Generator add to 1961 40hp

[PaulS]

I have a 1961 Johnson 40 hp. Is it possible to add a generator? It's not running yet, but I presume that the magneto won't charge the battery.

Paul

 

[F_R]

Re: Generator add to 1961 40hp

I have a 1961 Johnson 40 hp. Is it possible to add a generator? It's not running yet, but I presume that the magneto won't charge the battery.

Paul

The generator kit was an accessory. It consists of a generator, mounting bracket, flywheel guard, belt, voltage regulator, regulator cable, deeper cover for the junction box, terminal strip, fuses, ammeter, and whatever else I am forgetting.

 

[rolmops]

Re: Generator add to 1961 40hp

I have a 1961 Johnson 40 hp. Is it possible to add a generator? It's not running yet, but I presume that the magneto won't charge the battery.

Paul

You are right.The magneto does not charge the battery.The engine works fine without any battery,unless you have an electric starter,which would use battery juice.
I have a generator on my 1957 35 Seahorse.They are easy to install,but the bracket you will need is hard to get by and the drive belt belt alone is about $35.
None of that would matter very much,but the generator will only start charging the battery when you run at about 1900 rpm and even then it is only a trickle.
Between bracket,battery,drive belt, the regulator and the larger electric box to fit in the regulator, you will spend easily 300 dollars and you will get very little in return.
It would make a lot more sense to buy a trickle charger and a spare battery for less than half that money.

 

[steelespike]

Re: Generator add to 1961 40hp

A good battery will start that many many times.Especially if properly tuned.
We used to go about 4 or 5 weekends with many starts and running lights fri and sat sometimes an hour or more drifting in the dark. It would sit the week and allways start fri evening.Usually didn't charge till I detected a slight hesitation cranking.This was just with a descent battery nothing special.
Of course it is better for the battery to charge regularly.But ours didn't seem to need replacement prematurely.

 

[samo_ott]

Re: Generator add to 1961 40hp

I used a 1 foot square solar panel on my boat this year hooked up to my battery for my '63 Viking 25hp and never had to charge the battery once. I highly recommend it. Saves gas, is a lot cheaper, saves weight... etc... and I was using an old weak starting battery, not even a good deep cycle one.

 

[lindy46]

Re: Generator add to 1961 40hp

I used a 1 foot square solar panel on my boat this year hooked up to my battery for my '63 Viking 25hp and never had to charge the battery once. I highly recommend it. Saves gas, is a lot cheaper, saves weight... etc... and I was using an old weak starting battery, not even a good deep cycle one.

Yup, solar panel works great. I keep it on my pontoon boat battery all summer and never have to charge it.

 

[F_R]

Re: Generator add to 1961 40hp

It is often pointed out that the DC generator won't charge at idle, which is true. But when it is running a bit over about 2000 RPM, it will put out 10 amps, if the battery needs it. Compare that to the 5 or 6 amps maximum that many "modern" AC alternators put out. And the AC ones don't put out much at idle either. Even at that, the unregulated AC systems will overcharge the battery to 16 volts or more, a subject that comes up here very often. At least the old DC generators had both voltage and current regulation. Too bad they are so expensive, complicated, and mis-understood. Worse, there aren't many of us old timers around that understand how they work and how to troubleshoot and fix them. I guess some day we all will be gone and the passing of an era will be complete except for museums and headstones.