Author Topic: Belt drive for generators  (Read 5267 times)

Online groily

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Re: Belt drive for generators
« Reply #15 on: 08.06. 2008 22:34 »
Agree there should be no prob with steel-alloy - I've just put alloy mag pinion on per previous threads and that HAS to stay put! Fingers crossed. Don't know why the dynamo drive gear fell off, but could well be because it wasn't far enough up the taper, or the nut should have been checked. It was tight when it was put on, is all I know. I'll check the revised arrangement with the old steel centre in a few more miles - but am pretty confident it can't budge. Famous last words. It'll probably last until it's dark and raining, which is when I usually find myself groping for the tools in some unfriendly ditch. Amazing how one becomes acquainted with ditches over time . . .
Bill

Offline a10 gf

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Re: Belt drive for generators
« Reply #16 on: 08.06. 2008 23:13 »
Thinking about it, I'd believe the mag with it's large dia is much easier to turn than a charging dynamo's small sprocket. The alu sprocket on the mag has an easy job and should not slip unless one forgets to tighten the nut at all, not so on the dynamo side, I'd say there is a good reason why there is a key on the original design.


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Offline Dynamo Regulators Mike

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Re: Belt drive for generators
« Reply #17 on: 10.06. 2008 09:04 »
I have had A Hawker belt drive fitted for a couple of thousand now. Only problem has been the need to tighten belt perhaps every 500 miles or it will slip. But I did take up the option from Hawker of fitting the seal to keep the belt completely dry. This only after it had slipped in a trace of oil and worn the belt somewhat. A bit of a hassle but perhaps best done during next winter fettling. A new belt will probably help to cure my remaining 'stretch' now its all perfectly dry running.
Perhaps the puuleys should be fitted with a suitable grade of loctite. It also seems to me that if the aluminium were anodised the harder surface would grip more tightly on the tapers as well as the belt running surface being less prone to abrasion.
Should say that I run a 55/60W headlamp and Boyer ignition so dynamo is doing a fair bit of work. Belt drive ratio is 3:1 on my setup.
Cheers
Mike
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Offline GuyboA10

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Re: Belt drive for generators
« Reply #18 on: 10.06. 2008 10:10 »
G'day. Hey Mike, did you fit the special seal or did Hawker do it? just wondering as it sounds like a good option. Also, what is the ratio for the SRM beltdrive??I think they say it offers 10%-15% more charge.Hawker...3:1 ,cheers Guybo.

Offline Dynamo Regulators Mike

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Re: Belt drive for generators
« Reply #19 on: 10.06. 2008 11:08 »
And g'day to you cobber.
Hawker fitted the seal into the timing cover by return. It's a small V seal and has worked a treat. The belt drive is supplied with a cork seal as originally fitted apparently. You may be lucky and this will do the trick. It did not fit behind the drive pulley on mine - too thick.
There are I believe at least two dynamo drive ratio fitted to our twins. Don't recall the sprocket teeth nos, but I think mine worked out at about 2.2:1. Sean Hawker said his belt kit offered about a 30% speed increase over standard, and a bit more than SRM.
Incidentally read yesterday on Yahoo board about a problem with a tooth belt drive shedding teeth after over stressing whilst tightening. Something else to watch for.
But belts are quieter, cleaner and offer more speed. Nothing ever seems clearcut when it comes to 'improvements' does it?
Mike
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Offline RichardL

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Re: Belt drive for generators
« Reply #20 on: 10.06. 2008 16:09 »
a101960,

I have had a very good supplier/customer (I'm the customer, of course) relationship with SRM. They have never denied me help, even when it did not lead directly to their profit. SRM is very receptive to telephone and email communications. Having had trouble with their product, you should definitely give them a call or send them a note, as I'm certain they would like to know about it.

Richard


Offline a101960

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Re: Belt drive for generators
« Reply #21 on: 10.06. 2008 22:34 »
Quote
Having had trouble with their product, you should definitely give them a call or send them a note, as I'm certain they would like to know about it.

You are right of course, and I have bought other products from SRM that have proven to be very good. However, having had that product fail (both pulleys working loose) I rather lost confidence in the product. Even if I had be given a replacement I would have been constantly worrying about if and when it was going to let me down again. The Hawker system is a much better engineered product (in my opinion) it certainly does not look as fragile (especially the dynamo pulley). The only down side to the Hawker belt drive kit is that due to initial belt stretch it does require adjusting a couple of times until the belt has settled. The belt is a a toothed 'V' belt by the way. I know that others have used the SRM system without trouble, and it is equally likely that some people have had problems with the Hawker belt drive. From my own personal point of view there is no point pursuing something that you have lost confidence in. For the sake of balance I should say that I had a Hawker electronic regulator fitted, which although I cannot truthfully say that it did not work, it could be a bit eccentric in the way that it did work. I subsequently changed to a V2 regulator which I am much happier with. It is I suppose all a matter of continual experimentation until you find a solution to a task that suits you as an individual.

