200 amp generator housing broke.

[LoeSki]

so recently on my 1989 M998 my 200 amp generator housing cracked so its now only holding on with 2/3 bolts sadly i think it happened when my brother over tightened the screw but oh well. any suggestions on where to purchase one or possibly even an upgrade kit. i've been looked online and saw you can get the 200 amp alternator kit without the alternator, but what alternator would i be able to use and also how does that work switching over from a generator to an alternator?

 

[Action]

You have a 200 amp generator?

 

[LoeSki]

or alternator. i was told it was a generator but i was going off what i was told.

 

[tage]

I've seen them. Mounted in the back of hmmwvs. I think they use them for the avenger

 

[LoeSki]

hahahaha, any other options or suggestions besides spending 800$ on a 200amp niehoff, im really not trying to get a whole new alternator since its just my housing that broke.

 

[tage]

Get it welded

 

[LoeSki]

ive never welded aluminium before so ill give it a try. I tried to JB weld it, as a quick fix until i figure things out but but broke off once we bolted it back on. but thanks for that recommendation didn't think of that. just purchased my beast 2 weeks ago so i'm pretty amped to see how it comes out once its all set and done

 

[Action]

Is the support bracket missing at the rear bottom of the alternator? It should run down to the block and support the assembly.
I would take it to a welding shop before I tried to do that myself.

 

[dilvoy]

or alternator. i was told it was a generator but i was going off what i was told.

Humvees use Generators, not Alternators.

 

[tage]

ive never welded aluminium before so ill give it a try. I tried to JB weld it, as a quick fix until i figure things out but but broke off once we bolted it back on. but thanks for that recommendation didn't think of that. just purchased my beast 2 weeks ago so i'm pretty amped to see how it comes out once its all set and done

Get it welded. Tig isn't hard, but it's easy to **** up.

 

[Wire Fox]

For the OP: I'd absolutely get it professionally welded. Anything that spins at high RPM or houses something that does should be handled with at least some degree of precision, and I really feel like having your alternator turn into a grenade inside your engine is not something you should consider as an acceptable risk.

As to alternator vs generator: Technically, an alternator is a generator, but the electrical device we commonly call a "generator" (or Dynamo) spins the wire windings around a fixed magnetic field, generating 100% of possible output all the times. An alternator spins the magnetic field within fixed wire windings. I can't 100% remember the construction of my CE Niehoff 200A, but I remember the characteristic of how it operates: the higher the current load demand, the harder the engine has to work to turn that device. The variable output of the devices indicates to me that it would actually be an alternator. Another sign of this is that it uses a discreet voltage regulator, which is a component necessary for providing a field current to trigger the alternator to actually generate current. It's very common of the military to give a device its most general name possible, so the fact that NSN 2920014209968 points to being a "generator" really doesn't surprise me, but I'm fairly confident it's actually some form of alternator.

 

[dilvoy]

For the OP: I'd absolutely get it professionally welded. Anything that spins at high RPM or houses something that does should be handled with at least some degree of precision, and I really feel like having your alternator turn into a grenade inside your engine is not something you should consider as an acceptable risk.

As to alternator vs generator: Technically, an alternator is a generator, but the electrical device we commonly call a "generator" (or Dynamo) spins the wire windings around a fixed magnetic field, generating 100% of possible output all the times. An alternator spins the magnetic field within fixed wire windings. I can't 100% remember the construction of my CE Niehoff 200A, but I remember the characteristic of how it operates: the higher the current load demand, the harder the engine has to work to turn that device. The variable output of the devices indicates to me that it would actually be an alternator. Another sign of this is that it uses a discreet voltage regulator, which is a component necessary for providing a field current to trigger the alternator to actually generate current. It's very common of the military to give a device its most general name possible, so the fact that NSN 2920014209968 points to being a "generator" really doesn't surprise me, but I'm fairly confident it's actually some form of alternator.

Good explanation. I usually go by if it is long, it is a generator and if it is short, it is an alternator. A radio guy said that alternators made lots of static compared to generators and the military radios don't like it. Is that a true statement or just a wives tale?

 

[mechanicjim]

Its an Alternator in most generic terms, Military just like to keep the old name of Generator, the static that radios pick up is the AC "leakage" pass the didoes of the Alternator. the military purpose built units generally have capacitors/ special diodes to cut down the "leakage".
as to OP if you have a Niehoff they have distributors around that can repair those units but if the mounting foot broke they will most likely say to replace the whole housing(just FYI). you can check their website for more info http://www.ceniehoff.com/

 

[Action]

Did you ever look to see if the rear brace is there? If not, welding will be useless to just break again.