Generator?

[nastynatesfish]

Wondering what I can do to get some more out of my generator? I've got 2 hid 6" driving lights and I have a 36" led light bar in thinking of putting on. Can ire rush it or rewind it to get more amps out? It's a 1979 1600 motor...

[ammocan]

your not really going to get more out of your generator it likely does about 30 amps if its working good and at the right RPM.
if your going to start running components like auxiliary lights or stereos or any other toys you need to convert to an alternator. A base model alternator will do 55 amps and a higher end model will do 75amps. when you add up what your drawing off it then it starts to make sense. a single 100 watt light will draw around 8 amps. and a regular head light will run around 4 or 5 amps. stereos are ridiculous and there are many other toys but like i said it adds up.
I have 4 100 watt aux lights, 2 head lights, cb radio, turn signals, marker lights and other small things my estimated draw if everything was on is about 45 amps, I bought a 55amp alternator kit to run my electrics.

so the answer to your question is you need to see what your total draw is from all your components and get the appropriate power supply. sounds like you might be cutting it close with a generator and a generator doesn't provide anywhere near 30 amps at idle.
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[LeeVW]

Agreed. A generator works great for a basic car, but when you start adding power-hungry options, an alternator is the way to go.

Be forewarned that several things will need to be changed when converting to an alternator. A 1979 engine should already have these things done, but you never know.

1. The alternator takes a different stand than a generator.

2. The size of the belt may change.

3. If you're running a stock 34PICT-3 carb, the accelerator pump might hit the body of the alternator. Later carbs had the linkage reversed to eliminate this issue.

4. Earlier fuel pumps cannot be removed with an alternator in place. The fuel pump was re-designed to work with an alternator. Be sure to match the pushrod to the fuel pump!

5. You will most likely be switching to an alternator with an internal voltage regulator, so your wiring will need to be changed.

I probably missed at least a couple things, so I'll let the others chime in. Is it worth all this effort? I think do. Alternator brushes last way longer than generator brushes, and it's nice to have the extra amps.

Lee

[Dale M.]

A 79 with a generator???....... Most VW's after 74 had/have alternators... Or at least that is what I was lead to believe....

Dale
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All suggestions and advice are purely my own opinion. You are free to ignore them if you wish ...

[nastynatesfish]

No I fat fingered the buttons it's a 1970. I read about the swap of an alternator for the generation online. I'm not gonna do a status or anything like that. Just the HIDs. The light bar shouldn't draw much. Id like to put a 1500 lb or so winch under it too but not sure yet.

[MV8]

Also, alternator amp ratings are usually peak output, which can damage the alternator if held to that output for too long.

Similarly, a rewind for more output does not aid cooling, so one advertised at a higher rate with the same case, may have a much shorter duty cycle.

[tpinthepack]

71 VW bus has a higher output Generator and Regulator. But Alternator is much better, but you asked for it and look it up, 71 VW Bus with Type 1 engine has like 36amp Gen.

T
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TP in the Pack (I am a cyclist)
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