With Capabilities for: ng Arc
,
. Cutting
Using Low Low Cost Used Car Parts and Natural Energy Drive Systems
by:
PUBLISHING COMPANY of (A Pty. Ltd.) G.P.O. Box 1889, Sydney, 2001. Australla.
Copyright 1983. Trendline International Revised and updated Edition
1985
ISBN
Ltd 86437 000 8.
Reproduction prohibited by any method without prior permission in writing from the publishers. This manual is compiled from a special project headed by Allowyn and commissioned. by Trendline International The informa tion containe d herein i s believed believed to beaccurate, beaccurate, but i s information only and no liability is accepted by either the publishers or research analysts.
WARNING The information in this manual will enable you to produce high voltage from car alternators and car batteries. VOLTAGES CAN CAUSE INSTA NT DEATH. DEATH. Always insulate when over 60 volts, clearly label DANGER VOLTAGE''.
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CONTENTS Introduction Basic
--
and
and
Details
How to Connect Alte in Parallel How to Connect for Fa.? Charging of Batteries How to Connect for Welding How to Connect for Operating Drills, Lights, Power Tools etc.
Drive Line Options Lawn Mower or Motor Cycle Engine Rear Wheel of Car V-Belt Drive off Car Motor Twin Alternator Drive off Car Motor
--Drive Speed, Voltage and Power Strength -How to Calculate Alternator Speed How to Calculate Pulley Sizes for Specific Alternator Speed How to Calculate Power Strength; Amperage, Volts and Watts.
Battery Calculations and Hook-Up Sequence
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How to Connect in Series for High Voltages How to Connect in Parallel for High Amp Capacity How to Connect in Combined for Increased Amp Capacity and Higher Voltages
Battery Facts
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Factors which Determine Battery Power Battery Charging Causes of Battery Failure Chemical Formulas to Extend Battery Life How and Where to Get Good Used Batteries
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Fridges, Radios, Colour Television etc Heavy Duty Fencing Tool Workshop Drill Compact Battery Operated Using an Old Car Generator as an Electric Motor Using an Old Car Starter Motor for High Power, High Torque Applications
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Direct Flow Water Power Regulated Direct Flow Water Power Water Powered Gravity Unit Water Powered Remote Location Gravity Unit Wind Powered Conventional Propeller Type Windmill Wind Chute Power Turbine
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Arc Welding Fusion Welding Spot Welding Brazing Heating Soldering Cutting Where to Buy Carbon Arc Rods
Rotary lnverters Solid State Inverters Tips on Buying Inverters
Low Voltage Appliances and Tools
Home Power Plant Options and Alternative Energy Drive Systems
Capabilities
INTRODUCTION
The ordinary car alternator can be easily modified and used as a convenient mobile power unit. It can be either mounted on a compact platform and driven by a small petrol moto r, windmill, water power, etc., or driven by your car motor at the rear wheel, etc. This power has been designed with en ormous versatility ranging fro m simple applications such as lighting and heating through to brazing and welding. The overall aim has been t o constru ct an alternative power source from low cost componen ts and used car parts. : used car batte ries instead o f the very expensive, but bette r suited heavy The emphasis is o n used car parts, power plant batteries. The reason for the emphasis on used car par ts is mainly their low cost and ease of availability anywhere in Australia. As an example of costs, second-hand alternat ors are readily available around Syd aey for $15-$20 each in good working order (ofte n advertised in the weekly Trading Post). Presumably they are easily available at similar prices in o ther Sta tes a round Australia. As an example of the of this un it, you can arc weld using welding rods up t o 12 gauge (2.5 mm), solder, braze, braze weld, fusion weld, spot weld, cut steel, and heat steel t o near melting po int for shaping and bending. Note. This is all done by electricity, directly from your power unit. The unit is supplying power direct it not even necessary to buy a welder. For most people, reading these types of our advertisements is unbelievable and for some it is totally unacceptable. T he tho ught o f creating intense capable of fusion (oxy type) welding and heating steel to near melting point is hard enough to even using the best of electric welding equipment.. but to d o all these things and more without a welder and using an old car alterna tor appears to be beyond the realms of possibility. In the following pages you will see the facts and that our claims are not an overstatement bu t rather a deliberate understatement of fact. BASIC
and OPERATING DETAILS.