Offline RichardL

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Re: Belt drive for generators
« Reply #22 on: 11.06. 2008 00:47 »
a101960,

Well, perhaps you have a different view of money than I. Were it I, and I was unconsolably dissatisfied, I would have asked if I might have my money back. I imagine that the kit was more than a few "quid," as you would say. Knowing SRM a bit, I suppose they would rather refund your money than have you unhappy. Nevertheless, some folks don't like to bother with such things and being one of them may be your way.

Regards,

Richard


Online groily

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Re: Belt drive for generators
« Reply #23 on: 11.06. 2008 15:51 »
Next time I talk to them (SRM) - they're always v helpful as everyone seems to agree - I shall certainly be mentioning the hassle with mine. Not to say it's their 'fault' but just to explain the circs and why I think the design is less than ideal. As I've now remade mine I can't complain too loudly. But I shall certainly whine if the fragile dynamo pulley also comes a cropper and I have to make a new centre for that out of something from the farmyard (or old lawnmowers, my favourite source). A few quid indeed - I think about 60 UK beer vouchers Richard, which these days equates to quite a stash of your beleaguered monopoly-money unfortunately!
Bill

Online groily

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Re: Belt drive for generators
« Reply #24 on: 12.06. 2008 00:34 »
Doesn't bear thinking about Richard - all the years I was out there on your side working - '94 - '00 -, a quid was worth about a dollar fifty. Lucky you guys make most of what you consume . . . apart from the vexed question of oil and I'm not going there here! I guess it only matters if you want to go somewhere - those I met who came over to France for the D Day remembrance ceremonies last week were all pretty shocked at the relative cost of everything . . . hope it's just a cycle and things will get back to sensible in due course.
Bill

Online groily

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Re: Belt drive for generators
« Reply #25 on: 12.06. 2008 22:28 »
It's me that's thick. Wasn't sure whether you meant 15 comma whatever or 15 full stop whatever . . . if the former, I missed the point, if the latter I thought maybe the exchange rate Chicago side had plummeted even further from the abysmal 2 to the pound to some horrible new level encouraged by usurious persons unknown. Must now check how much money there is in a standard British Monopoly Set (if the kids haven't lost half of it over the years). In any event, the lament for your devalued money holds good . . . have some old friends from Ohio staying with us this week, and am embarrassed to let them buy me so much as a beer for fear of what it's costing them . . .
Bill

Offline RichardL

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Re: Belt drive for generators
« Reply #26 on: 13.06. 2008 05:32 »
Absolutely. I just filed my expenses for my trip to London 1-1/2 weeks ago and it is a bit shocking when I look at it in dollars. It seems everything in the UK is at just about the right price, but it happens to be in pounds. I guess I am not a good economist, as it makes me think the dollar is quite strong, as long as it is spent here.

Just curious, are your Ohio friends into BSAs. Ohio appears to have one of the more active clubs in the US.

Richard

Offline fido

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Re: Belt drive for generators
« Reply #27 on: 13.06. 2008 08:14 »
For many years the dollar was worth about 7 shillings and sixpence (37.5 pence) and indeed my father sometimes used to say something cost him a dollar if that had been the price of the item.

Offline octane

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Re: Belt drive for generators
« Reply #28 on: 14.07. 2008 18:31 »
Hi folks!

...stumbled across this thread,
and accidentally I am right now in the process
of re-installing the SRM-belt system as part of re-assembling the engine.
I've had it for a couple of years (no idea how many km/miles) and so far no real problems.

..the generator pulley has to be put on after it's been put in place on the crankcase (too large to go through the timing cover), which means it's not the easiest nut to do up tight - for the lack of means to hold everything..
The trick (although time consuming) is to remove both timing-side covers
...install dynamo (with suitably tightened up pulley)
...then the inner and outer covers

I just did it an hour ago BTW



.. The slipping on the male taper wrecked the female in the soft ali pulley, to the point where there was no chance of any positive engagement, ever. ...
I agree: the ali pulley does seam to be made of some rather soft'ish material.
I always worry if it will stay put.

Another thing is; be very careful to line up the dynamo
so that the two pulley's are in perfect alignment.
On my engine it means that I can't use the cork-seal.
It's too thick and will move the dynamo back too far.

Online groily

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Re: Belt drive for generators
« Reply #29 on: 15.07. 2008 12:45 »
Did think about taking off the inner case Octane, but too darn lazy! Got the dynamo pulley on OK in the end - well, it's still there despite the disaster with the drive pulley! Good luck with yours, looks a nice job
Bill