Development: Cogen: Power to the people
The final configuration of our generator system. Two alternators run by double belts gave us higher battery charging voltage and current. We got more useable electricity for the gas we burned. We proved two inexpensive alternators running in parallel run like one big, expensive one. If two will run this way, so will three or four.
#4 high quality copper cables, available in welding supply stores, transmit power efficiently within our generator. We also use these low resistance cables, instead of the car body, to provide the ground side of the circuit, avoiding many of the electrical problems that plague automobiles.
We learned as time went on that only the lowest resistance, most reliable wiring connections would be good enough. The connections at the battery posts gave the most problems because of corrosion.
Learning to safely solder connections between our wiring system and the batteries themselves was our most important achievement, as this is a problem throughout the alternative energy industry.
We got tired of fighting with electric cooling fans that wouldn't move enough air and always failed after a few months. We installed a mechanical flex-fan- backwards. This way it acts as a speed brake and limits motor speed as the system batteries charge up and require less power. Lower motor speeds save fuel, lubricating oil, and wear on the motor. A smaller motor would have been easier to regulate and use less fuel, but we had to use what we had.