Alternator refurb?

Check the battery voltage, engine running. Should be something like

13.8-14.4v. If much lower, most likely fault (90%) is a failed regulator. Not difficult to change with the alternator on the bench and costs less than 30 quid off ebay. Do make sure you get the correct one, though.

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I did. ;-)

It was, and falling fast.

Ok.

I've got the reg off and note one brush is very (too) short and most likely explains why one of the slip rings is badly worn / eroded (not sure if it's plastic I can see or just very carbonised copper). [1]

Alternator itself is a:

Bosch 70

0 124 225 018 GCB2 14V -> 70A 24 437 119 Made in Spain (900) XK

The VR is a: BR14-M3-V14 Foom 145 231

~25 quid for a new reg on eBay, or about the same for a s/h alternator?

Cheers, T i m

[1] I have a lathe, is this something that can be repaired?

At 200k miles the most likely failure is brushes.

I have cleaned slip rings up but you can also get new one for most Bosch alternators.

This guy has videos for most alternators. I have purchased parts on eBay from him:

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Thanks for that, very encouraging and answers so many questions (like how the connection is made to the slipring itself).

What I like (in a shuddery sorta way) is how 'crude' his work is (mainly using screwdrivers as anything but a screwdriver and a hammer <g>) but how effective it seems to be (in that he makes it work again). ;-)

I couldn't see one from him for the Bosch but there is one here:

(He doesn't replace the sliprings though).

You think your man might be able to supply the sliprings for our Bosch?

Cheers, T i m

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That may then take out the slipring?

Given that I believe the alternator on her Corsa is the same one as on our Meriva, what we might do is see if we can pick up a d/h spare and fit it to get her going again and then I could refurbish hers (at least sliprings and regulator with brushes, if the brushes can't be changed as well) , keeping it as a spare for both of us (and so guaranteeing neither of us will ever need one). ;-)

Cheers, T i m

His videos do show what seems a ham-fisted approach, but gives some very useful tips with using minimal tools.

When I gave him my numbers he said it was a Chinese copy of a Bosch. I replaced bearings and the slip rings as I had damaged them whilst disassembling the alternator. I also replaced the regulator/brush assembly. I think the bearing was stuck to the case so the bearing moved into the slip ring as I pulled the rotor out of the rear case.

If you have the alternator details send him a message and say what you need. I felt his prices were competitive and he seems to know his business. Everything he sent fitted mine without drama.

If I recall, mine looked very much like the Valeo in his video. I'm sure the soldering to the rotor windings was very similar.

I found the front bearing very tight and the body flexed under a light load from a press. So I heated the alloy casing and the bearing near fell out. Something I should have considered when separating the stator and the rear case!

Usually emery can take out the pitting?

On another alternator I was able to change the brushes. They were £4 on eBay! With the fake Bosch it seemed attractive to replace the whole regulator/brush unit.

Clean up the slip ring with fine wet and dry, you won't ever get it to as new. Fit new brushes. Expect them to last about 50K, 5-10 years?

Or you do the full strip down to fit new slip rings.

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Tbf, we are often zoomed in on what he is doing so that might exaggerate it a bit. ;-)

That was a thought ... rather than assuming everyone had a Dremel, 10 tonne press and a range of pullers and digging and picking tools.

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Oh?

Ah.

Excellent.

Ok.

From a fair amount of such work on motorbikes that's something I often do (oven or hot air gun) and with similarly dramatic results. That and putting the bearing in the freezer etc.

I'll drop him a line, thanks.

Cheers, T i m

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I've tried using my Leatherman diamond hone whilst holding it against the body of the brush cover and spinning the armature and I think the bit where the brush runs on one ring is down to the plastic. It 'might' pick up on the edges of the groove for a while but not for long. ;-(

I would and I agree, was it not for how much it's worn.