The modifications to t he alternato r are quite simple and straightforward. It does not require any complicated rebuilding all modifications are t o externa l wiring connections only. Basically the concept is very simple: by -pass the regulator and a constan t 1 2 volts directly into the field (rotor) of th e alternator. This energises a strong magnetic field in th e alternator, and the faster it is driven the higher t he voltage up to 2 50 volts. Normally the regulator controls the rotor current t o keep t he alternator outpu t a t its constant 12 volts ( 13.8 volts maximum). T he regulator controls the input t o the rot or within th e range of zero t o 12 volts which reduces the magnetic field th ereby controlling the actual voltage and amperage ou tput from t he alternator. By eliminating the regulator completely and connecting the ba tter y direct t o the field windings, then th e output is directly related t o th e speed of the alte rnator instead of being controlled by t he incoming current. To set u p your portable power unit, you will need an alte rnator which has a separate regulator (not an regulator). The separate regulator set -up was standard e quipment o n most models prior to 1980, so it will not present any problem in buying this particular type. You will also need a 12 volt car or motorbike b attery to supply curren t to the rotor, and an old lawnmower motor or preferably a motorbike m oto r t o drive the alterna tor. That is basically all that is required as far as major compo nents and modifications go. Alternators are capable of spinning at very high speeds because of their solid integral type of construc tion, whereas the old generators tend t o explode o r fly t o pieces at high speed. This is mainly because in generators t he individual brass segments of th e commut ator had to b e electrically insulated from each othe r and therefore could not be fabricated from a single block of metal. At high speed the centrifugal force caused them to fly ou t. This problem does no t exist with alternators, and they are quite safe at very high RPM;in fact double engine speed is normal, and th ey are quite safe up t o 14000 15000 RPM. When your power plant is in operation th e power drain on this ba ttery is only abou t 3 4 amps, at the most, so, you can run th e unit for quite a long time befo re you need to recharge the battery . F or example, using a fully charged 100 battery a t a drain of 4 amps you could run th e unit for close on 2 5 hours before recharging. In actual fact, your power unit ha s a fast charge capability, so you can virtually recharge a truckload of car batter ies in that 2 5 hours if you wanted to, so this small power consumption is never a problem. Some people prefer to use existing alternator set-up on the car. This is quit e OK, because there are no actual modifications to the alternator. T he only modification required is in the wiring connections, that is, in by -passing the regulator etc. When you have finished using the power unit (alternator), simply switch it back th roug h to normal operation and let the ba ttery recharge itself in th e normal manner a s you drive along..
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However, the main disadvantage with this set -up is that you have to rev the engine up fairly high t o reach th e voltages, unless of course you fit different sized pulleys to gear up th e alternator speed, but then this is not suitable for normal driving. If you prefer that the power unit be in your car, we suggest you bu y another alternator and gear it up, then you can spin the alternator at high speed without revving your engine too fast. Also your existing electrical system remains intact, and therefore keeping your battery charged up. (The extra alternator is on a bracket inside the engine bay, and driven off an additional fan belt and pulley see details later.)
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ALTERNATORS
- OUTPUT, WIRING and
The most commonly available car alternators are Bosch and Lucas. Their rated output ranges from 3 0 amps t o 6 0 amps for th e average car. Most of th e larger cars in recent years are fitted with 55 amp alternators t o supply an adequate current for the ever -increasing array of accessories such as multiple lighting, power operated windows, airconditioning, etc. Th e 55 amp alternators are the best, at least as far as car alternators go. If you are able to pick up a truck or tractor alternator of around 100 amps or more, so much the better. In our research we found that 35 amp Bosch and Lucas were most plentiful, mostly off and Falcons, so in this manual we will base our explanations on these lower output alternators. Th e capabilities of a 35 amp alternator As an example of the capabilities of the 35 amp alternators, we connected two in parallel (which doubles th e amps but voltage remains single), and at 50 6 0 volts and 8 0 amps it easily ran a nice ho t weld using 2.5 mm rods and easily cut through thin steel plate with a 7 mm carbon arc electrode. In fact th e molten steel was dripping on t o the work shop floor, which gives some ideal of th e intense heat and power generating capabilities. Alternators usually go t o 5 or 10 amps above their rated output, then the amps level of f and the voltage continues t o rise as th e speed increases. A 55 amp alternator turn out about 6 0 amps some go t o 6 5, so if you connect these in parallel your amperage is around 120 which will easily run a good weld th e 3.25 electrodes. Th e tw o main types of alternators, Lucas and an d the wiring sequence are below.
