Alton falling apart

Bracker1

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Wanted to know how long Alton Alternators are good for. I have a single phase with about 6000 miles on it and it quit working. The alternator made a metallic grinding noise and quit producing any electricity. I thought the sprocket shred it's teeth. Taking the bike apart, I found the sprocket and chain in good order.I found the field coil fell off the housing and into the rotating magnets. I am wondering if the vibration and heat weakened the bond. Why there is no set screw attaching the coil to body must be by design, but the epoxy(?) bond doesn't seem to work. I ordered another but have low hope of long term success. Maybe the McDougalator is the next step. See everyone at the International. Dan
 

bmetcalf

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I suggest you send it back to the Works, so they can learn from it. I haven't ridden as much as I should, but mine has been fine since 2000.
 

Bracker1

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I am still waiting for a response from the Alton manufacturer in Fance. Unfortunately I have bought a new one that will probably self destruct as well. I may just carry 12 batteries and run them until dead Dan
 

Peter Holmes

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VOC Member
Wanted to know how long Alton Alternators are good for. I have a single phase with about 6000 miles on it and it quit working. The alternator made a metallic grinding noise and quit producing any electricity. I thought the sprocket shred it's teeth. Taking the bike apart, I found the sprocket and chain in good order.I found the field coil fell off the housing and into the rotating magnets. I am wondering if the vibration and heat weakened the bond. Why there is no set screw attaching the coil to body must be by design, but the epoxy(?) bond doesn't seem to work. I ordered another but have low hope of long term success. Maybe the McDougalator is the next step. See everyone at the International. Dan
Another solution is the Walkernator, it uses a 3" pulley drive in place of the dynamo and then a poly vee belt driving an alternator sited above the dummy dynamo drive, in my case I am using the Nippon Denso alternator usually fitted to a Kubuto digger, but not the one used in the McDougalator, and it works very well, all the amps you will ever need at very low revs, the unit is bullet proof with a built in regulator, the down side is you wont win any concours de elegance competitions, I had to move the battery a little and re route the main oil feed pipe and also the fuel piping but the bottom line is it works and the inventor, Normam Walker along with Dick Sherwin assure me that belt failure is to date unheard of, so for the first time in 45 years of Vincent ownership I now have reliable and powerful electrics, fantastic!
 
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