I think that's the way but it's a toss up between spending ~£35 > £50 on the parts and doing it versus getting a s/h alternator for less (the chances are it wouldn't have done 200,000+ miles) and getting her going quicker?

I would still refurb the old alternator, even if just for the S&G's, if I could get the parts etc.

Cheers, T i m

It's just that on another Youtube video I watched there was one very short brush and similar to ours, that slipring was worn though to the plastic? I didn't know that if the brush get's hung up where there is next to no contact pressure on the slipring it then just acts like a spark eroder, eating away that ring in short time?

(I repaired an electric mower that was working, went intermittent then stopped ... and if it did start and you ran it with the cover off, the sparks on one brush / commutator was like a sparkler!)

Agreed.

I had actually watched one of mateys alternator videos before you linked to him and in that one he replaces the brushes by grinding the old solder away, opening the holes, poking the new brush braid though and then bending it over and re-soldering. I haven't yet been able to see the back end of the brushes on this Bosch as they might be behind a cover that could be glued on (that I'd have to break off .. and re-seal with silicone if not the cover).

I would love to repair this one and may still if I can get the parts quicker than a spare alternator.

Cheers, T i m

Factory workshop manual for a late 80's Nissan says heat bearing housing on rear cover with 200W soldering iron and says do not use heat gun as it can damage diode assy. Rear bearing is also retained by a snap ring.

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I think there is heat and 'heat' Peter.

Uncle was trying to get the bearing out of the rear casing of his Lambretta LD 150 (shaft drive) scooter. A neighbour, thinking he needed more heat, went and got his blowlamp and 'assisted'. When the aluminium casing collapsed he turned his blowlamp off and walked away. ;-(

I think if you got it as warm as it get's beside the exhaust and behind a hot engine in slow moving traffic, that should be enough. ;-)

They are thing you certainly need to look out for, especially when it's under a 10 tonne press!

Cheers, T i m

Now you tell me!! :-)

My alternator was a generation newer!

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It looks like he's gone incommunicado as none of his Internet presence's seem current / valid?

If he's bothered to put those videos up to help others and knows what he's doing I'd like to give him my custom if possible?

Do you have any current contact info for him please?

Cheers, T i m

I've just checked his Youtube page and it seems his eBay account is closed. His facebook page is:

which still has an gmail email address and a website:

which if you go to is up for sale.

Sorry, it seems I have created a dead-end for you. In which case it's a shame as he was quite responsive in providing assistance.

However a further search came up with eBay seller:

If you click on business details you'll see a similar name to Martin and a familiar email address. There are no items for sale.

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Yup, I think I found all that also (mentioned elsewhere). ;-(

Oh well, maybe he's changed his game. At least I know (thanks to you / him) it can all be done d-i-y. ;-)

The Corsa seems to be running ok with the 120A alternator (for now anyway) and I do intend to try to refurb her old one for the S&G's (less risk now as well) as it's the same as fitted to the Meriva so might be of use.

Alternatively (excuse the pun), I wonder how practical it would be to use to make a petrol powered high current generator / charger?

70A at ~14V is roughly 1kW and so a 2hp engine should do it and you can get 6hp jobbys new on the Internet, assuming I can't find an old lawnmower engine somewhere. ;-)

Cheers, T i m

From:

You can get Eamonn Reilly Ltd from business details. They have an active Facebook page which mentions alternator repairs.

The address for WESTRONICS LIMITED is C/O EAMONN REILLY SANDYHILL WESTPORT CO. MAYO

The only issue with attaching an alternator to a small engine is that at low rpm, once the field winding is energised the torque at low revs is high. They are pretty much constant power devices. So low gearing may be required so the engine is spinning at a modest revs when the alternator 'kicks in'.

You'd need a small battery and a 1kW inverter.

There is a company that uses an alternator and direct inverter/control to produce 230v directly for boat applications. Alternators are multi-pole and produce high frequency AC so the stator is not suitable for direct connection to conventional 50/60Hz transformers.