RogerN wrote:
I've been thinking about mounting an automotive alternator on a small
gasoline engine to make a portable battery charger with respectable output.
The purpose would be to charge auto batteries when there are no outlets
around. Of course you could do the same thing with a generator and battery
charger but I think you can get perhaps 70 amps or more from an alternator.
It would have been nice this winter when we had the ice & snow storm and the
battery was weak on the seldom driven 4WD diesel truck. Also could be
useful for camping and boating, could recharge the trolling motor battery on
the lake, etc...

RogerN


I was pretty serious about doing one of those a few years ago for
a power unit that would be used to run power tools in remote
locations. The volunteer group we work with had been building
some bridges etc. on trails in remote locations, but I never
got a roundtuit. :-) I wanted it to be realy light weight to
make it practical to carry and only needed enough power to run
a few power tools. I had a device once on a car, Subaru, that
made the alternator put out 110 V which I actually used to run
a power saw so I know it is practical.
Good luck and let us know if and when you get it going.
...lew...