ALTER POWER IN CAR WELDER

[digger]

G'day,

Have a vehicle with a welder fitted under the bonnet.
It has an "alter power" marked welder and alternator fitted.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/12/499.jpg

The standard alternator has been replaced with one that generated 12v and 240v, with use of the hand throttle the revs are held high enough and
then apparently they are a good welder. Spoken to a couple people who've used them on stations and used about 30' of cable and welder windmills etc.

But I cannot find anything at all about them?
anyone have any info about them at all or know someone who may be able to help?

Cheers.
Digger

[d@rk51d3]

Here's an ad, calling for new applicants to work as agents to service country areas.

First ad under "busines opportunities."

The Sydney Morning Herald - Google News Archive Search (http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1301&dat=19820216&id=ZYVWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=o-YDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4854,5457413)

Has contact details that might be good........ although it's from 1982. Still, the auto elec might still be in buisiness.

MR MOTOR PARTS (MMP) seems to be in the same building (or next door). Could be an alternative lead. 02 9737 9288

[digger]

1982 newspapers... from interstate... man your place must be stacked deep :)

thanks, its worth a try!

[superquag]

This type of unit was popular many years ago... (when I had brown hair and lots of it!) though I coud'nt find any info on this brand.

However, if anyone else is intrigued, they're still being built here in Western Australia at:-

UNIPOWER - POWER ON THE MOVE (http://www.unipower.com.au/prod_up185.asp)

If you prefer 'overseas' stuff, here's another site to look at. - The backpack welder is particularly interesting... 150 Amp DC at 100% duty cycle !

Welder Web Site Map -- ZENA, Incorporated (http://www.zena.net/htdocs/Map.shtml#Top)

[digger]

i KNOW WHAT YOU MEAN ABOUT BROWN HAIR! Ive been getting the roots of mine dyed a "silver blonde" for some time now... although the seem to be doing it deeper and deeper...:)

Thanks, looks just like what Ive got but with the option to switch the 12v through to charge batteries, (I may have to check out the price..just for interest)

[123rover50]

I have one fitted to the 6x6 FC camper. Different name , mine is an Autoarc. Same principle I think. Acts as an ordinary alt, has a switch to change to welder. Also goes through a bejesus box with a couple of powerpoints on it. Has enough grunt to run a 10 inch angle grinder too.

Didiman

[Didge]

Looks great but you wouldn't be able to weld your own car if it was running would you?

[Gary S11]

We used to have one on a WB holden ute many moons ago when i worked for the Esperance shire, had to nearly red line the poor 202 to get enough amps for a half decent weld..Hopefully technology has improved Gary

[123rover50]

Looks great but you wouldn't be able to weld your own car if it was running would you?

Sure can. Cracked a spring hanger going to the cape early 80,s. Welded it up OK.
I have books with circuit diagrams etc of the Auto Arc.
A sparky could build one.
Two batteries gives a comparable weld but the ability to use drills and grinders is number one.

[superquag]

Yes indeed you can weld your own vehicle if/when its running... Just don't get the polarity confused (assuming your brand gives you a choice...)

[Blknight.aus]

Sure can. Cracked a spring hanger going to the cape early 80,s. Welded it up OK.
I have books with circuit diagrams etc of the Auto Arc.
A sparky could build one.
Two batteries gives a comparable weld but the ability to use drills and grinders is number one.

hmmm....

and what would it take to liberate a copy of them from you?

I feel a project coming on.

[Homestar]

I stuffed around building one years ago, and it worked ok, but I didn't run anything off it - just used it as a welder. Basically it was a 65 amp alternator (that's the biggest I could lay my hands on at the time), but a bigger unit would work a bit better, hung off the other side of the motor.

All you really need to do is bypass the voltage regulator in it and bring the revs up until you get enough volts to strike an ark.

As I recall, at about 2800 RPM, I could get an open circuit voltage of about 130 volts, and I could weld 3mm mild steel well with a 1.5mm rod.

Crude, but effective. I never used it while I was out and about, but it served me for a year or so at home doing handyman sort of work until I bought a real welder.

[digger]

I will insert links and info on ones Ive found (not the Battery ones)


++++++++++++++++++++
this one isnt quite car mounted......

