From dual V belt to serpentine

[TAOlsen]

We have a QSL9 and in addition to the standard alternator, we have a 300 amp Balmar alternator that charges our large house bank. 

It has a custom bracket near the front of the engine and uses a dual V belt setup from a crank mounted pulley.

We would like to change it to serpentine as we have had constant trouble with getting two v belts (matched), hence one slips and smokes.

Seems like the pulley for the alternator is easy to source, the crank one not so much.

Any ideas would be much appreciated. 

Regards,

Todd

Topic

[Tony Athens]

Clark,

HTD belt systems are great, but require much more care in building proper brackets  as to alignment, etc.. I have made many “gizmo’s” using them for high torque lower RPM applications  — Harley Davidson has used them for 20 yrs+ now.  The belt of choice for blowers in dragsters, etc. 

Double V-belts, done right are more way more forgiving–I suspect our original poster was not willing to spent to time need for me to help..

 

 

[Clark Leighs]

No reply from the O.P.?   I don’t know serpentine belts other than they are used all over the place.  

Answer Tony’s reply and he should be able to help you but no reply means no help at all.

There may be someone else here that can help but again no reply means no help.  

I am going to suggest the use of a timing belt as the drive.    THe belts actually have moulded bars across them which match the recesses and bars on the pulleys. These drives do NOT rely on friction for the drive.  The belt only needs enough tension that it bars stay in the recesses.

I strongly suspect you will have to get a machinist involved to fit/adapt the drive pulley to the crankshaft with some kind of adapter.     You will find these kinds of things at a drive specialist or a bearing supply house.   

I have only limited experience with them on large powerfull saws.  They ran for years and years with nary a break.   THe drive motors started almost instantly when energized with NO windup such as an engine would have.       Maybe Tony has some experience also but these drives are not uncommon industrially. You will have to ensure you have spares of that Mfgr. belts though as the designs of the timing can be different , mfgr. to mfgr.             Anyways, just a thought.

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Tony Athens

[Tony Athens]

Double v-belts can do a very good job as long all is set up RIGHT………Post really good pics of what you built as to brackets and the belt wrap..

Tony

[Author]

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