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General Notes You will only be using two connections o n th e Al l others are not 1. It is advisable t o use the standard automotive connection in th e voltage input lead. (Use only one wire - blank 2. th e other off.) These connector plugs are a snug fit and well insulated. D o no t use big clips as they have a tendency t o vibrate loose and either short the other connector lug or against which can result in internal damage to the alternator. 3. The voltage input lead only requires light wiring because it only 3 amps, or 4 at the most. The earth lead has t o be of heavy gauge insulated wire - ordinary car jumper leads are OK. Th e lead is no t 4. necessary if you are using th e alternator in your car, providing of course you are also using th e 12 volt battery in your car for th e voltage input. (The battery is already earthed to the car, and by virtue of the fact that th e alternator is bolted on to the car, it is also earthed to it.) The output lead should be of heavy wire, particularly if you are using two alternators connected in parallel. 5. Most car jumpe r leads are heavy enough t o carry 100 amps, so yo u can use this as a guideline. output leads must be well insulated, particularly if you intend producing voltages. 6. Alternators will stand a fair amount of heat and high however avoid excessive heat build up as it can 7. drastically reduce the life expectancy of th e alternator. Th e diodes usually pop first. These cost $2 - $3 each fo r the Lucas, and the Bosch has an integrated rectifier assembly consisting of 9 diodes which come as a complete
How to Connect Alternators in Parallel Connecting alternators in parallel doubles th e amperage ou tpu t, b ut the voltage ou tpu t remains t he same as if it were only one alterna tor. There a re significant advantages in using this system especially where amps are required for welding etc. Also you can run your alter nato rs at lower speed t o maintain a low voltage, high amperage out put for the charging of battery banks etc. The wiring sequence is exactly the same as fo r single alternator, except that the o utp ut terminals are connected together. The alternators are earthed together and the n bo th earthe d t o the same source, both t o the earth terminal of the batte ry.
EARTH TO ALTERNATOR FRAMES
OU TP UT
TER MIN ALS
CONNECTIONS TO APPLIANCE WINDINGS
\
/ BLANK OFF INDICATOR
TERMINALS
FIELD
WINDING ENERGIZER TERMINAL
How to Connect for Battery Charging Simply connect t he outp ut wire t o the positive terminal of th e battery or ba ttery bank. The earth wire is connected to the negative terminal of the battery or battery bank. Warning: Do not have 12 volt appliances connected when fast charging batteries. T he higher voltage can da mage th e appliances. ( See section on Battery Charging.)
Charging in
Series
TO O U T P U T T E R M I N A L O N A L T E R N AT O R EARTH TO ALTERNATOR OUTER
Charging in
CASING
Parallel
E A R T H TO A L T E R N A T O R OUTER
CASING
TO O U T P U T ON ALTERNATOR
Parallel
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- Voltage remains the same bu t am p increases,
4
100
400
at 1 2 volts.
C O N N E C T TO APPLIANCE
Connect positive to positive, negative to negative (like t he jump er leads o n a car).
Combined In "
Parallel
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- Voltage and/or am p capacity can be varied.
In the above, two batteries are connect ed in series, and two in parallel. This gives: In parallel conne ctio n
12 volts at 40 0
The n when it is conn ecte d in series
24 volts at 20 0
The capacity of car batteries is rated o n a 20 ho ur discharge rate. If it has a heavy load on it, th en th e chemical reaction is not fast to supply the full rated capacity. For example, capacity will run a 5 am p appliance for 20 hours ( 5 x 2 0 1 0 0 ), b u t that same battery will not po wer an appliance drawing 100 amps for one ho ur x 100 as it would appear to do so in theory. In fact, recently t he car batte ry terminology has changed, and th e manufacturers state the battery capacity in terms of cold cranking current, which means the capacity of the battery t o supply for example 240 amps for 3 minutes at below zero. A car starter mot or draws over 200 am ps for 3 minutes while turning over the m oto r, so this mea surement gives a mo re realistic idea of a battery's starting capacity. Ratteries become very sluggish in cold co ndit ions - See Battery Facts. It is advisable to build up yo ur batte ry ba nk using batteiie s of a similar amperage. When connected in parallel the cu rrent surge can damage low capa city batteries.
High voltages combined with high amp s are extr emel y dangerous. Always insulate all conn ecto rs on voltages over 36V. Your standard 2 40V house supply has only 10 amp fuses )limiting the amperag e), and this as we all know is very dangerous and capa ble of swift and lethal shocks. Twe nty 12 volt batteri es also give 24 0 volts, but the to times stronger than y our household supply. (Household supply is actual current force (ampera ge) is limited t o 15 amps car batterie s can easily provide 300 a mps for a short burst enough t o cause instant death when yo u comb ine that amperage with high voltages.)
