05-22-2018, 01:54 PM | #1 |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2018
Location: Coral Springs, Florida
Posts: 552
|
rfitz
I need to replace my generator on my '31 A -- would I be better off going altn., instead of generator -- daily driver, not interested in orignal.
Thanks |
05-22-2018, 02:10 PM | #2 |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Mpls, MN
Posts: 27,582
|
Re: rfitz
What's wrong with the generator?
They are easy to work on and repair, unless it's totally cooked. |
Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) |
|
05-22-2018, 03:02 PM | #3 |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 1,369
|
Re: rfitz
If you are determined to put an alternator on it, I bought a Power Master, which looks like a generator complete with a dummy cutout. It works nice and doesn't detract from the "antique" look of the engine compartment.
|
05-22-2018, 03:17 PM | #4 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Connecticut Shoreline
Posts: 1,823
|
Re: rfitz
I’ve been driving with generators for 60 years.
As Tom said, there easy to work on. Doesn’t take a lot to rebuild. What are you looking to end up with. That’s your decision. Enjoy. |
05-22-2018, 03:25 PM | #5 |
Senior Member
|
Re: rfitz
No not better off, you sure can use one, thousands do, but with all other things being equal on the car you won't be better off with one.
__________________
What's right about America is that although we have a mess of problems, we have great capacity - intellect and resources - to do some thing about them. - Henry Ford II |
05-22-2018, 07:10 PM | #6 |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2018
Location: Coral Springs, Florida
Posts: 552
|
Re: rfitz
Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)
|
05-22-2018, 07:32 PM | #7 |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Anaheim California
Posts: 551
|
Re: rfitz
Go with the alternator. You don't want to work on the truck and if the alternator one day goes bad, alternators are available everywhere and any mechanic can trouble shoot it. Not so with generators any more.
|
05-22-2018, 08:06 PM | #8 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Southern California
Posts: 7,032
|
Re: rfitz
Quote:
Charlie Stephens |
|
05-22-2018, 08:34 PM | #9 |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Oregon
Posts: 5,963
|
Re: rfitz
Go with a rebuilt generator. What is wrong with the one you have? Sometimes it is only brushes or a bad cutout that may be needed.
|
05-22-2018, 09:01 PM | #10 |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Alabama
Posts: 8,099
|
Re: rfitz
It depends on how the car will be used. If you plan on running accessories that draw a lot of amps , an alternator would be the best choice. I don't run any accessories and the original generator works good for me. I prefer the look and function of the generator and I can fix them.. Neither a generator or an alternator is easy to work on if you don't know how to fix them .
|
05-22-2018, 11:39 PM | #11 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Battle Ground WA
Posts: 293
|
Re: rfitz
I'd go with the old worn out generator, after all, every car built since the mid 60s has come with a 1920s design generator and cut out on it, right? Oh, no, wait, they all have alternators, maybe there is something good about alternators after all. Could it be slip rings instead of a comutator, better regulation, and more output at slow speeds in a smaller more reliable package, or just less chance of a dead battery?
Or, you can carry a spare set of brushes, a spare cutout, and enough tools for a roadside seminar on generators. Your call... Just my personal opinion for for what I'd do on a driver, not a recommendation for you or anything like that. |
05-23-2018, 06:27 PM | #12 |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Between Seattle & Tacoma
Posts: 2,354
|
Re: rfitz
Corley: if you don’t like driving antique vechiles, for God’s sake, just say so. Don’t just beat around the bush!
|
05-23-2018, 07:32 PM | #13 |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2018
Location: Coral Springs, Florida
Posts: 552
|
Re: rfitz
Chuck
I really liked his "Roadside Seminar" remark. Trying to avoid one. I'll probably alternator it. I did put a magnetic sign on the side: Wet Paint Thanks |
05-27-2018, 12:42 PM | #14 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Guthrie, OK
Posts: 1,145
|
Re: rfitz
Corley's spot on. Daily driver, not for show, go with alternator (one wire). Has built-in regulator, no more undercharged or boiled-out battery. Only issue is you have to rev the engine pretty good to get it to "self-excite". You can't hook up pin 1 (field terminal) of the regulator without an accessory switch to battery voltage, which the A doesn't have.
|
05-27-2018, 04:26 PM | #15 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: South East Wisconsin
Posts: 1,279
|
Re: rfitz
Not to scare you alternator guys, but the alternators failed on two different friend's Model A's. After hearing that, I'm back to generators. I keep my generator well oiled, and never had one fail on a trip yet. Alternators are NOT bullet proof.
|
05-27-2018, 04:35 PM | #16 |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Oregon
Posts: 5,963
|
Re: rfitz
I will certainly knock on wood but the generator on my car that I bought in 1964 has only needed brushes.
|
05-27-2018, 07:21 PM | #17 |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Mpls, MN
Posts: 27,582
|
Re: rfitz
Yep, generators are fine, and easy to work on.
|
05-28-2018, 09:33 PM | #18 |
Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Central FL
Posts: 72
|
Re: rfitz
I converted my “driver” to 12V negative ground and 1-wire alternator. Simple conversion and still use the original starter which seems to be happy if you don’t stand on it too long. Very satisfied for 3 years now.
__________________
Bob |
05-31-2018, 04:40 PM | #19 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Danville, CA
Posts: 1,554
|
Re: rfitz
I hear all the talk about Generators being easy to work on. That may be true, but I would rather have something I don't have to work on. So far two out of three cars with alternators have worked just fine for years, but the third one didn't do so well with the generator so I put on an alternator a month back and now today it died. I guess nothing is bulletproof. Where do I start looking?
|
05-31-2018, 05:08 PM | #20 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Connecticut Shoreline
Posts: 1,823
|
Re: rfitz
I have to chime in again.
I have never had an alternator on any of our Model A’s. Never cooked a battery, had a cutout fail, or had a problem driving at night. Please don’t talk down to owners that still have generators. It’s our car, you do what you want, we do what we want. Some of us like to stay as orginal as possible. It’s a hobby not a contest. |
|
|
Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) |
|