Gas-Powered Battery Charger

Gas-Powered Battery Charger FARM HOME Cars With his home-built gas-powered battery charger Robert Hanke can charge a dead battery anywhere – quickly and inexpensively The Amsterdam N Y welder built his first prototypes out of lawn mower engines and car alternators to charge batteries for his camper But they were heavy and gas-guzzlers His latest version only weighs 15 to 20 lbs and charges a 12-volt battery in less than 20 min on about half a weed whacker tank of gas “It works great ” says Hanke “It’s like a rapid charge ” He started with the 31cc engine from a broken weed whacker He removed the shaft and head and fabricated an aluminum plate to bolt on a magneto from a 1973 Honda CB350 motorcycle “The biggest challenge was the magneto part that spins had to be perfectly lined up and couldn’t wobble ” Hanke says “I used feeler gauges to shim it ” Once the magneto was mounted he fabricated more mounts for the voltage regulator and rectifier from a 1986 GM alternator He created a shroud by wrapping it with aluminum tape which pulls air through to keep the engine cool Hanke says he hooks up the battery and starts up the weed whacker engine He added a throttle that can be set at different speeds and runs it at full throttle at first then slows it down He isn’t certain if it would overcharge the battery so he keeps an eye on it After about 15 min he checks the battery with a pocket voltage meter Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Robert Hanke 97 Hewitt St Amsterdam N Y 12010

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