BATTERYFACTS
lead - acid t ype batteries (car batteries) wor k on t he principle of absorbing and discharging acid throug h the plates to create electricity. Each batt ery cell is 2. 2 volts, and consists of a num ber of positive and negative plates arranged in alternating sequence and kept apart with inert separators. Th e batte ry plates are made from a lead oxide mixtur e, and are 'tied together' wit h strips of lead alloy connected t o the terminals. Th e sulphuric acid and distilled water act as an electrolyte and change the lead composition in the plates. When the bat ter y is Sully charged t he positive plate is primarily lead perox ide an d the negative plate is primarily sponge lead. The electrolyte mixture) is acid. However, when the battery discharges, both plates change t o lead as the acid is absorbed, and t he electrolyte th en becomes mostly water. In fact in a dead flat ba tte ry th ere is very little acid at all in water, and if spilt o n you r clothing it usually won't have any effect at all. (In a charged battery a ny small dro ps spilt on clothing will quickly dest roy even the best of thread fabrics). Each battery cell isvirtually a batte ry within itself. A 1 2 volt car bat tery h as 6 cells conn ect ed in series to give a total of volts actually 13. 2 volts when fully charged cells x A6 battery has only three cells. By way of explanation, if a hole was drilled through the wall of each of the six cells in a volt battery enabling the acid to circulate freely all the cells and plates, then the batte ry would b ecome a volt ba ttery , or a single cell battery. Fro m this it is easily seen that a ny 12 volt car battery can be converted t o a by adding another batte ry 'post' through a hole drilled in the to p of the battery to join up with th e connec tors transferring current in series one cell t o another. Factors which determine Battery Power Battery power or current str ength is measured in amperage. and is directly related to the acid absorption on th e surface area of the plates; the more plat es a batte ry has, the greater the amperage capacity. Battery capacity is usually expressed as 'amp hours'. In theo ry this means a 12 volt batt ery with a capacity of hours would keep a volt light bulb with a m p c u r r e n t d r a w hours, or a larger drawing 20 amps of power would keep going for hours. As mentioned above, this is in t heory onl y. Under actual operating condit ions, as a general rule of thu mb, the the amperage draw, the lower th e total capacity. Fo r example, at a amp current draw, the 100 battery would last for hours 100 amp s divided b y at a current draw of 2 0 amps. the would no t last 5 hou rs as expected. It would probably be nearer 3 o r 4 hours. The reason for this apparent inconsisten cy is tha t th e acid reaction is no t fast to 'recover itself and generate power at its most efficient level. (Battery amp hour rates are based a 2 0 hou r discharge period.) "
Batteries always operate mu ch efficiently in weather. This is because the 'pores' of the plates (similar to the pores on your skin) ope n up and allow free movement of acid, and a faster chemical reaction. Higher temperat ures accelerate all chemical reactions and molecular m ove men t. (However, in very cold climates special chemical additives can be used t o increase 'pore' size). Battery Charging As a general the slow charge is the bes t charge, but fast charging using commercial fast chargers at y our O K, and gives a good lasting charge. The re are, however, certain facts you should b e alternator power unit is aware of when fast charging, otherwise you can the life of you r batt ery, or even damage it beyo nd repair. When fast charging avoid heavy gassing and excessive hea t. Bubbl es and mild gassing are qui te normal durin g charging. This gas is explosive. Alwa ys remove t he cell caps before charging to enabl e this gas to escape - an d do ~ ~ use o ra naked flame near t he batt ery cells.) This gas is a mi xture of o xygen and hydro gen, and is only the water splitting int o its tw o basic gases - the hydrogen gas is emitt ed from the electrolytic reaction o n the negative plate within the cell, and the oxygen is created at th e positive plate. This is the reason why water has to be added periodically t o batteries it gasses off in small bubbles during charging. (Acid does not gas off , and should not b e added during the life of a battery.) Overcharging o r excessive fast charging will cause a heat buil d u p in th e bat ter y cells and also causes heavy gassing and boiling. A cell temperature up to 60°C as high as it should go. At t emperatures above this be damaged or even explode in extr eme cases. Heavy gassing and bubblin g can 'chip o f f the special paste used on the plates. and lead peroxide can be broken off the positive plate and carried to the negative plate where it is reduced t o pure lead. This causes lead crystals to grow out the edges of th e plate and eventually exten d aroun d th e separators and short the plates.
