| [ Total Views: 972 | Total Replies: 18 | Thread Id: 99963 ] |
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 ClockworkMonkey
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| posted on December 4th, 2012 at 07:59 AM |
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Generator Vs Alternator
What do you guys think? are there any advantages of having one or the other? if i'm planning on installing a medium sized stero would i be better off
getting an alternator?
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68AutoBug
A.k.a.: Lee Noonan
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| posted on December 4th, 2012 at 11:13 AM |
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Hi
From memory, the generator puts out about 360 watts at around 1450rpm >
where the alternator puts out around 600+ watts from low revs
so is the better choice..
Depends on the wattage of the stereo system and how loud You have it..
If Your interior light dulls with the Bass thumps , then You will need an alternator..
If You just listen to CDs etc like an oldie.. lol
a generator will do..
If You do a lot of stop start driving in heavy traffic, You will need an alternator to keep up..
If You are just using a CD player without any amplifiers the generator should be OK..
but once You start amplifying with big speakers...
that is a big draw on the battery..
cheers I hope that helps..
LEE
- [size=4]Helping keep Air Cooled VWs on the road - location: SCONE in the Upper Hunter Valley - Northern NSW 320 kms NNW of SYDNEY--- [/size]
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hellbugged
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| posted on December 4th, 2012 at 01:07 PM |
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Get an alternator
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Sides
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| posted on December 4th, 2012 at 01:20 PM |
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Yeah - really anything more than the stock electrical load you'll want an alternator, as a generator just won't keep your battery topped up.
VW changed for a reason... after all have you ever seen a modern car fitted with a generator ???
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vlad01
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| posted on December 4th, 2012 at 01:49 PM |
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alternators ftw!
heaps better and they make a nice sound when loaded up.
71 notchback,
Past owner of, 70 NB, 73 SB and 72 FB TLE |
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sikras
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| posted on December 4th, 2012 at 04:35 PM |
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Is it easy to change it ? are there any kits ? and if my bug is 6v can i , or do i have to convert it to 12v ?
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68AutoBug
A.k.a.: Lee Noonan
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| posted on December 4th, 2012 at 06:19 PM |
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You will have to change Your car over to 12 volts first..
that is everything... Bulbs, blinker unit, Coil,
You can buy resistors for the wiper motor..
otherwise they will ALL blow instantly when connected/turned on..
You will need an Alternator kit.. with backing plate etc, alternator stand, offset fuel pump [for an alternator]
automatic choke on carby needs to be replaced with a 12 volt one. [if You have a fuel cutout solenoid on Your carby it would need to replaced with a12v one also but Your carby may not have one..]
You really need to look at all the differences on an Early beetle
as there are a lot of things to do in one go..
There is also the starter motor solenoid which should be replaced with an early 6V holden one..
Start buying all the little things first... lol
An alternator usually has an inbuilt regulator these days so the old 6v regulator can be removed altogether..
should be plenty of Beetle owners on here who have changed over to 12 volt...
plus a 12 volt battery...
cheers
LEE
Distributor is OK and doesn't need to be changed
- [size=4]Helping keep Air Cooled VWs on the road - location: SCONE in the Upper Hunter Valley - Northern NSW 320 kms NNW of SYDNEY--- [/size]
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sikras
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| posted on December 4th, 2012 at 09:25 PM |
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Feels like i've taken over this thread ... oops!!!
However thanz for that Lee
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ClockworkMonkey
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| posted on December 4th, 2012 at 10:39 PM |
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^^^ don't worry i was going to ask about if it was easy to change. i'm
assuming changing it over on a 12volt is much less of a hassle. do i need a new stand as well or just the alernator?
i also notice when i'm at the lights and the car is idleing (especially after a long drive), the oil light blinks and so does the generator light in
time with the revs... as soon as the car is moving everything goes back to normal. is that an indication that my genny might be on the way out?
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psimitar
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| posted on December 4th, 2012 at 11:12 PM |
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new stand as alternator is larger diameter plus dependiing on current carb is may need a spacer and the fuel pump too.
Depending on the year and make of wiper motor I'd just bung the Wolfsburg 12v armature in there or get a 12v assembly. The resistors get really hot
and can fail quite quickly.
Alternator is 55amps or 75amp for hi output version. Generator is 30amps.
Take a dark, wet nite and lights use around 12-15amps, Indicators 2A and wipers around 10amps so there ain't much headroom left on a generator to run
a medium sized amplifier.
