Visit our Popular Forums

ColdEH · 18-02-2011, 12:17

Hi there, is anyone out there using or have tried an Eco-Tech alternator?

They pump out amazing amounts of power at 1800 RPM s

Check them out , Eco Tech Alternators - Ecoair Corp. - high output alternator, high amp alternators

Regards

beetle · 18-02-2011, 12:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by typhoon

Hi there, is anyone out there using or have tried an Eco-Tech alternator?

They pump out amazing amounts of power at 1800 RPM s

Check them out , Eco Tech Alternators - Ecoair Corp. - high output alternator, high amp alternators

Regards

At $3000 for a 325 amp alternator, I'll probably wait a while - my 105 amp Ample Power alternator was $465

Does look like an interesting product. They make a claim that their power generation approach is different than the average alternator we use; I'm interesting in knowing more about what they've done.

- rob/beetle

S/V Alchemy · 18-02-2011, 13:19

If you get one, I'd love to see it, as I am in Toronto refitting a steel cutter, part of which includes a new Beta 60 with two PTOs, as I was planning on two smaller alternators instead of "all eggs in one expensive basket".

But I could be persuaded otherwise.

ColdEH · 18-02-2011, 13:24

Your right Rob , 3 grand , a little steep . One came on ebay brand new in the box, so I snatched it up for 750 $ Im going to run it off the back side of a Yanmar 3 cylinder diesel that use to be a Kohler generator using a Lovejoy coupler directly off the crank. Just waiting for a little machining to get done and I should be in business. My origanil plan was to use two high output alternators , but didn;t work out because of the belting problems. This alternator makes power at very low rpms, just were the Yanmar runs , so no belts!

Thought I would throw it out here in case anyone has used one .

John

ColdEH · 18-02-2011, 13:28

Hey Alchemy , I have those two alternators I was talking about , they put out 180 amps each, I watched him put them the bench and spin them up . The need to be regulated, Balmar, Ample power , if you want them drop me a PM . They are brand new , never mounted. .

Regards John.

S/V Alchemy · 18-02-2011, 19:45

I'll keep in it mind, John. Thanks. I won't contact you until June or so, because I need to make new tanks and soundproof the engine bay before I put in the engine, and I need to put in the engine before I think of alternators!

Gashmore · 03-03-2011, 16:56

I have an Eco Tech J305 mounted on a CV joint drive off the front of my Yanmar 4JH4. I was concerned about putting that much side load on the front bearing. Bought it on ebay a couple of years ago for $500. Haven't launched yet but I took it out to a local truck alternator shop to test it. They couldn't get any higher than 2200 rpm because their test bench couldn't handle that much output.

You need a pretty big battery bank to use it because it would overwhelm a typical 400-500 AH bank. I am running 4 Trojan L16H batteries for a total of 870 AH. (OK, I'm an energy glutton.)

ColdEH · 03-03-2011, 19:30

I agree with that side load concern, the last thing we would want to do is smoke a crank bearing.

I will be using about 1000 ah worth of AGM batteries. Should balance out well. People see the alternator on my bench at work and always comment on it , what a monster . And if I can can get 240 amps back in the batteries in one hour of running, while making 40 gallons of water , life will be good . Nice to see im not the only power hog

Regards

S/V Alchemy · 03-03-2011, 20:43

I will be looking at a 900-1000 Ah bank as well, although they will be topped up by extensive solar and wind before I start the engine. The engine will drive one or two alts, but their output has yet to be determined. There's a case for one biggie, and a case for two modest cheapos that are self-backing up, if you follow.

Gashmore · 04-03-2011, 04:14

I originally installed a 270 amp Leece-Neville and ARS-5 regulator. When I found the Eco Tech I left the regulator in place and put the L-N in reserve. One advantage of the CV joint mount is it puts the alternator out front under the companionway steps so it is easy to get to.

My primary concern about the Eco Tech is that it can't be externally regulated. It was designed for fire trucks and emergency vehicles that require a lot of power at idle for short periods. I was not sure how it would treat the battery bank after a couple of days motoring. Talked to the engineers at EcoAir and they convinced me it would not be a problem. If that turns out to be wrong I can switch back.

The story I got from the ebay seller was that he bought it surplus from the NYC Fire Department. They had bought several for evaluation and fell in love with them but the city choked on the $3K price.

ColdEH · 04-03-2011, 07:17

I talked to EcoAir as well because I was concernd about the lack of external regulation. I told him what I was doing with the alternator and the size and type of the battery bank and he told me that this alternator would be no problem . The alternator will simply fill the batteries at its maximium charging rate and turn off when they are full. Seems simple enough to me . Aperently there are two sets of windings in the alternator therefore needing a very special regultor , so that rules out external regulation.

I wouldn't try to charge a battery bank that couldn't handle the output of this alternator , I think boiling your batteries would not be a good thing. BOOM !!!

A large bank of AGMs will be able to take a high charge rate and not even warm up , at least in theory .

Im not using any solar or wind, just the Yanmar , and a good back up alternator on the main engine.

I figure even if I run the genset engine for an hour a day , thats only 365 hrs a year. If I get 4000 hrs ( know of engines to last much longer with good service) out of the engine , thats almost 11 years, I can live with that maintenance schedule .

Regards

witzgall · 04-03-2011, 07:34

How do you mount an alternator with a CV joint? I am having trouble picturing this in my mind. Do you have a photo?

Chris

Gashmore · 04-03-2011, 07:45

The way it regulates is pretty neat. It has two rotors on one shaft. One is permanent magnet and the other is wire wound. The permanent magnet part always generates power. When the regulator senses a need for more power than the magnet side can produce it loads the wire side so they both add together. When it sees the need to reduce power below what the magnets produce it reverses the polarity in the wire side so that the output is subtracted. By varying the current to the wire side it can adjust the net power being output.

Gashmore · 04-03-2011, 08:24

It took a bit of machining to do the CV joint thing. First I built the engine stringers about 14" out in front of the engine. I welded up a bracket that fits across the engine stringers with two heavy bearings lined up with the engine shaft and machined an adapter to mate the CV joint to the balancer pulley.

Port side of the bracket is a standard J mount for the alternator. Starboard is the high pressure pump for the water maker with an electric clutch. Finally I machined a to step aluminum pulley so that I can drive the alternator and water maker anywhere between moderate idle and 2200 engine RPM.

Theoretically I should be able to make 32 gallons of water and two days worth of battery charge in a little over an hour of engine time.

Can't figure out how to post a current photo but my water maker page has a picture of the assembled PTO before installation and before the new pulley. (Also with the L-N alternator)
Watermaker