For t he convenience of those o f you w ho live in isolated or re mote locati ons, the addresses of several Sydne y are listed. Electronics 11 7 St, SYDNEY 2000 Ph. 267 16 14
Chloride Batteries Aust. Ltd, 23a Nyrang St. LIDCO MBE N.S.W. 2 14 1
Dept. of Defence, Navy, Navy Suppl y Centre ZETLA ND, N.S. W. 2 0 17
S.T.C. Moorebank Ave., LIV ERP OOL , N.S. W. 2 17 0
Dept. of Defence, RAAF, Air Fo rce Supply Officer, St , 59 SYDNEY 2000
Power Electronics 6 St, ARTARM ON, N.S.W. 20 64
Dept. of Defence, Army, Public Relatio ns, Victoria Barracks, Oxford St, PAD DIN GTON , N.S. W. 20 2
Electronic Technologies 3 Potts St, RYD E, N.S.W. 21 12
Inverters and Constavolt Electronics Pty Ltd 1 19 Robey St MAROUBRA, N.S.W. 2035
LOW VOLTAGE APPLIANCES and TOOLS
Virtually household appliances and wo rksho p too ls are available in th e low voltage, 12 - 36 volt DC power range. With the ever-increasing demand for camping and leisure equipment, manuf acturers and i mporters are beginning to cater to and cash in on this enormous market potential. As a result of this upsurge, particularly with regards t o recreational vehicles (fou r wheel drives), campervans and caravans, there is now an impressive array of 12 volt appl iances and accessories ranging from fridges, radios and colour televisions through to heavy duty drills and winches. These are all readily available thr ougho ut Australia at caravan, camping and recreational vehicle suppliers, so it is pointless listing them in any fur ther de tail here. We have, however, listed below items of a mo re specialized n atur e which are somewhat diffic ult t o obtain through ordinary retail outlets. to diameter, and to wood auger. It is two-speed plus reverse and available from : BISHOP ENGINEERING. 46 Buffalo Road, Gladesville, N.S.W. 21 I I . Write and ask for a brochure. Volt Drill: We have had difficul ty in locating 1 2 volt wor kshop drills within a reasonable price range, so a r e including details of th e Bullcraft drill manufactured in Japan. At thi s stage, it is not being imported in bulk, so we have made special arrangement s for small orders to be purcha sed direct from export agents in Japan. At t he date o f publication of this manual the drills were priced at (Yen) This is about $30.00 Australian. At this price the mini mum orde r is 6 drills. A numb er of accessories are available including sanders, drill stands, jig saws, bilge pump s etc. If you prefer to buy individually, or in the n th e price will vary. tha t is higher for individual drills, lower for bulk orders. In any event write first t o confirm price and availability. Write an ordinary le tter in English and send by airmail to: Mr Y. (A.J. ) SHOEI I NDUSTR Y CO. LT D, P.O. BOX Minami Osaka. Japa n. Mr Nakayama will write back t o you in English confirming prices and availability and other information y ou might require. He will be prices in Japanese Yen so you take the letter to your local post office and ask for an Inter national Money Order, show them the compa ny name and amoun t, then the post office will write out a Money Order and give it to you. Post this by airmail to Mr Nakayama together with a letter specifying what you want. (Note: It is not necessary t o show the post office th e letter - it just makes it easier for them to understand what you want.) Rather than bu y an International Money Order you may go to t he bank and ask for a bank draft or an Inte rnational Bank Cheque as it is sometimes called. Depending on t he ba nk, this is sometimes a dollar or t wo cheaper than t he post office. 12
I
Fencing Tool: This unit is basically a heavy -duty drill capable of driving a soil auger of 3
"
FOR AND AND
to the terminal on th e end. The negative lead is earthed to any poi nt on the casing of the starter mo tor. On starter motors the solenoid attach ed, connect th e positive lead to th e main starter motor then run a short wire to t he terminal o n t he solenoid. The negative lead is earthed to any point on the main casing
Machining Shaf r for Fitting o f V Remove the pinion and spring etc. from the starter motor. (Take care in compressing and removing t he spring it is very powerful and can be dangerous. You are advised to follow pro cedures set out in the car workshop manual.) The exposed shaft will be uneven and unsuitable for the fitting of a V -Belt pulley. Th e procedure for machining the shaft is as follows: Fill slots and build up shaft as required using your arc welding unit. Fit copper or steel wrap a (a) wet rag around the base of the shaft to dissipate heat and prevent excessive heat affecting the field winding insulation. After welding, remove the clamps and rag and hold the starter m ot or securely, in a vice. then connect it (b) to a battery and allow to run a t full speed. Using either a high speed disc grinder or abrasive disc in drill running at high sp eed, move th e abrasive disc (c) slowly in against the spinning shaft. The abrasive disc turning against the spinning shaft will machine it down and centr e it up perfectly. Finish off with fine emery paper. The end result will be a perfectly round, perfectly centred, highly polished shaft of any you desire.
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All you need do now is fit a standard type V -Belt pulley and mou nt the starter mot or securely, and you have a powerful low cost 12 volt electric motor suitable for a wide range of home and workshop applications. No te : Starter motors usually run on bronze bushes instead of ball bearings, so it is wise to oil them regularly on a daily basis if using them for long periods under continuous running conditions.
Fitting
Chuck: If you require a drill or drill chuck for using the standard type flexible drive attachments. cut a thread o n the end of t he starter mot or shaft using a die with a thread size and pitch the same as the required drill chuck.
