charging system on a slitter

[grampakev]

I've checked the search option and found nothing, has anyone ever hooked up a charging system (alternator) to a splitter to keep the battery on a electric start charged? I have some extra time (laid off) and i was kicking the idea around. Thank you. Kevin

 

[Jredsjeep]

what kind of engine do you have, i thought most electric starts had a stater in them to charge the battery. would finding a stater work for your engine work? i am not sure a couple HP (5 or so) motor would be enought to drive an alternator and pump if the alt needs its full potential like if a battery would need a heavy charge.

 

[thejdman04]

I personally would make sure that stator that charges the battery is working, and if it is and your still having battery issues (ie if its not charging the battery), I would get one of the 30 dollar "battery maintainers" at Menard's etc, and just "charge" the battery every night. Those maintainers are nice, low amp charge and can be left on there if you don't use your splitter often, leaving the charger on there wont hurt. Seems like thatd be easier then rigging up a bracket for an alternator etc.

 

[grampakev]

i have 2 splitters,1-13hp dont know if it has a stater got the engine used, do they all have them? #2- 12hp kholer (nice engine) i think i have to get a rectifer but i dont know #$%^ about electrical.thanks, kevin

 

[bump_r]

That's funny, just today I kicked off a machining job for an adapter hub for my 5.5 h.p. Honda. I looked underneath and saw that I had about 3" of keyed 7/8" shaft available above the pump. I will try to mount an automotive crankshaft pulley, aleternator, and serpentine belt (which is on-hand, thus free) gell-cell battery (again, on-hand) and perhaps worklights (not that I work in the dark alot, but since I have a pair of those chrome deals off a utility truck on-hand, what the hey. Even if I don't use this on-board stand-alone lighting for splitting, it is a capability I don't have now but will then. With 12VDC on-board, I don't think electric start will be far behind.

I've hatched a plan to make my splitter a multi-use tool. So far I have on-board my chainsaw tool box (wedges, files, screnches, spare chains, tach, sundry whatnots), a gallon of bar oil, and my brush cutter (FS76, I think). Next,I'm building a side rack I can mount two cased saws or three uncased ones and a 2.5-gallon fuel can. This stuff, plus work lights could turn this thing into a real workhorse. And yes, I'm being mindful of wheel&tire/bearing loading as well as the "when does it cease being a splitter and start being a trailer" deal. I want to stop just shy of having to tag and light the thing. Currently, the thing enjoys the comfortable life in my wood stove heated garage, so all I have to do is hook-and-go when woods-time is right.

Or I could throw in the towel and leave it as-is. The feasibility could tank at any turn, I'm fully prepared to stuff my parts back on the shelf.

 

[JONSEREDFAN6069]

with that you could also hook up a cd player and speakers. may as well listen to tunes while workin.

 

[grampakev]

bump, i'd like to see a pic. of that splitter. whenever i get laid off (every winter) i have to much time on my hands. my splitters are kept under a leanto about 350 ft from my house, i gues i could keep 1 in my barn on a charger but now im thinking about this stater thing. i just have to figure it out. thanks. kevin

 

[jags]

Maybe an older style starter/generator (or just a generator) would be the easy thing. All it takes is a pulley and a belt and hooked up to a regulator. Pretty easy in the world of engineering it.

If one is taken from older mower engines, they will be of small charging capacity. It will not zap big power from your engine even if charging at full rate. Many were rated in the 6 to 10 amp range.

 

[bump_r]

grampakev, check your PMs.

 

[Austin1]

You could always go solar power.But don't get too small of a panel those little ones wont do anything. Down side is they are expensive and you need the sun!

 

[Zodiac45]

i have 2 splitters,1-13hp dont know if it has a stater got the engine used, do they all have them? #2- 12hp kholer (nice engine) i think i have to get a rectifer but i dont know #$%^ about electrical.thanks, kevin

Usually Kevin, If it has electric start then it has the stator too recharge the battery.

 

[mattmc2003]

A friend of mine used to have a rig mounted on a 2x10 board he made to charge his batteries at the hunting club before he was well off enough to get a generator. It was a GM alternator on one side and a 3.5 briggs on the other with a belt in between and a pair of battery clips on a short set of wires. Very portable, and i passed up on buying it in his yard sale for ten bucks....should have, but couldn't see using it at the time. Seemed pretty cool. Now you can get those mini one wire alternators and you could make a cool setup if you had a motor lying around, and it would be cheap.

 

[bump_r]

with that you could also hook up a cd player and speakers. may as well listen to tunes while workin.

Sure would make it easier to hit the woods during football season...

 

[grampakev]

thanks for the replies. z ive been reading up on that. im using a car battery should a stater charge it. i could use a motorcycle battery, getting ready to change the one on my bike. thanks. kevin

 

[triptester]

Motorcycle or car battery can be charged by the built in system if the stator and regulator are working properly.

If the engine came with factory electric start it will have a charging circuit. There will be a small wire coming from under the shroud that has to connected to the ignition switch or positive side of the battery.

 

[grampakev]

thanks trip, im going to check it out today on the one i just built, but on the kohlor it has 2 white wires coming out of the engine,i kinda got a closeup on another form and it looks like they go to some sort of rectifier type thing. thanks again. kevin

 

[jags]

thanks trip, im going to check it out today on the one i just built, but on the kohlor it has 2 white wires coming out of the engine,i kinda got a closeup on another form and it looks like they go to some sort of rectifier type thing. thanks again. kevin

You are exactly correct on the Kohler. It should be 2 white wires and I believe that most are terminated into a plug. Be aware that if buying new, those rectifiers can get pricey.

 

[grampakev]

thanks jags, im going down the road and talk to a guy that works on small engines, im not going to put much $$$ in the kohler, its a older spliter and i like the newer one better. i just replaced the piston seals on it i think im going to roll it out front and put a for sale sign on it. but i looked at the newer 13 hp it does have a wire comming out of the engine, mabye the battery is just shot and not taking a charge. is there a way of checking to see if the stater is putting out. thanks. kevin

 

[jags]

thanks jags, im going down the road and talk to a guy that works on small engines, im not going to put much $$$ in the kohler, its a older spliter and i like the newer one better. i just replaced the piston seals on it i think im going to roll it out front and put a for sale sign on it. but i looked at the newer 13 hp it does have a wire comming out of the engine, mabye the battery is just shot and not taking a charge. is there a way of checking to see if the stater is putting out. thanks. kevin

You should be able to put a voltage meter in line with it to prove its output, but sometimes thats not as easy as it sounds. You don't want to "short" it out, so it should be feeding a load (typically a battery).