hello all. i have had this idea in my head for a few months now, but i think i might actually attempt it sometime soon. ive got a little 50cc honda clone horizontal shaft engine lying around from a motorized bicycle that i never rode. since its flat mount, i was thinking a block of wood, a self exciting (V-BELT) alternator and a belt and i should be good to go with an inverter. ive just got a couple questions. A) what do you guys think would be a good alternator for the job, B) what gear ratio should i use and C anyone know of a flat mount alternator? i dont have a welder, so im limited to pretty much any tool BUT a welder.

thanks guys!

Put the Honda on Ebay, use that money and buy a cheap yard sale 5HP lawnmower. Get a junkyard 100amp alternator off any GM engine. Cut hole in mowing deck, attach alternator, put spindle on engine, connect belt, and voila.

only thing i can think of is the ls 99+ v8 truck alt, its got tabs that just stick down you could get some uni strut or flat metal to mount the engine and alt to. but it has a serp belt obviously, you would have to get a serp belt pulley and have it welded to the the engine, dont think that would cost more than 20 or so. you would have to have a battery to regulate the voltage, and get the wires from it. even used i think you would be 100 bucks into it. i think you could find an old 3k generator on craigslist to fix up for that

I built one using an old 3.5HP Briggs n Stratton lawnmower engine, a long piece of 1/4" plywood with 2 holes cut out for the engine and a Bonneville 3.8 alternator. I used a 3.8 serpentine belt, took an hold harmonic balancer from a 3.8 and beat it onto the engine, hooked a battery up to it, some wiring and bingo! Cost me nothing. Is it in production still? No. Just a little side project to see if I could make one.

it only costs nothing if you have that stuff laying around. if you want something like that, find one on craigslist, people dont take care of things and then when it doesnt work they sell it for "parts" on there. i have gotten a number of things that just needed tuneup stuff to get running, at most have to clean the crud out of the carb from sitting with old gas forever