power assist trailer (big one with mutiple uses)

fleebell

fleebell

Member
I've built a few power assist trailers with a gas engine and alternators to play the hybrid role. The big one supplied 12v,24,36v up to 50 amps. It also has a 1000w 12 to 110 inverter and a small aircompressor built in. The brakes on the trailer are inertia operated and even though the trailer was pretty heavy my trike would pull it without a problem and since the brakes are auto I can barely tell it's back there when braking. It has a 6.5hpharbor freight honda clone engine turning both a 12v and 24v alternator. The wheels are modified solid wheelchair tires with homemade stainless steel hubs. This thing is also my hurricane emergency power and here in NC you need some kind of backup as we get them every year as a rule. ( this year we got lucky though -NONE!)


Hear is a pic before the outside covers and the air compressor was installed

ctrailer3-b9.jpg


closeup of the aux power setup
ctrailer3-b16.jpg


finished with sides installed. They are held on with velcro and are removed before running it.
ctrailer3-b18.jpg


this is the brake layout
ctrailer3-d1.jpg


layout of wheel assembly Made the hard way!
ctrailer3-c1.jpg


It would power the 750w motor on my trike without a problem and would run for about 3 hours on a tank of gas (about 3/4 gal)
 
Cool. Do the wheels on the trailer provide any propulsion?
I was considering mounting a small generator to a bike trailer (since they weigh over 40lbs) and charging the batteries on an electric bike while underway.
 
that is one cool trailer! could you show how you wired up your charging system? 12,24,36 volts.
that is really cool! I have a 24 volt alt. from a cat engine I might have to do this and a couple of 12 volt alt. converted to 24 volt for a cat engine was going to toss them. I even have a few brigs engines laying around. That trailer could be very handy if the power goes off. Heck a guy can even convert a small engine to run off natural gas, propane,or alcohol to power it. just in case there might not be gasoline available in a power outage.
I put a link to this post in my 2-stroke repair center I hope a bunch of the members will see this trailer.
Norman
 
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How do you guys convert a car alt. into 24volts? Do you just change the regulator inside?and where do you get one if you do? I thought about a 24 volt alt. but the only thing I found was marine stuff at hi bucks.
I suppose the drive engine for the alt. then would need a clutch if it was used for propulsion.

Fleebell that trailer is great!
 
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No, they just provide breaking. It works pretty good too as the inertia of the trailer actually causes the brakes to work. I can barely tell the trailer is behind me when pulling it.
 
They are just connected in series. The 24v alt is electrically isolated from the trailer. I just tap off from where ever I need it. example: gnd --- 12 ---- 12/gnd --- 24 ---- 24/36 like that.
 
You can change the regulator but I just bought a 24v alt from ebay for $100. It was actually cheaper that way than to buy another regular alt and then play with the insides.
 
Big trucks alternators are 24 volts but very expensive...$100 sounds like a bargain deal! Very nice trailer build I had seen brakes that applied when the trailer nose went down but not spring loaded like yours very nice!
 
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