The 50D Alternator strikes again

neoneddy · January 14, 2021, 11:04:09 AM

I've thought about wiring a remote potentiometer up to the drivers area to do exactly that. Sometimes I get situations where my solar system will not kick in because the mighty 50DN can keep voltage above float while pulling in 4000 watts to the domestic side. I could turn down the juice for a bit to get the solar chargers to start trying to get to absorb, and save fuel. In this why I consider my bus to be a hybrid vehicle.

chessie4905 · January 14, 2021, 03:42:38 PM

Maybe a heat sensor in the exhaust or a an adjustable map sensor in intake with some delay before re-engaging to take into account short power demands. I'm sure something could be worked out.

sledhead · January 15, 2021, 05:42:28 AM

on the MCI at the start batteries I put a latching solenoid in that I could turn off so that the engine alternator could not charge the house batteries . worked great

dave

daddysgirl · January 15, 2021, 06:51:18 AM

This might be overly simplistic, but why not keep the engine and house systems separate? The power distribution system maintains my house bank 24/7 so I don't see a need to mess with the engine system.

neoneddy · January 15, 2021, 07:02:38 AM

Quote from: daddysgirl on January 15, 2021, 06:51:18 AM
This might be overly simplistic, but why not keep the engine and house systems separate? The power distribution system maintains my house bank 24/7 so I don't see a need to mess with the engine system.

I'm not sure on your setup for power distribution.

I don't like to run my generator while driving. Although with my new to me diesel, I may run it to help keep engine temps in check.

I'm all about redundancy, I could lose solar and generator and still have house power. I could lose my alternator (as long as it doesn't seize and kill the engine ) and get home on solar or generator.

dtcerrato · January 15, 2021, 07:17:17 AM

We have chassis & house banks separated but can literally swap them, combine them or use either of them. Each have their dedicated solar inputs. We like redundancy as all our appliances/utilities are redundant also.

Melbo · January 15, 2021, 01:15:25 PM

When we first got our MC8 and installed the inverter we had an 8V71 with a belt drive 50D and the first time I turned on the roof top AC it scrambled the four belt set. I bought a set of 8 to replace the four and keep a spare set. Now that I have the L10 and a 300 amp 24 volt alternator driven by a serpentine belt it is no longer an issue and I have the alternator connected to the house battery bank. As daddysgirl said keep it simple. I have switch by the dash that connects the house bank to the start bank and connect the two to keep the start batteries charged. That much charging is not necessary to keep the diesel running down the road it is only required for all the extra stuff that draws electric for lights and such. Just like Scott says a small 24 volt alternator will keep up just fine for the motor systems. I like the big alternator for my 4024 inverter and AC while traveling.

Melbo

fortyniner · January 16, 2021, 03:39:25 PM

Man I really like the big 24v 50dn I have but I did not realize it can blow up like that.

The plan is to charge a 500ah Lithium bank which will put stress on it. I figured the stress it was under supporting the 4905 AC it came from is similar.

Would adding the external oil line would be a good preventative?

richard5933 · January 16, 2021, 03:53:16 PM

Quote from: fortyniner on January 16, 2021, 03:39:25 PM
Man I really like the big 24v 50dn I have but I did not realize it can blow up like that.

The plan is to charge a 500ah Lithium bank which will put stress on it. I figured the stress it was under supporting the 4905 AC it came from is similar.

Would adding the external oil line would be a good preventative?

I believe you have to pull the alternator to install the kit for the extra oil line. Someone can correct me if I'm wrong on that, but if you do need to pull the alternator it makes sense to just put in a newly rebuilt one and not have to worry about it for another 100,000 miles. Only way it makes sense to install the kit is if your alternator is fairly new, but if it were fairly new it would likely already have the second oil line.

chessie4905 · January 17, 2021, 04:44:05 AM

The drive end bearing was updated also. Pretty sure the gear failure was caused by drive end bearing failure causing enough radial play to strip, break and cause gear failure. Better bearing plus more oil. That alternator was used on thousands of city busses also. There is an adjustable mounting spacer between alternator and engine rear housing. The spacer has small screws to ensure the gear mesh between cup drive gear on engine and driven gear on alternator is concentric. There is a procedure to ensure this is aligned properly in service manual.

richard5933 · January 17, 2021, 04:58:31 AM

I should have included the bearing tech sheet with my earlier post. Here it is. I think this is what chessie4905 is talking about.

luvrbus · January 17, 2021, 06:51:20 AM

The gear drive 50D was just used on the V drive engines till the late 70's before they were used on T drives maybe they like being tilted better,they have 3 different drives for those also the step down drive is the worst of the 3

Jim Eh. · January 17, 2021, 08:10:33 AM

Quote from: neoneddy on January 15, 2021, 07:02:38 AM

I'm all about redundancy, I could lose solar and generator and still have house power. I could lose my alternator (as long as it doesn't seize and kill the engine ) and get home on solar or generator.

In the last 60 miles when I was first getting my bus home, I had to throw a small generator and 24v battery charger to supply power to the batteries. I ran this to get the bus home as the air system was freezing causing the charging system to stop working.
At the time I was not thinking of any catastrophic alternator failure taking out my engine. I did not even know if charging the batteries this way would start the damn thing of fire or not. All I knew was that it was about 40 below, about 11:00 at night and I was not going to pay for a tow truck.
All worked out in the end. The generator ran out of gas just outside my shop door.

dtcerrato · January 17, 2021, 01:30:46 PM

Where there's a will there is a way...

fortyniner · January 17, 2021, 06:57:49 PM

Quote from: luvrbus on January 17, 2021, 06:51:20 AM
The gear drive 50D was just used on the V drive engines till the late 70's before they were used on T drives maybe they like being tilted better,they have 3 different drives for those also the step down drive is the worst of the 3

The V drive engines had three different alternator drives? What is the step down drive exactly?