Identity help. small alternator/generator off small motor

   / Identity help. small alternator/generator off small motor #1  

davedj1

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 30, 2011
Messages
1,225
Location
Jackson, NY
Tractor
Kubota L2501
I know this isn't really tractor related but I had a small, belt driven alternator given to me yesterday. It's brand new and the guy that gave it to me says that it was used on small motors like pony motors etc. He also says that they used to use them on stock cars years ago as they don't rob much horse power.
It has two wires coming off it in a plug, I'm not sure if it needs a regulator or not. When you spin it (by hand) it feels like it has friction/resistance in pulses.
I will post a picture tomorrow if you all think it will help.
I have tried google but seeing how I'm not sure what it's called I can't find anything close. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
thanks,
dave
 
   / Identity help. small alternator/generator off small motor #3  
...I will post a picture tomorrow if you all think it will help...
Sorry can't help ya but I've seen amazing comments and insights coming from photos being posted... looking to see what comes of this one :thumbsup:
 
   / Identity help. small alternator/generator off small motor #4  
Just to get the ball rolling - Yanmar used a tiny 15 amp generator/alternator?? that was likely made by Hitachi or one of their other mainstream Japanese electrical suppliers. It needed a matched regulator.

AL-1215.jpg

Photo Source: HoyeTractor.


Here's a picture of mine on my (1980's) YM186D - showing its mounting ear welded (I found it that way), and showing the replacement mounting stud I installed to replace the broken stud it mounts to.

The whole story, posted last March:
That wasn't supposed to break

204422d1300435039-wasnt-supposed-break-p1630872rym186d-altstudreplaced.jpg



Is this a near match to what you are talking about?
 
   / Identity help. small alternator/generator off small motor #5  
Your description of the size and the "pulses" so feel as you turn it, tell me that what you have there is a simple dynamo. Kubota uses them quite a bit on smaller engines. They work well, they're small, and it doesn't take much power to drive them....but I've always wondered where the asking price comes from.

To purchase one new with the accompanying regulator/rectifier, you'll pay as much as a complete alternator, (with internal regulator), that has four or five times the rated amperage output. Without the regulator/rectifier, your unit will produce in the neighborhood of 25-30 volts when spun up to speed, and that output will be AC.

Here's a Kubota one on eBay:

15531-64017 12V KUBOTA ALTERNATOR Dynamo Zero Turn Mower Lawn Garden Tractor | eBay
 
   / Identity help. small alternator/generator off small motor #6  
Since the link to ebay will not last, here it is... but waiting to hear from davedj1 if this is what he has.... or not.
 
Last edited:
   / Identity help. small alternator/generator off small motor #7  
what you have is in american terminology is a permanent magnet alternator. yes some peole do use them in race cars they are not really set up for that because of the factory pulley also the slightest bang to the case will break the magnets and you are done also as already stated they run off an external rectifier/regulator which you will have to purchase for it function also keep in mind they only produced enough power to work what they came on some of yalls picture does go far enough back the original ones truly looked to be made of old soup can had a cane grower send me 10 for rebuilding luckily 8 were fixable only needed bearing the only other 2 parts in this is the magnets and a rotating rotor and all must understand how fragile these things are.
 
   / Identity help. small alternator/generator off small motor
  • Thread Starter
#8  
sorry I didn't get to take any pics today, it does however look very similar to the ones posted. I figured it would probably need some sort of regulator. I will try to get a pic tomorrow and some numbers off of it.
thanks so much.
dave
 
 
Top