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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - GENERAL Alternator/ dynamo question

Hi all,
Advice please.
My Mk 111 midget is now going nicely. I was planning to put an alternator in , but as I have NO plans to drive any distances at night , or in the rain ( its a dry , sunny sunday morning pootling around car ) & I dont need a radio or spotlights etc , is there any real reason to swap from the dynamo to an alternator? ( apart from the fact that I'm a little happier understanding how alternators work!)
Thanks all
Colin
colin frowen

I started driving in 1967 and for very many years I never owned a car with an alternator. Was I troubled with flat batteries? No.

It's different with a modern car where there are so many electrical gadgets to operate, but a simple car like the Midget manages fine with a dynamo, so my advice is don't waste your money. You can always buy one of those excellent battery chargers that you can leave plugged in all the time the car is in the garage. I have one and it keeps the battery in tip-top condition. I generally only use it when the car is immobile for several weeks though.
Mike Howlett

The rev counter drive comes off the dynamo in the Frog so I don't have a choice if I want to retain originality. That said I have never experienced any problems. The car is manly used for high days and holidays now. If it works ok I would leave it alone.
Bob Beaumont

if you have the battery and all its connections in good condition and keep them that way then there's no need for an alternator

you wouldn't even need a battery conditioner but that would be a good idea if you're going to leave the car sitting for a good number of weeks or months

apart from missing many great driving days or parts of days waiting for these sunny Sunday mornings - I hope your joking about this but it's your car so you do as you please with it - using the car like this might not ever have it at its best and might bring you more small problems than driving it more and you'll never learn how well it can go
Nigel Atkins

Hi
Thanks all - thats made my mind up!
I was only sort of joking as its a lightly used car- its NOT my main to / from work car and is really used just for fun- which I get in spades!
Thanks for all the great advice - cheers all
Colin
colin frowen

LOL Colin - WHICH way did it make up your mind? After all that advice - you're going with the altenator????

Enjoy your car :)
rachmacb

Obvious Rach


If it ain't broke...
Bill1

LOL - I totally agree Bill - but, then again, I'm a woman - and most of you are men - and, with a few obvious exceptions - doesn't that mean - if it ain't broke - play with it until it is?!?!?!?!?! :P
rachmacb

I thought you said before that you wanted to drive it but with my memory I wasn't sure

I pretty sure (memory again) my previous Spridget kept its dynamo and I used that car all the time and certainly at night - no imterior light either I can remember hardly being able to see the interior to get into the car when we visited one village without street lights

battery conditioner might be a good idea though for you
Nigel Atkins

If it ain't broke, fix it until it is....
P Ottewell

Hi All,
Thanks....staying with the dynamo.
Nigel, will be driving it but nice evenings & sunday mornings...its on a footman james insurance which limits the mileage anyhoo.
I have got a C-Tek battery conditioner / charger which is brilliant anyway, so will be taking the advice...."leave it as it is !"
Thanks all
See you in the twisty bits in my rear view mirror!
cheers colin
colin frowen

Coilin,
Peter Best unlimited mileage at no extra charge

if you're only driving it nice evenings and Sunday mornings then it's a lot more likely we'll be seeing you in our rear view mirrors :)
Nigel Atkins

Peter James - also unlimited mileage insurance as standard.
Mike Howlett

Classic line - also unlimited mileage on a very reasonbly priced policy
M Adams

This thread was discussed on 02/05/2012

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