RE: Power Supply (slightly off-topic) car alternators

Actually, if you reworked the regulator, you can get just about any
voltage you want.
The regulator is the only thing setting the output at 12 volts.
(actually closer to 14 for charging)

When I was playing around with alt-energy, these were a good and cheap
source for generators.

Downside: they are inefficient and lossy -- they are designed to be
manufactured cheaply and to run in a hostile environment (all the heat
and gunk under a car hood). Efficiency was not a design criteria. You
would need to watch the horsepower of your spindle motor.

Google the internet for circuit info -- here is one such place:
http://members.1stconnect.com/anozira/SiteTops/energy/Alternator/alterna
tor.htm

> -----Original Message-----
> From: roboticscnc [mailto:gsm42@...]
> Sent: Friday, December 16, 2005 3:36 AM
> To: CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] Re Power Supply
>
>
> Just a thought, has anyone used an old car alternator belt driven off
> the lathe spindle motor ? The cost would be virtually nothing and you
> could run 2 in series for 24 volts. The only dissadvantage I can see
> is that you couldn't test toolpaths without the spindle running. Would
> any other equipment be needed ( capacitor, etc. )