Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Morgan Three Wheeler & Super 3 M3W Alternator Output

I reckon you'll find that a lot of American big V-twin engines have historically been supplied with charging systems that are rated for about 26A with uprated stators being available that give about 32A so 38A is not necessarily "wimpy" except when compared to large car type alternators that are hidden under the bonnet and really quite large. Bike alternators tend to have a rotor directly on the end of the crank with the stator bolted to the inside of the engine cover. With the engine being on display this cover is a bit on the decorative side rather than just being a weatherproof cover and it definitely limits the size of the components inside. Sorting out a location for and a drive feed to a second alternator could be an interesting challenge.
Apologies if the technical terms aren't quite right...not an electrical engineer
I just don't want to end up in a situation where I have done a long run in proper cold while nicely toasted by a heating circuit only to find that the car won't start next morning because it has been slowly running the battery down.

Hmm, this is not a question of Voltage [V], but of electrical power [in Watt W]. Power is voltage multiplied by amperage, W = V * A.

38 A and 12 V, that means the alternator has a power output of 450 W. The lights may need 50 + 50 + 5 + 5 + 10 + 5 W ~ 130 W, the ignition / electronic/etc. ??? W (100 ? W), the brake light 20 W, so I think a heating equipment with about 100 W would be fine. The normal 12 V electric outlets have a security fuse with 10 A (that means you could use 120 W).

But never think of a air heating system in the car itself, that's ridiculos, and also to transform the voltage from 12 V to 24 V or 240 V, you will just loose the efficiency of the system.
It is better to bring the needed heat just to the right parts of the body instead of heating the air in the open car to heat the body in this car.

Waldemar

please forgive my poor english

I appreciate your concern and sympathise with you, before a correct solution can be found hard Technical details are needed.

Once the output of the alternator can categorically be confirmed together with Battery type and Capacity. A clipon/ inline current reading recorded with all equipment running including any/all aux functions serious engineering solutions could be considered.
At the moment much is speculative IMHO.

It is not a bike alternator though. I think you will find that it is a bespoke set up that fits in by the "cush drive" between engine and gearbox.

I hope that is the case...my M3W appears to have become bogged down at the factory so I can't even go and look at where the wires come out! Potentially it should make it easier to engineer a beefier unit, whether it does remains to be seen.
Calum

It will be interesting to know the exact setup, a work colleague who runs a couple of Harley's reckons a lot of the engine ancillarys are interchangeable between HD and S&S. Harley's generally have 38A alternators but there are upgrade kits available to 50A, which include new armature, rotor and voltage regulator all for about $550.

I would be most interested in a photograph of this set up + battery location to give a little thought to

Bug*er I'm getting too interested and involved already

This gives an idea of where the alternator is situated.....you can just see the stator (?) or armature (?) through the cutout. At the time of taking the photo MMC were a bit cagey about anyone seeing inside the housing as the cush drive component was being kept under wraps.

When I used my BMW K1100RS/EMLspeed2000 sidecar here in Scandinavia in wintertime,I always dressed according the multiple layer system.The only electrically heated items were the handlebargrips( original BMW),gloves( Gerbring) and the helmvisor.(snowscooterhelmet from canada HJC).
The standard alternator of the BMW had never problems,but is if I remember correct 700W.The only time I stepped off the bike was when it was -38 after 2 hrs driving.The only thing is that the passenger in the sidecar always seems to get colder,though better protected,than the driver in cold weather conditions.

The winterdrivers with old BMW boxers used to covert their alternators to car alternators.At the time many used a daihatsu alternator that was driven by a belt and pulley system.The drivepulley replaced the original alternator rotor and the daihatsu alternator was placed on some homemade scaffolding above the LH cylinder( RH cylinder was already surrounded by the sidecar with a RH sidecar)

Rudolf

I've taken mine out in the cold and it was only my hands ( right one in particular) which suffered due to wind chill, and my feet as I can only drive it with light shoes on.

Multiple layers elsewhere seem to work, so I figure heated liner gloves will be enough. Any more than that and I suggest something with a roof