Also when rating an amp it's best to use the RMS wattage as this is what the amp runs at at moderate sound levels. The Peak wattage only occurs when
you turn it way up and for a subwoofer of large wattage even a good 110amp alternator will not cope so a stiffening capacitor is required to save the
battery being killed and alt fried.
madness is in the eye of the beholder  |
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68AutoBug
A.k.a.: Lee Noonan
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| posted on December 5th, 2012 at 12:06 AM |
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| Quote: | Originally
posted by ClockworkMonkey
^^^ don't worry i was going to ask about if it was easy to change. i'm
assuming changing it over on a 12volt is much less of a hassle. do i need a new stand as well or just the alernator?
i also notice when i'm at the lights and the car is idleing (especially after a long drive), the oil light blinks and so does the generator light in
time with the revs... as soon as the car is moving everything goes back to normal. is that an indication that my genny might be on the way out?
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6v beetles do have the oil lamp and the generator lamp come on when You are stationary..
The generator lamp comes on as the generator doesn't charge at low revs... the Generator needs high revs to charge , wheras the alternator starts
charging as soon as the alt light goes off.... [also alternator lamp doesn't glow means the alternator isn't charging..[ it need to be connected tothe dash lamp]
LEE
- [size=4]Helping keep Air Cooled VWs on the road - location: SCONE in the Upper Hunter Valley - Northern NSW 320 kms NNW of SYDNEY--- [/size]
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Joel
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| posted on December 5th, 2012 at 06:10 AM |
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They don't do that normally, it's just a sign of an engine with a lot of miles on the clock and a generator and/or regulator that are getting a bit
tired.
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vwo60
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| posted on December 5th, 2012 at 06:20 AM |
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If you by a cheap alternator replace the plastic bearing's before you install it in the car, put in a set of SKF's or something similar, chineese
cheap bearing's do not last
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Matt Ryan
A.k.a.: Matt Ryan
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| posted on December 5th, 2012 at 09:06 AM |
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| Quote: | Originally
posted by Joel
They don't do that normally, it's just a sign of an engine with a lot of miles on the clock and a generator and/or regulator that are getting a bit
tired.
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Old school mechanics use gen light to set idle rpm without a tachometer. Turn screw until light just starts to flicker then, back until it goes out
then, hey presto you're somewhere between 700 and 800 rpm. Was used commonly on just about all makes of cars.
Regards,
Matt.
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ClockworkMonkey
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| posted on December 5th, 2012 at 08:53 PM |
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^ that's a pretty cool piece of information Matt!
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68AutoBug
A.k.a.: Lee Noonan
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| posted on December 6th, 2012 at 04:27 PM |
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| Quote: | Originally
posted by ClockworkMonkey
What do you guys think? are there any advantages of having one or the other? if i'm planning on installing a medium sized steero would i be better
off getting an alternator?
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YES..
the generator won't be able to keep up with the drain on the battery...
the 55 amp one should do...
best to get a Bosch alternator if possible...
I have heard bad things about the chinese ones...
LEE
- [size=4]Helping keep Air Cooled VWs on the road - location: SCONE in the Upper Hunter Valley - Northern NSW 320 kms NNW of SYDNEY--- [/size]
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68AutoBug
A.k.a.: Lee Noonan
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| posted on December 6th, 2012 at 04:33 PM |
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| Quote: | Originally
posted by ClockworkMonkey
^^^ don't worry i was going to ask about if it was easy to change. i'm
assuming changing it over on a 12volt is much less of a hassle. do i need a new stand as well or just the alernator?
i also notice when i'm at the lights and the car is idleing (especially after a long drive), the oil light blinks and so does the generator light in
time with the revs... as soon as the car is moving everything goes back to normal. is that an indication that my genny might be on the way out?
|
Yes, changing over from a 12v generator to an Alternator is a much easier job..
The generator stand needs to be replaced with an alternator stand.. [they can probably be cut down to fit?]
the fuel pump may have to be replaced as they can be too far over, hitting the alternator..
You can buy alternator [offset] fuel pumps
the old regulator isn't used at all as the alternator has a built in regulator.. [unless its an early one]
internal regulator types are better... the external regulators can fail a lot.. [they are similar in size to a box of matches..lol]
LEE
- [size=4]Helping keep Air Cooled VWs on the road - location: SCONE in the Upper Hunter Valley - Northern NSW 320 kms NNW of SYDNEY--- [/size]
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ClockworkMonkey
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| posted on December 6th, 2012 at 10:18 PM |
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Thanks Lee! i'm going to bite the bullet and get one (alternator). whats a few hundred dollars more when i'm already waaayyyy over budget hey?
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bajachris88
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| posted on December 6th, 2012 at 10:31 PM |
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As mentioned, there are crappy units out there.
One alternator I bought didn't even come with a bloody keyway in the shaft for the alternator pulley. And the bloody supplier said is was the 'new'
design and was meant to come that way! PHH! Without it the pulley just spun on the shaft.
You can purchase a 12 volt alternator kit, usually comes iwth teh stand, pulley and belt.
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