired 1 wire 10si can't back drain, but mine does. Must be I got the wrong flavor of magic smoke in the alt!
 

KeithB

Resident Half Fast Machinist
I have been following this thread with great interest. Not having anywhere near the knowledge of automotive/industrial electronics that you guys have, I know that the time I would spend making/converting.re-engineering things would make it more cost effective for me to buy a small inverter welder that could run flux core wire and a way to generate the requisite input power, i.e a 110V AC generator of some sort. But that would take all the fun out of it...
 

Ian

Notorious member
Bret, Harter is correct, leaking diode in the electronicals is why you had to add another. The power is going back through the diode trio that piggybacks on the output rectifier, feeding into the regulator circuit and finally theough the field circuit to ground. It would be a dead short except for the load of the field windings.
 

Pistolero

Well-Known Member
Yep, bad diode. Should pick up charging a bit more efficiently, too when you get it fixed, fully
rectify that phase.

If it was a generator, you would have a stuck reverse current relay in the voltage regulator......ancient
useless knowledge, unless you are working on ancient vehicles.

And Brett, I never heard of that brand of tractor.

Bill
 

Bret4207

At the casting bench in the sky. RIP Bret.
Makes sense guys. A diode is a one way valve, so to speak, correct? Like having a foot valve in a well that lets the priming water back down into the well. Makes more sense now.

Bill, Cockshutt was a big Canadian ag company. They ended up under Oliver/White in the 60's and that became AGCO. This is a '48 IIRC, with a 4 cyl 30hp Buda gas engine. First factory tractor with live PTO. Had live hydraulics too. Pretty innovative for the era. Very art-deco appearance and a very nice red/cream color combo.
 

Ian

Notorious member
That must be where a certain utoober got his inspiration for the facetious machinery brand "Cockford-Ollie". Say that real fast to yourself a few times.
 

Pistolero

Well-Known Member
Being close as heck to Canada, I guess Canadian tractors would be more common up there.

And, yes, a diode is exactly like a one way valve.

I like old art deco stuff, sounds like a cool tractor, in addition to being a useful tool.

Bill