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Is 2kw tractor generator useable for small generator?

 
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I am in the process of a major upgrade to my solar setup over the next several months (I'm old and don't work real fast). I have to clear a bunch of trees to make space for the new solar panels. My thought is that I could use this to charge the battery bank until I get the new panels up.  I have a small generator that uses a car alternator to charge with. Would this generator be a useful upgrade for this generator setup?  I have a 5kw dual fuel generator and a 8kw diesel generator also but these seem like overkill for what I'm doing.  

https://www.ebay.com/itm/2KW-Permanent-Magnet-Synchronous-Generator-PMA-Low-Rpm-Alternator-Charging/394124500271?mkpid=2&emsid=e90001.m2368.l2648&plmtId=700009&mesgId=3041&mkcid=8&ch=osgood&bu=43201234460&trkId=74b93e65-e877-48aa-a1c8-ca0135ae13fe&cnvId=700003&recoId=394124500271&recoPos=1&pageci=be8b9066-1930-413f-be45-7e8339358ab6&redirect=mobile



The seller told me that it only takes about 2.8hp to run this. Seems low to me. Any thoughts?

I have used high capacity alternatives on my boats but they required double or triple belt pulleys. Will this work with only one belt?

If this will work my plan is to  experiment with a charcoal gasifier to power the motor.
 
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Car alternators are horribly inefficient. Changing to a permanent magnet generator is usually worthwhile. The devil is always in the details though.
 
pollinator
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G.W. Farnum wrote:I am in the process of a major upgrade to my solar setup over the next several months (I'm old and don't work real fast). I have to clear a bunch of trees to make space for the new solar panels. My thought is that I could use this to charge the battery bank until I get the new panels up.  I have a small generator that uses a car alternator to charge with. Would this generator be a useful upgrade for this generator setup?  I have a 5kw dual fuel generator and a 8kw diesel generator also but these seem like overkill for what I'm doing.  

https://www.ebay.com/itm/2KW-Permanent-Magnet-Synchronous-Generator-PMA-Low-Rpm-Alternator-Charging/394124500271?mkpid=2&emsid=e90001.m2368.l2648&plmtId=700009&mesgId=3041&mkcid=8&ch=osgood&bu=43201234460&trkId=74b93e65-e877-48aa-a1c8-ca0135ae13fe&cnvId=700003&recoId=394124500271&recoPos=1&pageci=be8b9066-1930-413f-be45-7e8339358ab6&redirect=mobile



The seller told me that it only takes about 2.8hp to run this. Seems low to me. Any thoughts?

I have used high capacity alternatives on my boats but they required double or triple belt pulleys. Will this work with only one belt?

If this will work my plan is to  experiment with a charcoal gasifier to power the motor.


I would say stick with the 12 volt alternator. Without seeing the pma voltage rpm chart I cannot be sure but I can almost guarantee you it will not put out 2000 watts. Those pma units are surplus from inverter generators to get those 2000 watts it turns at 4-5000 rpm and puts out 100 volts at 20 amps which will not help you charge a 12 volt battery. Then you would have to add a bridge diode then a voltage regulator to drop it down to about 18 volts. You would manage to get about 20 amps at 12 volts so roughly 240 watts. You are probably getting twice that now with the alternator which is made to generate 12 volts and has a regulator and diode  built in...
If you had a 48 volt system those pmas can really work for you. If you wanted something better than the alternator I would suggest a good 12 volt charger powered by your smaller generator something like this: https://www.amazon.ca/DLS-90-AUTOMATIC-BATTERY-CHARGER-SUPPLY/dp/B0074JVOSW/ref=mp_s_a_1_7?crid=2JGTUBH5BITTD&keywords=iota+charger&qid=1665009433&qu=eyJxc2MiOiIxLjY1IiwicXNhIjoiMC4wMCIsInFzcCI6IjAuMDAifQ%3D%3D&sprefix=iota+charger%2Caps%2C183&sr=8-7
Which will give you 3 stage charging and is very efficient...
An other option is to get an inverter with a battery charger built in...
Cheers, David Baillie
 
David Baillie
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David Baillie wrote:

G.W. Farnum wrote:I am in the process of a major upgrade to my solar setup over the next several months (I'm old and don't work real fast). I have to clear a bunch of trees to make space for the new solar panels. My thought is that I could use this to charge the battery bank until I get the new panels up.  I have a small generator that uses a car alternator to charge with. Would this generator be a useful upgrade for this generator setup?  I have a 5kw dual fuel generator and a 8kw diesel generator also but these seem like overkill for what I'm doing.  

https://www.ebay.com/itm/2KW-Permanent-Magnet-Synchronous-Generator-PMA-Low-Rpm-Alternator-Charging/394124500271?mkpid=2&emsid=e90001.m2368.l2648&plmtId=700009&mesgId=3041&mkcid=8&ch=osgood&bu=43201234460&trkId=74b93e65-e877-48aa-a1c8-ca0135ae13fe&cnvId=700003&recoId=394124500271&recoPos=1&pageci=be8b9066-1930-413f-be45-7e8339358ab6&redirect=mobile



The seller told me that it only takes about 2.8hp to run this. Seems low to me. Any thoughts?