The standard Jacobs t ype drill chucks can be purchased from hardware stores and all power tool supplier\ specifications on th e box will detail thread size and type . After cutting the thread on the shaft you simply screw the chuck assembly straight on to i t. You now have a heavy duty 12 volt 'drill' enormo us power, capable of the most ar duous of tasks. It advisable to bolt a handle on t o the starter because the enormous starting power and torque will twist it out of if the bit sticks or catches. Use an alligator clip as the positive connection so that it can be easily flicked off to stop the drill if need be, otherwise fit a trigger type switch, either to the positive or negative lead, preferably the positive in fact it should be fitted to the positive lead because the negative lead is only an earth and if you happen to be drilling on the car body to which the battery is earthed, then the switch will be useless because the drill is earthing itself on the
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Old starter motors fitted with a V -Belt pulley have endless applications both around the workshop and in the home, and are particularly useful in place of 240 volt induction For example. in washing machines or work benches etc. Cogs or sprockets can be fitted in place of pulleys for heavy use such a s winches etc. fitting
a
opens the door to a wide assortment of uses
in fact any ordinary drill accessory
!
such as grinding wheels, sanders, jig saw att achm ents , circular saws, bilge p umps , flexible drive lines, et c., can all be used, often with greater efficiency than in the conventional drills. Fan Operated Roo m Heater heaters can quite easily be assembled by coiling a thin piece of wire around in the shape of a spring, then connecting one end t o the positive terminal and the other t o the negative terminal of a volt batt ery bank. The wire will quickly heat up and glow red hot. Amperage draw is heavy until the wire glows red, then it drops and stabilizes at acceptable level. For example, a thin strand of wire taken from a piece of clothes line wire long will draw about amps initially, then quickly dro p t o about 20 amp s as the wire glows red, and then rernains at this level. Attach a small fan blade to a light motor, generator 'motor', and the soft current of air blowing through and across the heated element provides warm air for home heating. No te : Heat ou tpu t can be increased by using thicker wire. However, power con sump tion will rise accordingly. HOME POWER PLANT OPTIONS and COMBINATIONS
Your entire home power plant layout ca n be tailor made t o you r own specific requirements. There are so many com binations and variations available that it is neither practical nor desirable that we specify exactly how you should set it up. We have, however, listed below guidelines suggestions arid recommend ations. ,
On an overall basis we re ommend using a 12 volt household system with inverters for operating specialized appliances at 240 volts. The reasons for this are : 1.
2.
A wide range of 12 volt appliances are readily available from retail outlets. T hese range from radios, fridges and television sets through to heavy - duty drills and workshop tools. 12 volt power is easy and cheap t o keep in 'storage' and on tap, whereas 24 0 volts is more difficult to stor e and is dangerous. is dangerous because the average person refuses to believe that an old car alternator or a set of old 12 volt batteries can produce high and lethal voltages. This leads to situations where careless hand ling can result in serious accidents. We have had mechanics inspecting our power set - up and when cautioned against fiddling with connections while the unit was in operation, their typical comments have been 'Look, mate, I work with these things (cars, batteries, alternators) all day, so I kno w what I'm doing'. This atti tude has nearly resulted in serious accident s on more than one occasion. In a normal situation their reasoning is quite valid because a human cannot feel 12 volts and alternators only go to about 20 volts on a car, which only gives a mild tingle. Spark plug leads will give a sharp shock because the coil lifts the voltage from 12 volts to several thousands of volts.) However, the main point is that most people are over - confident and casual in handling batteries and alternators, therefore regardless of how you have it all insulated and labelled with high voltage danger signs, there will always be someone wh o thinks he know s best and ahead prodding and touching with fingers and screwdrivers. You are therefore well advised to use inverters with standard 240 volt 3 pin plug for stepping up your voltage from or 36 t o 240 as required. (See section on inverters.)
3.
It is essential that you have a dual wiring system in your home. Low voltages. 12 volts, require higher amps to produce the same performance outp ut from an appliance. amps require heavier wiring, and in any case you cannot run high and low voltages through t he same wire at the same time. We recommend you run your home on a basic 12 volt system. Your auxiliary wiring is then the 240V system. The usual set - up is to have an inverter b ox i n your inverters draw the standard or 24 volts from your battery bank and convert it to This inverter out put is wired directly into the c system. When you plug in a 240V and switch it on t he inverter automatically starts up and delivers through the safely enclosed wiring system when you need it, and as often as want it.
4.
