Weldnator

[framing fowl]

I've never heard of power co-ops before.

 

[Joel_BC]

Crealcritter, you've chosen an interesting project. I've never done any AC welding myself — just DC.

I started with oxy-acetylene (O/A) torch welding, because the torch system can also be used for heating/forming metal, cutting steel & iron, brazing, loosening rusted nuts & kingpins, etc. But I do most of my welding these days with a 240v 180-amp DC MIG machine. More or less portable, but a 240v extension cord is a heavy, clumsy item.

But I always like these DIY re-use adventures like you're pursuing. Please do keep us posted.

P.S. I'm editing my post because I just watched a Youtube vid about making a weldernator, and (contrary to my comment at the start) the guy ended up with a DC unit, even though he started with an alternator. So possibly that's how your unit will turn out?

 

[CrealCritter]

Crealcritter, you've chosen an interesting project. I've never done any AC welding myself — just DC.

I started with oxy-acetylene (O/A) torch welding, because the torch system can also be used for heating/forming metal, cutting steel & iron, brazing, loosening rusted nuts & kingpins, etc. But I do most of my welding these days with a 240v 180-amp DC MIG machine. More or less portable, but a 240v extension cord is a heavy, clumsy item.

But I always like these DIY re-use adventures like you're pursuing. Please do keep us posted.

P.S. I'm editing my post because I just watched a Youtube vid about making a weldernator, and (contrary to my comment at the start) the guy ended up with a DC unit, even though he started with an alternator. So possibly that's how your unit will turn out?

Yes it's high ripple DC current - there is a lot of good weldnator information on the hobart welders web site. Remember with the voltage regulator out of the picture, the faster the alternator spins the high the voltage it produces.

https://weldtalk.hobartwelders.com/...chive/welding-projects/9974-alternator-welder

 

[Mini Horses]

I've never heard of such a thing!

Me either. But...……..

ALSO -- I get power from my local co-op electric company. With that, I will say they are fantastic. We rarely have any big outages, or for long periods. I DO HAVE a large generator "in case". But this co-op is so very good with working to keep trees and other issues at bay so we have a great service. We sometimes do have outages when large storms come thru but they get to correction really fast!

 

[Joel_BC]

I'm putting 4 alternators on the veggie hauler (my 03 Silverado 4 wheel drive pickup truck). For one of the 4 alternators, I'm going to wire it up so I can switch it to become a weldnator, then switch it back to be a regular alternator. Once I have that working I may play around with it and see if I can't get it to run regular old AC power tools like skillsaw / drill / sawsall / lights / ...

4 alternators? One for charging your truck's battery, one to use for welding whenever you want to. What will the other two be for?

 

[CrealCritter]

4 alternators? One for charging your truck's battery, one to use for welding whenever you want to. What will the other two be for?

Winch, inverter, big radio, possible plow and salt spreader. I think I may end up doing a bank of 3 or 4 parallel connected 14 volt AGM battries.

 

[Joel_BC]

When you complete your project, how about posting some pics of the mounted alternators... and maybe of you welding with the set-up, too?

 

[CrealCritter]

When you complete your project, how about posting some pics of the mounted alternators... and maybe of you welding with the set-up, too?

Will do... the third alternator should be here tomorrow. it's another AD244 250 AMP. That'll leave one more to order. Still working on wooden quad alternator templates to attach to the power steering bracket which is cast aluminum so lots to tweaking with files. I'm going to do the brackets in 1/4" 6061 plate aluminum. so I can use my router and a carbide bit to cut the aluminum and make copies of my wooden templates but out of aluminum instead.

Here's how far I've gotten with the quad alternator templates brackets out of wood. Three alternators across the top and one underneath. I'm just about happy with the templates.

Basicly my plan is to swap out the entire power steering backet and bolt in this power steering backet with the quad alternator bracket bolted to it. This is where the 4 alternators will sit under the hood. To the right of the one that's there now.

All I'm working off of is an internet picture, so hopefully it'll turn out as good. This is a single 3/8" thick bracket. Mine is going to be a sandwich of 2 1/4" backets. One in the front and one in the rear. I think a sandwich will be more strong than a single bracket like what is pictured.

 

[Joel_BC]

Very cool, Creal.

I worked a little bit in a friend's local, small aluminum foundry (by "small" I mean a 2-storey building, about 1500 sq ft on the ground floor). He used templates for his molds that were made either of styrofoam or wood. His way would have been to pour the dang things. But cutting from plate will be good.

 

[CrealCritter]

Very cool, Creal.

I worked a little bit in a friend's local, small aluminum foundry (by "small" I mean a 2-storey building, about 1500 sq ft on the ground floor). He used templates for his molds that were made either of styrofoam or wood. His way would have been to pour the dang things. But cutting from plate will be good.

I bet that was quite an experience. I'm sure you learned at lot. I've done quite a bit of research on these multiple alternator brackets I haven't seen any that we're poured. There might be a market for a poured backets. Multi alternator are mainly used for emergency medical services vehicles (ambulances) where they need to produce lots of portable power.