I'll be going over to my "other" garage tomorrow where the Ranger alternator lives, to start building my weld cart (fab thread coming soon!). I'm going to see what I can come up with then. I'm all about playing MythBusters!

Of course, that's a Ford alternator, so if we're talking Jeep specific here, it may not yield accurate results. I don't have a spare Jeep alty laying around

 

That would be awesome if you do. Please share any info you get after trying.

 

If it turns out to be a worthwhile experiment, I'll make a video.

The challenge now is how to secure the alternator, lol.. Don't even have a workbench, let alone a vise. I hope one of the two belts that I have will work also.

 

My idea of testing it would have a table drill and vise. Put the belt on the chuck of the drill and have the alternator in the vise,

 

A table drill might not mimic a possible real-life scenario, though. I'll definitely have to get creative, but I think that it would emulate a true situation in that regard. I'll come up with something. Because engineer

 

How's this for a twist: Using a bicycle. Pedal power!

 

Well there's this. Very very interesting stuff. I have a whole new understanding of how an alternator works. That obviously wouldn't be too practical or likely in a RL scenario, but still makes you think. I suppose you were onto something there, salad!

 

Great idea but what would you have spinning the alternator? Belt would get ate up pretty fast

 

Here's yet another idea. Dissolve a couple of aspirin in warm water, room temp will do, and pour it into the battery and it'll raise the voltage enough to start if it's not completely dead.

 

Very good find i believe this video answered a couple question that i had, thank you

 

You have a welder, but no bench? I have a bench with vise and I don't even have a garage! (tent shed for the win)

 

What do you mean? Belt ate up by what? I'm doing this experiment with a drill. But I'm not expecting stellar results from a 1500rpm drill when the norm for an alternator to reach operating speed is around 2000rpm. I haven't quite figured the pulley situation out yet--I may borrow one off of my dad's mower deck.

Really? That sounds pretty interesting. You going to do this experiment for us?

LOL, I've been buying tools as I need them. I've been getting by with a plastic yard sale table for now, but it has to go! I'm hopefully upgrading pretty soon.

 

I was talking about the bicycle sprocket.

 

Well if you look closely in the video, you'll see that the tire was removed from the bicycle rim, and a belt installed around it. Pretty clever!

 

Lol i know, but i didnt see the video post when i said it. But that video was kinda intresting in alot of ways