Need help making a generator

[Anyas47]

So i had a crazy idea about converting my old pressure washer to a generator for power. (the pump is broken on the pressure washer, so it's not worth anything)

Any initial thoughts on if this is a bad/good idea. or if it's ever been done before.

Thanks!

 

[MBeaty]

I am not entirely sure if it would really be a cost effective solution, but here is a site that talks about building your own generator. They specifically mention converting a pressure washer engine to use as a generator.

Home Made Generator

Hopefully it can help you some.

 

[weegaz22]

It can be done, just suppose it depends on what you want to power and how "ghetto" or "professional" you want to make it, i've seen it done with a petrol lawn mower engine, 2 sprockets a chain, an alternator and a dc to ac inverter, all mounted to a board of MDF...Not pretty but it worked.

Is it a honda motor? may be easier to fit actual genset parts designed for the engine if there are any...would really need more details

 

[Anyas47]

thanks for the tips it's a honda motor 5 hp. i'm gonna take pics and start work tonight.

 

[Anyas47]

I don't think it'll be cost effective a generator head is like 140 bucks :/ plus the 100 dollar alternator so that's expensive as hell

 

[rsanter]

H has the generator portion for sale, you need to connect it to a engine

you can also find a generator used than had a bad engine and do a swap

bob

 

[930dreamer]

You could buy my MEP 018A 4 cylinder military generator.

 

[ibedayank]

I don't think it'll be cost effective a generator head is like 140 bucks :/ plus the 100 dollar alternator so that's expensive as hell

You can run one or the other but not both generator heads bolt to the motor. The alternator to a bracket and uses a belt not a directdrive coupler

 

[diesel research]

You can run one or the other but not both

 

[diesel research]

I personally recommend you take an old alternator and build a welder out of it.

Alternators just happen to be a convenient source of 3 phase AC power, hence the name alternat-or, as in alternating current. Through the use of a few diodes, and a voltage regulator, you can convert it to usable DC power. Stock alternators already have diodes for DC conversion, but they aren't rated to the volts you will produce when full fielding (or nearly) an alternator. There are various tricks to providing the field source power.

 

[ibedayank]

DR I think he was refering to the generator heads that are directdrive using a coupler . tHE 10K belt drive heads are a lot more than $140 more like $350 and take a 20 horsepower motor to spin to get full output. The 12 volt gensets @ epic are geared more to charging battery bank for solar panels than anything else.

 

[diesel research]

DR I think he was refering to the generator heads that are directdrive using a coupler . tHE 10K belt drive heads are a lot more than $140 more like $350 and take a 20 horsepower motor to spin to get full output. The 12 volt gensets @ epic are geared more to charging battery bank for solar panels than anything else.

Well the pics don't show up, but the one he is talking about IS direct drive AND a belt drive alternator off to the side.

http://theepicenter.com/tow123199.html

HP demand is based off wattage. 746watts=1hp roughly minus a small factor.

 

[srmofo]

Well the pics don't show up,

If you ever want to steal pics from another site, just right click, "copy image location", then add it to your post as an attachment.

*image location may be in a different spot if you are not using firefox. Everyone likes to hide them somewhere different* what you need is the url for the picture, iirc on IE you click properties and the url will be in there

like this

My vote is for a homemeade welder. Ive been looking at building one myself I just havent gotten around to it. IIRC you want a ford alt because the regulator is external. I cant remember much more of the details though

 

[ibedayank]

Ahh they posted a new one... havn't seen that one before
DR have you seen the gas powered tigwelder that was built from a delco alternator yet?

 

[ibedayank]

http://diy-welder.com/index.shtml

 

[Anyas47]

I'm gonna go for the home made welder, that's a great idea and my old one died a few months ago so it's worth it. Right now i'm stripping down the engine to restore it (and because i like to fiddle.) and i came across an annoying little hiccup. I don't know what it is but it's a nut type thing on the pump of the pressure washer but it looks like this

a is an indented area and b is a threaded area. I locked up the cylinder with some weedwacker thread but i can't get it to turn.

 

[Anyas47]

thanks for all the great responses lots of food for thought this site is quite awesome

 

[kbs2244]

Check you problem nut for left hand thread.
You will find it a lot in any kind of pump.

 

[Anyas47]

Check you problem nut for left hand thread.
You will find it a lot in any kind of pump.

That seems to be the case but i can't get it to budge. I can't get any torque on it as it's down inside the pump case.

 

[diesel research]

My vote is for a homemeade welder. Ive been looking at building one myself I just havent gotten around to it. IIRC you want a ford alt because the regulator is external. I cant remember much more of the details though

Really doesn't matter too much. Even if you have an internal regulated alt, you are only a couple of case screws away from removing it.

Gotta tear it apart anyways, to remove the diodes.

Many late models are "externally" regulated by the pcm and have 2-3x the amps of the old ones.

Something like a nippondenso 160amp alt from a durango will really get you cooking.

Most alts will put out more than rated, but limited by case temperatures affecting the diodes. By removing the diodes and mounting them (new high voltage rated) remote to a big fat heat sink, amp capacity goes up as well.

The trickiest part is figuring out what you want to use as a rheostat/voltage controller on the field winding side. Obviously you don't want a full 12 volts "full fielded" for any extended length of time. Some have used dimmer switches or a variety of pedal controls.