Homesteading & gardeningModern Off-Grid LivingThis $100 JUNKYARD ALTERNATOR Can Become The Heart Of An Off-Grid Power Setup. Why Buy A Generator?!

This $100 JUNKYARD ALTERNATOR Can Become The Heart Of An Off-Grid Power Setup. Why Buy A Generator?!

Long-form10:25People & Blogs2.0× channel median

Published Sep 30, 2026, 9:00 PM · 2w ago

Modern Off-Grid Living
Modern Off-Grid Living
553 subscribers · median 1.3K views
Views
2,737
+3 views/hour
Likes
43
1.6% of views
Comments
0
0.00% of views

Checked every 12 h while the video is this age · last check 4h ago · next in 469 min. YouTube itself updates public counts with a short delay.

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Views / hour now
3
measured 4h ago
Peak views / hour
5
3d ago
Avg views / day
165
since upload
First 24 hours
—
not tracked from upload
vs channel median
2.0×
Rank in channel
#6
of 22 tracked
Engagement
1.6%
likes + comments / views
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—
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Views over time

5 readings · line: total views · bars: views gained per hour

Description

DIY alternator generator build, one-wire alternator, Predator 212 alternator, 12V battery charger, off-grid power setup, alternator pulley ratio Here's how to build a high-amp 12V battery charger from a junkyard alternator and a small engine. A GM Delco 10SI or 12SI with a $10 self-exciting regulator becomes a one-wire alternator, so it needs only one cable to the battery. Car alternators are only about 50% efficient, so 100 amps at 14 volts takes about 3.75 horsepower. A 6.5 HP, 212cc engine like the Harbor Freight Predator handles that easily. A 2:1 pulley ratio spins the alternator near 6,000 RPM. Parts list: a 60 to 100 amp alternator, a 5 to 7 HP engine, pulleys, an adjustable V-belt, a steel base plate, heavy-gauge cable, a fuse near the battery, and a volt/amp meter. Run it outdoors, and always use a belt guard. 00:00 Why buy a generator? 01:00 From dynamo to alternator: Chrysler's 1960 breakthrough 02:20 How a car alternator works 03:15 What a junkyard alternator costs 03:36 The $10 one-wire regulator trick 04:28 How much engine you really need 05:10 Pulley ratio and alternator RPM 05:52 The generator spec most people never read 06:45 Alternator vs generator charging efficiency 07:15 Downsides of a DIY alternator charger 07:52 The lithium battery mistake to avoid 08:32 Parts list and build tips 09:25 Best use: solar backup charging #OffGrid #DIYGenerator #Alternator #OffGridPower #SolarBackup #BatteryCharging #DIYProjects #Prepping #Homestead #EnergyIndependence
Tags
junkyard alternator generatorDIY alternator generatoroff-grid poweralternator battery chargerone-wire alternatoroff-grid battery chargingDIY generatorsolar backup generatoralternator vs generator12V battery charging

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