Always have your battery bank in a warm dry well -ventilated room. Do not use battery room as a store room for tools and instruments. Batteries give off hydroge n gas during charging which when in a confined space reaches an inflammable and explosive density which be easily ignited by sparks. In addition to the explosive qualities of hydrogen, t he 'o th er mino r gases and vapours are corrosive and have a tendency to creep int o the inner workings of expensive tools and measuring equipment, hence the other reason for not using the battery shed as a store room. N o t e : Naked flames should never be used near batteries at any time. Your 12 volt wiring should be protected by fuses in the normal way. You will require heavier fuses, : 30 amps, to carry the higher amperage. is suggested th at you build control panel amp gauges, voltage gauges and fuses all t ogether yo u easily power storage charging rates, or in the event of breakdowns so you can easily isolate the fault and rectify it any inconvenience or interruption to supply.
5.
directly down on to the fins of t he water wheel. The chute is fitted with a large 'gate-valve' which can be partly closed to restrict water flow, and therefor e contr ol the drive power and speed, or it can be closed completeiy in times of flooding to protect the water wheel from da m age. No te : The fins of the water wheel should fit withi n the walls of t he chute . This means the water has n o escape except to turn the wheel. Water captured in this manner exerts driving force, particul arly if you have a long deep enclosed chute funnzlling into a tapered driving point. 3.
Water Powered Gravity Unit This unit is designed for loc ations where th e actual speed an d volume o f water are lim ited, or in cases where a mor e precise form of shaft speed co ntro l is desirable. (Provided t he shaft load is const ant) The wa ter int ake is a large pipe fitted with a tap or valve t o control water flow. The gravity wheel con sists of a large spoked wheel with water troughs fitte d to it. The water flows down, fills the trough which then drops d own, turning th e wheel, and it out at the bot tom , so there is no counterbalancing weight as it travels up. A series of tro ughs filling and following each othe r pr o vides constant rotating power. Speed can be easily controlled by closing or opening the tap, or by adjusting the tilt (and therefore the capacity) of each trough. This unit can be mad e t o develop enormous power b y simply increasing the capacity of each tr ough. and in creasing the length of the 'spokes'. It is only limited by the of water and th e speed with which th e troughs fill. A gravity unit is quit e capable of providing enough to rqu e and driving power to easily twist and snap a 25m m solid steel drive shaft. As an example, if you could imagine the shaft p ower of a one ton ne weight pushing down o n a 10 metre bar attached t o a shaft, then you will understand h ow and wh y enormous power is possible with this system. (This is an extreme example which assumes your water flow is adequate, and your t roughs are big enough to hold tonne of water, and your 'spokes' are 10 metres long and strong enough to support one tonne.)
WATER FROM RESERVOIR (ELEVATED SUPPLY
THE WEIGHT OF WATER IN THE BUCKETS TURNS THE WHEEL
BUCKETS ARE EMPTY ON THE ' U P ' STROXE
AUTOMATICALLY AT BOTTOM OF
SPEED STEP UP .CHAIN5 OR GEAR BOXES -
Water Powered Remote Location Gravity Unit The mechanics of operation are exactly the same as the on -site unit, but has t he added advantage of located anywhere you want it to b e, provided of course you have access to ple nty of free water. This unit is more suited to occasional such as charging a ban k nf batteries or suppl ying the pea k load power requirements, because constant water in high volume is no t always practical. In such cases this we recommend the use of a large storage tank and a hydraulic water ram. The hydraulic 4.
The unit is designed to sit at ground level and only turn within radius. This means it collects wind all directions and automatically aligns itself with the direction of the breeze. Alternators operate just as effectively in either direction, so a northerly breeze blowing the rotor in an opposite direction to a southerly breeze does not create any problems.
TH E TO
CAN BE DIRECTION.
INLET AND OUTLET EXCHANGEABLE ALTERNATOR WORKS JUST AS WE LL IN REVERSE
CAUSES A TAPERED INLET CONCENTRA TE TH E FORCE ONTO THE ROTOR BLADES.
