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Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!allegra!bellcore!decvax!decwrl!dec-rhea!dec-jon!moroney
From: moroney@jon.DEC
Newsgroups: net.auto
Subject: Re: Alternators
Message-ID: <447@decwrl.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 2-Feb-85 20:25:10 EST
Article-I.D.: decwrl.447
Posted: Sat Feb  2 20:25:10 1985
Date-Received: Tue, 5-Feb-85 04:21:07 EST
Sender: daemon@decwrl.UUCP
Organization: DEC Engineering Network
Lines: 34

>I read an article about how some guy invented a box that cuts out 
>his alternator most of the time thus saving gas by not having the
>device under a load when not needed.
>
>The article goes on to say that the alternator only comes on when
>either the break lights come on or the batt. level is low.
>
>There is only a minimal level of friction from the now free spinning
>alternators.
>
>A couple of questions.  First would this work?  How would one go about
>making the box "know" when the batt level is low and turning on the
>juice?  
>
>Any ideas?

I have been toying with the exact same idea for the last several years
but I never got around to building such a device.  It would improve gas
mileage and performance somewhat because the alternator places a load on
the engine only when the brakes are on.  As far as making the "box" know
whether the battery needs to be charged, that is a standard voltage regulator
which every car has (If it didn't, your battery would overcharge and go
KABOOM!).  This "box" is really a modified voltage regulator which has an
extra input which goes to the brake lights.  Instead of the normal voltage
regulator function (charge only if battery voltage < x) this box works on
the principle is (charge battery only if (battery voltage < x) or (brakes on and
x <= battery voltage < y)).  I have seen similar devices for sale which cut
out the air conditioning when the car is accellerated (sp?) hard.
The car I was experimenting with had a large change in engine RPM 
when it was idling when I overrode the voltage regulator and manually
turned on/off the alternator.

"There's a madness to my method."			Mike Moroney
						..decwrl!rhea!jon!moroney