[C38] Serpentine belt for higher output alternator

Tue Nov 8 12:00:44 EST 2011

Yes, thought I sent that to the list a while ago but maybe just went to Tom
T.  They also have alternators and regulators priced about the same as
Balmar, expensive.  LOL

Best regards,

Larry Malmberg
Team Hassle 

  _____  

From: listserve-bounces at catalina38.org
[mailto:listserve-bounces at catalina38.org] On Behalf Of Max Soto
Sent: Tuesday, November 08, 2011 8:53 AM
To: Catalina 38 Listserve
Subject: [C38] Serpentine belt for higher output alternator

Hey Larry, check out this site. I find it awesome. They have a lot of pulley
kits tht are not listed on the web, so you have to call them and ask for you
specific kit. 

https://store.electromaax.com/index.php?route=product/category
<https://store.electromaax.com/index.php?route=product/category&path=38>
&path=38 

Hope this helps. Max

2011/11/8 Max Soto <maxsoto at gmail.com>

Tom, you are right, but I think that Larry's engine model (kubota) has been
already marinized by Betamarine, and Balmar already has serpentine pulleys
available, so he might be that lucky and find them already available on the
market. 
Max  

2011/11/8 tdtron at earthlink.net <tdtron at earthlink.net> 

Hello Larry and group,

I am retired from the automobile business and was a technician (mechanic)
in my earlier years.

When the serpentine belts first became popular on cars, they drove us crazy
with squealing problems.  Unlike a v-belt, a serpentine must be have
perfect alignment from all pulleys. The car makers were used to getting it
close with v-belts but close was not good enough when it came to the
serpentine belts.

We had factory recalls using shim kits to move various components of the
system so the belts would line up right correctly.  A v-belt is extremely
forgiving but not so with the serpentine.

That being said, as you know there is no comparison in efficiency using a
serpentine belt and I see your argument for a conversion to serpentine.
There is very little horsepower waste with a serpentine belt where a v-belt
robs a lot of horsepower.

I think your idea of a conversion to serpentine would be a great benefit
but at what expense?  If there was already a kit on the market to replace
the pulleys and also shim the components for perfect alignment it may make
a good project but going it alone may be more of a project than can be
justified.  I expect you would have to fabricate the pulleys from welding
serpentine rims to the existing pulleys, etc.,  making this endeavor more
of a career than a project.  Keeping the existing pulley ratios would also
complicate the procedure.

If Kabota uses serpentine belts on their current crop of tractor engines
and the pulleys would fit your engine and components, your project just may
be feasible, but again, at what expense?  The reference it Kabota is
assuming you are using a Universal engine.  Any other engine would present
the same logistics for pulley replacement.

Anyway, that is my opinion.  I am always a fool for jumping into this type
of project but thankfully I sold my boat or I would be trying to figure out
how to make this worthwhile upgrade.  I have a simple machine shop and weld
shop but having these capabilities and equipment can be a curse.  Smarter
people than me know when to say no or they pay someone else to do the dirty
work but I was never that smart.

Tom Troncalli
Recovering ex-38 owner

> [Original Message]
> From: Larry Malmberg <Larrypi at roadrunner.com>
> To: <hlhowell at pacbell.net>; Catalina 38 Listserve
<listserve at catalina38.org>
> Date: 11/8/2011 8:59:41 AM
> Subject: Re: [C38] Alternators

>
> I have been considering going to a serpentine belt system.  Has anyone
done
> this?
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Best regards,
>
> Larry Malmberg
> Team Hassle 
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: listserve-bounces at catalina38.org
> [mailto:listserve-bounces at catalina38.org] On Behalf Of les
> Sent: Tuesday, November 08, 2011 3:30 AM
> To: listserve at catalina38.org
> Subject: Re: [C38] Alternators
>
> Also, with higher amperage, dual belts are recommended starting at about
> 100A.
> On JACE, the original 5424 frontplate cracked, probably from the
alternator
> load when I put the 91A presto lite on it.
>
> On the original engines the lower bolt hole is cast into the front housing
> of the engine, which is cast metal, and quite brittle.
>
> Regards,
> Les H
> On Sun, 2011-11-06 at 21:57 -0800, Steve Smolinske wrote:
> > One cautioin on higher load alternators or dual is they will put more
> mechanical load on the mounting bracket and engine and can fail as a
result.
>
> >
> >
> >
> > ________________________________
>
>
>

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-- 
Max Soto
C38 #198 ESTANCIA
Puntarenas, Costa Rica

-- 
Max Soto
C38 #198 ESTANCIA
Puntarenas, Costa Rica

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