(SUCTION1
A D D S E X T R A I M P E T U S TO ROTOR WHE EL
At this point it is useful to kn ow t he main disadvantages of a conventional propellor ty pe windmill so t hat a realistic and accurate comparison can be made between th e tw o systems, and a deeper more c omplete understanding will evolve as you read on and mentally compare t he two. 1. Cons truc tion of a windmill is difficult because of the need to build a high specially strengthe ned structure and th e need t o fabricate the correct blade angle in accordance wi th othe r design features. (This is quite involved and entire books have been written on this subject alone.) The wind ch ute, o n th e other h and, is at ground level and does not require any special shaping or strengthening. The turbine ro tor consists of straight wood o r steel plates attached to a shaft ( a piece of pip ing is OK), and these fins do not require any special shaping or graduated curves. 2. The wind chut e unit only turns within radius or less, so you do not have problems of power leads or having to fabricate a special 'transfer ring' t o accomo date th e turning and twisting as the con ventional windmill moves around t o line with the breeze. 3. Speed power of t he wind chute turbine is easy to cont rol by simply fitting a sliding door to shut off wind going into the turbine chamber, and because the turbine is enclosed it is always safe. The conventional propellor windmill is very dangerous in high winds, and the fabrication and effective ness of the wind brake set - up does pose difficulties, and speed and power regulation is neither precise nor convenient. (The spring tension has to be changed t o adjust the brake cut in point and even then speed cannot be properly regulated.) Our policy in general content, layout and presentation of facts in our manuals is to provide pract ical information and knowledge to the average home handyman with an average set of tools, using readily available materials and components. The dangers of disintegration of conventional windmills in high winds does not apply to commercially manufactured units. Stresses are carefully calculated and the entire construction is expertly designed and re -inforced at all stress points to withstand the severest of conditions and still retain a more than adequate safety margin. WELDING CAPABILITIES
Your power unit with its wide range of combinations gives you a tool of working flexibility equal to the best of electric arc welders. In fac t its capabilities are far in excess of th e average 240 volt arc welders on th e marke t today. There is however a minor disadvantage in that the alternators tend to overheat if welding for long periods. This is no real disadvantage for the handyman as this unit is quite capable of performing all that is required by the D.I.Y. enthusiast. Arc Welding Arc welding is performed in exactly the same way as with a conventional welder. The job is grounded by connecting the negative lead to the alternator casing in the normal way and clamping the other end to the welding job.
The electrode holder welding lead is attached to the ou tpu t terminal o n the alternator. No te : The welding lead is an insulated wire thick enough to ca rry the high amps without overheating. Electrode holders can be purchas ed from a ny welding suppliers. The actual arc welding style and proc edure is exactly t he same as if using convention welder. Electrode holders, leads, etc. and b ook s on arc welding are available SIEVERWATER WEEDING 37 Newton St, Auburn, NSW 2144, ph. 648 1868. Basically, arc welding is simple and easy to master with p ractice. Scratch the e lectrode on t he steel as if striking a match, the n hold th e tip of t he electrode just above t he surface. This stabilizes the arc, the n move it slowly along. If the electrode spits and sputters the amperage is probably too high. If th e electrode sticks to the job, the amperage is probably to o low or the distance bet ween th e electrode and the job is not wide enough. If th e slag chips off easily, the weld is OK. size electrode No te: Set your alternator speed t o produce about 40 50 volts, and the amps setting will depend on you are using. The recommended amp is printed on th e box of welding rods (electrodes). Warning: Always use the proper arc welding shield or helmet . Th e inten se light given off during welding and he ating will instantly 'sunburn' the eyeballs. If this occur s use eye drop s, and rest with the eyes closed. Your eyes will feel as though t hey have sand or glass in t hem , but will normally be in a day or so. Fusion Welding Fusion welding is heating the metals t o a molt en stage and th ey fuse is usually only possible with t he intense heat of an oxyacetylene flame. However, by using- a special copper coated DC carbon arc electrode in con ju nc ti on w it h yo ur al te rn at or po we r u ni t, th is in te nse h ea t ca n b e almost instantly, and is fully controllable both in direction and intensity. A special adaptor has to be fabricated for attaching to your normal electrode holder (see diagram). The carbon arc rods are to o thick t o fit in the average electrode holder. (Jumper leads can be used in emergencies; the carbon arc rod being held in th e jaws of the jumper lead cla mp.)
SPECIAL
. CARBON ARC ROD
CARBON ARC
\
I N T EN S E B L U E F L A M E ARKS ONTO METAL SURFACE MELTING AND FUSING META L TOGETHER
The connecting procedure is exactly the same as for arc welding. The ca rbon electrode arcs down on to t he steel with an intense blue flame. The heat and inten sity can be varied by regulating t he alternator speed. combinatio ns to suit your ow n style and requirements. As a guideline 20 amps at 30 40 volts gives a ,moderate flame for thin metals. Seventy amps a t 4 0 50 volts using a 7mm carbon rod will easily melt and cut steel .plate or fusion weld heavy steel. No te : Ox y welding wire is used in th e norm al way as a filler to build u p th e weld. Spot Welding is used for joining thin sheet metal such as car panels. I t is basically melting a spot of steel and fusing it together. In the past this was only possible using special equ ipme nt costing over one thousand dollars and arcing clamps had to be fitted to each side of the panel. Using your carbon arc adapt or and power unit, can spot weld from on e side of th e panel only, and still crea te a strong solid neat job. Spot welding is particularly useful for rust repairs because it eliminates the comp lications an d problem s of heat distortion of flat panels in areas such as car doors, et c. When using the single carbon for spot welding, use an alte rnat or of about 35 amp s and run the voltage to
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on
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