Does my motor have an altenator or other means of charging battery?

[80skeys]

I've got a 1964 Evinrude Speeditwin 28402M. It's got an electric start and I've got a 24-series cranking battery hooked up.

I've asked a couple marine shops if they know whether the motor will charge the battery as its running, and I've gotten contradictory answers. One place said it almost surely has an alternator. The other place said the motor probably won't charge the battery.

The service manual makes no mention of either an electric start (which it definitely has) or an alternator (I don't know if it does).

Does anyone here know?

 

[jjacobs007]

Re: Does my motor have an altenator or other means of charging battery?

hook up a volt meter to the battery while running and see what you get.I think all motors have alternators.or else it would die when the battery did.

 

[F_R]

Re: Does my motor have an altenator or other means of charging battery?

hook up a volt meter to the battery while running and see what you get.I think all motors have alternators.or else it would die when the battery did.

That is not true. The 1964 28hp in question came from the factory as a hand start only. The electric starter was an accessory kit. It does NOT include any sort of charging system. A belt driven DC generator could be added if you were determined enough, but would be expensive.

Since it is basically a hand start motor, it does not run off a battery except for powering the starter. Once running it operates off magneto power like a lawn mower and no battery is even needed.

 

[JKD]

Re: Does my motor have an altenator or other means of charging battery?

What about a 1961 18 hp electric start, does it run off the battery or will it run on its own power?

 

[80skeys]

Re: Does my motor have an altenator or other means of charging battery?

Since it is basically a hand start motor, it does not run off a battery except for powering the starter. Once running it operates off magneto power like a lawn mower and no battery is even needed.

Then, basically this means I'm responsible for charging the battery on my own, using a charger or trickle charging from my car battery at home.

 

[Vic.S]

Re: Does my motor have an altenator or other means of charging battery?

Then, basically this means I'm responsible for charging the battery on my own, using a charger or trickle charging from my car battery at home.

Yes but if your demands on the battery are low, that is you are not running a whole mass of lights, electronic navigation systems, radar, microwave ovens, ice makers etc etc but just a small number of engine starts you may find that a solar panel or wind turbine will do the job for you. You would need to assess your demands though in order to determine the size of solar panel or wind turbine required. Don't leave the battery in a discharged or even partly dischaged state as that will dramatically shorten its life

 

[80skeys]

Re: Does my motor have an altenator or other means of charging battery?

you may find that a solar panel or wind turbine will do the job for you. You would need to assess your demands though in order to determine the size of solar panel or wind turbine required. Don't leave the battery in a discharged or even partly dischaged state as that will dramatically shorten its life

Do you mean a solar panel in lieu of a battery, or are you talking about a solar panel that I carry on the boat to charge the battery while in operation? Can you point me in direction of manufacturers, web pages, etc. for these solar panels?

 

[80skeys]

Re: Does my motor have an altenator or other means of charging battery?

What about a 1961 18 hp electric start, does it run off the battery or will it run on its own power?

No engine needs a battery to run once it's been fired up. The power generated by combustion is sufficient to turn the motor and keep the spark plugs firing, until it runs out of gas.

Batteries serve only two purposes: to make starting the motor easier (electric start); and to power auxiliary stuff like radio, lights, and other electronic equipment. If your vehicle or boat has auxiliary stuff being powered from the battery, then your motor needs to have a way of continually charging the battery while in operation. Normally this is done with an alternator.

some motors have them. some don't.

 

[Werdna1965]

Re: Does my motor have an altenator or other means of charging battery?

Hi,

You can't start the motor using the starter without a battery, the solar panel or wind turbine mentioned would be to keep said battery topped up in lieu of having a generator (which was an accessory back when your engine was built)

I have a 1963 40 HP Johnson with electric start, this is the way I have to run it because someone pinched the generator assembly before it fell into my hands.

Just wire up the battery as per usual and run a solar panel on the dash through the ciggy lighter socket, if it's constantly plugged in it should work well enough.

Cheers

 

[Vic.S]

Re: Does my motor have an altenator or other means of charging battery?

A solar panel fitted to the boat to charge your battery whilethe boat is not in use.
A good range of solar panels is readily available from usual marine outlets in the UK and I expect you'll find similar in what ever part of the world you reside.
If you calculate that you need a panel larger than 10 watts also fit a regulator.

BTW Cigarette lighter sockets may be Ok for cigarette lighters but for other uses they are very poor. Use a proper marine plug and socket or better wire it permanently

 

[Lion hunter]

Re: Does my motor have an altenator or other means of charging battery?

If you look up under the flywheel and see the copper winding (like the inside of an alternator) it has a generator. If there is any increase in voltage at the battery running vs not running it has a generator. I have heard of people going several days of starrting and running a fish finder before having to recharge.

 

[80skeys]

Re: Does my motor have an altenator or other means of charging battery?

wow, great responses, everybody! This has helped me a lot. Thanks.