I have used high capacity alternatives on my boats but they required double or triple belt pulleys. Will this work with only one belt?

If this will work my plan is to  experiment with a charcoal gasifier to power the motor.


I would say stick with the 12 volt alternator. Without seeing the pma voltage rpm chart I cannot be sure but I can almost guarantee you it will not put out 2000 watts. Those pma units are surplus from inverter generators to get those 2000 watts it turns at 4-5000 rpm and puts out 100 volts at 20 amps which will not help you charge a 12 volt battery. Then you would have to add a bridge diode then a voltage regulator to drop it down to about 18 volts. You would manage to get about 20 amps at 12 volts so roughly 240 watts. You are probably getting twice that now with the alternator which is made to generate 12 volts and has a regulator and diode  built in...
If you had a 48 volt system those pmas can really work for you. If you wanted something better than the alternator I would suggest a good 12 volt charger powered by your smaller generator something like this: https://www.amazon.ca/DLS-90-AUTOMATIC-BATTERY-CHARGER-SUPPLY/dp/B0074JVOSW/ref=mp_s_a_1_7?crid=2JGTUBH5BITTD&keywords=iota+charger&qid=1665009433&qu=eyJxc2MiOiIxLjY1IiwicXNhIjoiMC4wMCIsInFzcCI6IjAuMDAifQ%3D%3D&sprefix=iota+charger%2Caps%2C183&sr=8-7
Which will give you 3 stage charging and is very efficient...
An other option is to get an inverter with a battery charger built in...
Cheers, David Baillie


I stand corrected. It says it puts out 14 volts so it probably has a diode and regulator built in... All the rest still applies though.
 
G.W. Farnum
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My original plan was to use the generator with a mppt charge controller to charge the battery bank until I can get all those trees cut down and the panels set up.

This unit was advertised for tractor use to run a large light system.
 
David Baillie
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G.W. Farnum wrote:My original plan was to use the generator with a mppt charge controller to charge the battery bank until I can get all those trees cut down and the panels set up.

This unit was advertised for tractor use to run a large light system.


If you go that route you would have to pull out the voltage regulator but keep the bridge diode. Running the output into an mppt would be very efficient but it gets pricey. Which one were you thinking? The midnight solar classic would work.
 
G.W. Farnum
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I would be using an mppt charge controller for the solar panels anyway so I would be buying one anyway. I was looking at Outback Power. Xantrex didn't seem to make a larger mppt controller and Morningstar was overpriced. Midnight Solar is right in the ballpark also.

My house water system is run on solar using an mppt controller and I've been more than pleased with it. I'm running a Dankoff slowpump on a 100w solar panel and a marine deep cycle battery. Our power goes out quite frequently here and water is the one thing that we always miss.
 
David Baillie
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G.W. Farnum wrote:I would be using an mppt charge controller for the solar panels anyway so I would be buying one anyway. I was looking at Outback Power. Xantrex didn't seem to make a larger mppt controller and Morningstar was overpriced. Midnight Solar is right in the ballpark also.

My house water system is run on solar using an mppt controller and I've been more than pleased with it. I'm running a Dankoff slowpump on a 100w solar panel and a marine deep cycle battery. Our power goes out quite frequently here and water is the one thing that we always miss.


As far as I know the midnight solar is the only one rated for wind (or pma charging) you could skip their shunt attachment if it is motor driven since there will not be the voltage spikes you see with wind. You would get great efficiency but honestly you can do it cheaper with a Genny and a battery charger. If you are going the charcoal route a DC charge option is a good idea to level out the fluctuations you get with producer gas but it will run a ac generator just fine with a 30 to 50 percent derating of the peak watts. I was pretty deeply involved with charcoal but have backed away in recent years due to the falling price of panels. Check out www.driveonwood.com
I had a long thread on a charcoal tractor I converted.
Post when you build something I'm always interested.
Cheers, David Baillie
 
G.W. Farnum
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David,
Thanks for all your help. I'm still trying to wrap my head around all the fine points of solar.

It seems like I'm always building something here. Everything on the property was built by me including the house, sheds, dock, chicken coops, greenhouse, aquaponic & hydroponic systems, and a bunch of smaller projects. My last project was wiring the dual fuel generator into the main breaker box via a Reliance transfer switch panel. This brought me up to hurricane readiness. Its time to get as far off grid as I can manage.

Gary
 
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