Hi All,

Does anybody know if alternators perform equally well regardless of the
direction they are spun?  I'm wondering if I can mount my alternator
facing the engine rather than along side. This will cause it to turn
"backwards". It is internally regulated if that matters. Also, what RPM
do alternators like to spin at for sustained periods as in an aircraft
application, it seems that the automobile pulley sizes might not be
acceptable for an engine running 6500 RPM for hours on end during cruiseoperations.             Thanx for the help,                  Dave M

When searching for my alternator, I went to my local alternator shop
and asked these same questions.  They said that most alternators will
work just fine in either direction.  When asked about underdriving my
alternator, they also said that most alternators can handle very high
rpms without a problem.  However, it takes more HP to spin the alt. at
higher speeds, even if the regulator limits the amount of its output,
and therefore drag. An a/c engine also runs at constant, high rpm
compared to a car.  So I estimated that a pulley about twice the
diameter (4" instead of 2") would let my alternator spin at speeds more
comparable to that of its automotive application.

Scott Gettings


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