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Main Alternator
Running Total Hours:
0.0
 | 2011.08.18: (0.0)
The main alternator is a Plane
Power AL12-EI60/B, the standard model currently sold by Van's as
part of the firewall-forward kit. This is a 12V 60A internally
regulated alternator with internal overvoltage protection. It
mounts to the boss on the right side front of the engine, and is
belt-driven from the fly-wheel pulley.
Belt Type
One slight complication I ran into was that the adjustment range for
tensioning the belt was significantly narrowed due to an interferenece
with the prop oil line, which runs along the right side of the engine
from the rear accessory case to the front. This made it such
that the supplied belt was too short to use without the alternator
contacting the oil line. The supplied belt was a Dayco
15355 (imperial p/n) / 11A0900 (metric p/n), which is 11mm wide and
900mm / 35.5" long. The next longer size, Dayco 15358
/ 11A0910, worked out well. And just for reference, the
next longer size after that, Dayco 15360 / 11A0915, was just slightly
too long. These are all available through Autozone, not kept in
stock, but can be ordered and show up within 2-3 business days.
They cost about $14 ea. I bought three of the 15358, to have on
hand.
Note that Plane Power also calls out an alternate for the Dayco 15355,
a Gates p/n 7355XL. I haven't tried that one.
Belt Tensioning
The "best practices" method to set the tension on the belt
is using a calibrated torque wrench on the alternator nut to check the
torque at which the belt begins to slip. It should be in the
range of 11 to 13 ft-lb new, or 7 to 9 ft-lb used.
Note that pulling the alternator down by hand about as hard as I could
without additional leverage produced exactly the right belt tension,
right in the middle of the torque range.
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