Jon's Place/Jeep Page (http://www.huv.com/jon/jeep/Welder/portable-welder.html)

Welcome to Jon's Jeep
Portable Welder Plans Page...


During the Christmas holidays, while I was visiting my parents, I got to reading the YJ FAQ (it has a lot of information in it relevant to CJ's as well).

The first question in the FAQ is regarding using the alternator in the Jeep as a welder. While I'm pretty sure this is possible, and I'm planning on doing it myself fairly soon, the answer given is not at all clear on exactly how it's done.

My dad recalled a photocopy of an old Mother Earth News article that described in detail how to build a portable DC arc welder using a car alternator, so he dug it up. We took an afternoon and built the welder, and it was very cool to actually weld using something we put together that quickly (and cheaply).


--------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Welder Plans
Basically, what you need is the following:

car or truck alternator, preferably without a built-in voltage regulator (although you can use one with a built-in regulator, you have to bypass it)
motor or engine
car battery
platform to mount everything on
on/off switch
big diode
thermal overload switch
one or two 1.5 ohm 8 amp resistors (you may not need these if your motor is powerful enough - we needed them with a 1 HP electric motor)
a couple feet of #18 wire, and a couple feet of heavy (1/0) wire
old pair of jumper cables
bunch of connectors/stak-ons

For a platform, you could use an old lawnmower, and thus also be supplied with an engine and a place to mount the battery & alternator. We used a chunk of plywood, with a few pieces of angle-iron to mount everything to.

For the alternator, we used a regular 66 amp alternator, the kind with a built-in regulator. We took the regulator out, and bypassed it, grounding the brush it was connected to.


(go to link for picture)

Wired as above, you get a reverse-polarity DC welder, which is standard. To get a positive polarity welder, just switch the ground-clamp with the rod holder.
We used the jumper cables as our welding leads, and drilled a couple small holes in the end of one of the clamps to act as a simple rod holder. After we got it working, and laid our first bead, we "machined" a new custom rod holder using a chunk of 1/2" steel and a piece of pipe. Cut to shape, drill a few holes, tap some threads, weld it together, and you get a nice (cheap) rod holder.

I hope you find this useful. When I get my on-board welder project done (due to start in February, immediately following my on-board air project), I will provide full specifications and plans and pictures of what I have done.

...

build your own TIG welder... still not car based..

http://www.google.com.au/url'sa=t&rct=j&q=in+car+welder&source=web&cd=44&ved=0CDUQFjADOCg&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ehow.com%2Fhow_5686181_build-own-tig-welder.html&ei=8CvvTquxJKeriAeNn6CsBw&usg=AFQjCNGejtVr0224YV86BPLHyaKyg3YvKQ

[123rover50]

hmmm....

and what would it take to liberate a copy of them from you?

I feel a project coming on.

If you are coming through Kilkivan pop in and take a look and see whats involved.

[Blknight.aus]

cheers guys but I was more interested in getting the mains power out of it.

[digger]

heres a link to an older homemade car one...

http://www.vintageprojects.com/metal-welding/AutoArcWelder.pdf

by the way, I enjoy checking through this site...
(vintage projects)

[bee utey]

cheers guys but I was more interested in getting the mains power out of it.

I like your style but unregulated high voltage high frequency messy DC is good for what exactly? Inverters are cheap enough. Or do you just like the dangerous stuff?:p How about a bunch of smoothing capacitors to add to the "pow" factor?

Anyways, a 24V alternator goosed up may be a faster path to 240V.

[123rover50]

Wont work drills with variable speed on trigger.

[Blknight.aus]

because I have seen a mod done on an externally regulated alternator that lets it put out cleanish (enough for hand power tools and incandescent lighting) 240Vac, given it cant charge a battery at the same time but then it wouldnt need to fozzys diesel so comes with a governor thats pretty much set and forget for that kind of stuff.

[123rover50]

because I have seen a mod done on an externally regulated alternator that lets it put out cleanish (enough for hand power tools and incandescent lighting) 240Vac, given it cant charge a battery at the same time but then it wouldnt need to fozzys diesel so comes with a governor thats pretty much set and forget for that kind of stuff.

That seems a better idea. This things got way too much electrickery.

[Blknight.aus]

oh, and the intent was to have the ability to throw down enough AC"ish" power to be able to run a handfull of 250w floodlights for recovery work, since the engine would be running anyway....