The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay generator or alternator

what are the advantagesof the alternator or the generator.. and how much would it run to change it over to an alternator if thats the best choice

the best thing about an alternator is the output more tha the generator.the one draw back it takes juice to the alternator to start the vehical where with the generator you can push start if there is a problem. i got my brackets from, www.patricksantiquecars.com good luck. ron

generators are fine if all's well w/ it and the regulator, it puts out enuff juice at lower RPM if everything is A1, but ya gotta watch the brushes don't get worn down and bugger the commutator and around here the pieces are scarcer and more expensive

alternators are cheeeep, specially at the wreckers, and last longer w/ less maintainence - I've got a generator on my 57 235 [w/ expensive replaced regulator], and an externally regulated alternator on the 58 283 - I've got a spare generator, but if I didn't, then when the current one goes, I'd switch to an alternator

I switched my 46 GMC [6v] to an alternator cuz I was havin trouble w/ cold starts in the winter, and the regulator was shot - the guy who modified the 12v one for me [for about the same as a new regulator woulda cost] set it up so it was generating [alternating? ] at real low rpm, and never had any starting problems after that!

Bill

Hmm, I have the original generator in my 56 chevy truck and it works fine still. It stopped charging at the end of last summer and I took it to a guy who owns a shop that rebuilds starters,generators and altenators. For 40 dollars the guy changed the brushes (one was bad), resoldered the communicator, changed the bearing to a sealed non lube type and sandblasted the case and repainted it black like original. It looks like a NOS part and it works perfect. I don't see why everyone goes all out and spends money on altenators. I fully understand the differance between the two units by the way.