Morris Minor Owners Club

Hello everyone

I'm a beginner at all this and am trying to get to know my car. I'm just getting my head round the electrics, but realised recently I'm not sure if my car has the original dynamo or an alternator. I think an alternator was fitted a few years ago, but the control box all still seems to be in place, which makes me think it's actually still got a dynamo.

I'm really embarrased to ask, but what is a quick way for me to find out if it's an alternator or a dynamo?

(Please forgive stupidity)

Alex

Not a stupid question at all.
This is an alternator :

And this is a dynamo :

I still have the control box in place on mine too, but just use it as a junction box. It just looks odd without it there I think!

Does the thingy on the drivers' side look like the starter just below/behind it? Dynamo and starter look similar. Alternator is generally bigger/fatter/shorter than a dynamo and usually made of aluminium.

Google Lucas dynamo and Alternator.

Regulator box might just be left in place so the wires have somewhere to screw onto.

Doh! Beat me to it.

My 1969 tourer has an alternator and still has the control box insitu .

Hi guys

That's really helpful - thank you SO much, both for the advice and the support. I am going to go and peer at my engine with your photos to work out which one it is!

Thank you again (I'm feeling very lucky to have such great people to call on!)

Alex

Just one word of caution before relying on just a visual examination of the exterior appearance...
They are pretty (actually to be honest, make that 'very') expensive, BUT, it is possible to get Alternators that have been made to look identical to Dynamos.

if you search for 'Lucas C42 Dynalite', you'll find a few places that offer them for between £400 -£500!
Just one example:
https://www.autoelectricsupplies.co.uk/product/803

geoberni wrote:Just one word of caution before relying on just a visual examination of the exterior appearance...
They are pretty (actually to be honest, make that 'very') expensive, BUT, it is possible to get Alternators that have been made to look identical to Dynamos.

if you search for 'Lucas C42 Dynalite', you'll find a few places that offer them for between £400 -£500!
Just one example:
https://www.autoelectricsupplies.co.uk/product/803

Very true, but I've never actually seen one in real life. They seem to be pretty rare. Probably the price

Powerspark do a cheaper one (probably Chinese!) and I bought one for my project convertible (fitted but un-tested as yet) they are about £130. Would be interested to know if anyone else has had one and how it worked. I must say, I haven't had a 100% record with other stuff from them so I do have my fingers crossed!


Here is the link:
http://www.simonbbc.com/index.php?main_ ... mo&x=0&y=0

moggalot wrote:Powerspark do a cheaper one (probably Chinese!) and I bought one for my project convertible (fitted but un-tested as yet) they are about £130. Would be interested to know if anyone else has had one and how it worked. I must say, I haven't had a 100% record with other stuff from them so I do have my fingers crossed!


Here is the link:
http://www.simonbbc.com/index.php?main_ ... mo&x=0&y=0

Cool looking splity!

Hi guys

Thank you again for all your help with this. A great day working on the car yesterday, and the relevant item is a dynamo.

I am now being urged by third parties to take out the dynamo and put in a modern alternator (but leaving the control box in place).

Is this a good idea? I can definitely see the benefits, but am reluctant to do unnecessary changes to the car if she's working fine....

All advice and thoughts very gratefully received!

If it helps, I've never used an Alternator on any of mine and never had any problems with a dynamo.

Ditto. Its your car and you can do what you want with it. I do not have laodsof modern gadgets on mine, although if I used it as a daily drive esp in winter, with heater, heated rear screen etc - stereo , USB / Satnav points I would probably go with what is being suggested to you.

Ditto again. Do (or don't do) what suits your needs.
Electrics and witchcraft are much the same to me... a complete mystery, hence I still have a dynamo, and a battery with suspiciously 'budget' appearance. The car has no after-market electrical goodies fitted. I use it very lightly but I've been caught out by the weather a few times this summer and undertaken journeys in heavy rain with headlights, wipers and demister blower all running, and never yet had any problems in terms of inadequate charging output.

Me too. Never had any problem with a dynamo. If it is working OK I would leave it well alone.

If you are using the car on a daily basis and your dynamo and battery are in good condition then there is little requirement for an alternator.
When the car is used intermittently and the battery never has the chance to be fully recharged then it makes sense to fit an alternator.
It is most important to keep the battery fully charged and that is why car batteries in the past were always coupled to a slow charger when the car was not being used.
If you are into fitting gadgets to your Minor that require power the dynamo will be hard pushed to maintain a full charge in the battery and power all the additional electrical items.
The alternator is well able to power the original electrical items and any extra gadgets.
I did fit an alternator to my Series 2 when fitted with the 1098cc engine - I did find it of benefit especially when constantly using the lights and having the heater motor on most of the winter time.
But as stated above the choice is yours but I personally would fit an alternator whilst leaving the original control box/regulator electrics in place in case you decide to return to the Dynamo mode.
Phil

My van I use three times a week has a dynamo and I have had the van for six and a half years and seems alright and its still the same battery. It must be a good battery as I left the lights on by mistake for three hours and it still started.

I'm definitely in agreement with those who say leave it. I've had one Minor with an alternator and 5 with original dynamos. I've NEVER had any issues with the dynamos and would advise against replacing the dynamo for one unless you either like spending money for the sake of it, or if you are planning to add extras that will use more power. My car is used sporadically, sometimes on short winter journeys and sometimes on epic journeys (!) but the dynamo has never caused a problem on any of them. The car with an alternator was fine too!

Years ago my Minor had a problem with inoperable dynamo control boxes (the electromechanical box up on the firewall). After three nonfunctional ones, I ditched the whole system and changed to an alternator from an MGB I got for $30 off eBay. Its internal voltage regulator failed a few years later, but MGB alternators are commonly available in the States, and I was up and running again overnight. (That factored into my calculus too - dynamos, especially Lucas ones, are very rare at American auto parts stores now.)

In my experience, alternators are more reliable, produce a much stronger charge, have fewer failure modes, and are much more readily available. Your equation may have different variables than mine, but for me the choice was obvious.