Link belt

[BWM]

Due to the belt pulley being behind the large flywheel on my Jp3, I have been using fenner link belting to drive the alternator. I'm beginning to wonder if there are any alternatives as it doesn't seem to grip as well as a conventional rubber belt-even when adjusted fairly tight, very soon afterwards it feels slack again. This situation compounds the low rpm of the Jp, and charging via the alternator is not good. 

  Any suggestions? 

[Murflynn]

We used Link Belt excavators to dig pipeline trenches in the 60's.  They were magnificent beasts, used a rope operated main boom and didn't have a slew brake so they needed lots of skill and were very very fast.  They were based on an underframe from the Cat D8 which was the ultimate bulldozer of its day.

 

oh, sorry,  I've just noticed you were talking about summat different.

 

........................  coat  

[GUMPY]

Is your jp electric start? I moved my alternator so that the belt ran round the flywheel to drive it. Belt will have a twist in it as it runs against the starter ring but charging at low revs is much improved

[BWM]

10 minutes ago, Loddon said:

Is your jp electric start? I moved my alternator so that the belt ran round the flywheel to drive it. Belt will have a twist in it as it runs against the starter ring but charging at low revs is much improved

No, it's hand start. I'm trying to visualise your set up, why was there a twist, and where was the alternator situated? 

[David Mack]

Have you got the belt the right way round? They are only supposed to work in one direction.

[BWM]

33 minutes ago, David Mack said:

Have you got the belt the right way round? They are only supposed to work in one direction.

I believe so, it is the fibre type and seem to remember direction markers when I fitted it, sometimes wonder if the leather type would be better. 

[Iain_S]

I've been using a Fenner z section belt on Gamebird for years. I have it adjusted slightly slacker than a conventional rubber belt, and find that it doesn't slip and seems to grip better than the original did.

I did experiment with the same belting on a Lister SR2 driving an A127 alternator, and found it would drive without slip when slack enough to fit the belt by hand. (Not really a fair comparison, though, due to low speed and limited output of the alternator!)

The Fenner belts are supposed to only need adjustment once, when they are fitted, so don't know why your's is going slack 

[X Alan W]

7 hours ago, BWM said:

Due to the belt pulley being behind the large flywheel on my Jp3, I have been using fenner link belting to drive the alternator. I'm beginning to wonder if there are any alternatives as it doesn't seem to grip as well as a conventional rubber belt-even when adjusted fairly tight, very soon afterwards it feels slack again. This situation compounds the low rpm of the Jp, and charging via the alternator is not good. 

  Any suggestions? 

Are any of the jointing set ups used in convayer belt of any use.?

[BWM]

3 hours ago, Iain_S said:

I've been using a Fenner z section belt on Gamebird for years. I have it adjusted slightly slacker than a conventional rubber belt, and find that it doesn't slip and seems to grip better than the original did.

I did experiment with the same belting on a Lister SR2 driving an A127 alternator, and found it would drive without slip when slack enough to fit the belt by hand. (Not really a fair comparison, though, due to low speed and limited output of the alternator!)

The Fenner belts are supposed to only need adjustment once, when they are fitted, so don't know why your's is going slack 

I haven't come across Z section, I believe mine is A section-standard fan belt profile. I've tightened it several times and loose I doubt it would achieve anything! 

[bizzard]

Last time I wore a riveted link belt I couldn't get me trousers down for ages. I had to wear wellies. The link belts I've dealt with were on very old vintage cars where they usually only drove one thing from the crankshaft pulley, either a low output dynamo or water pump, rarely both at the same time, so belt wrap was good.

[Iain_S]

3 hours ago, BWM said:

I haven't come across Z section, I believe mine is A section-standard fan belt profile. I've tightened it several times and loose I doubt it would achieve anything! 

It's the one smaller than A

[nb Innisfree]

OP, is your belt cogged or toothed on its inside edge and is there any black dust created? For small pulleys belts need to be cogged.

ETA: Ours needed to be cogged driving a 3" alternator pulley. 

Edited November 23, 2017 by nb Innisfree

[adrianh]

Similar types of belt are available from Bramber also fenner super t link and one from Rdg tools that might be better. These belts are not designed for a small pulley or high loads and always seem to stretch quickly. You could look at industrial auto belt tensioner by Rosta Look at transmission developments Web site for the chain version and change the sprocket for a pulley. Pm me if you need help with this

Edited November 23, 2017 by adrianh

[Rose Narrowboats]

13 hours ago, BWM said:

Due to the belt pulley being behind the large flywheel on my Jp3, I have been using fenner link belting to drive the alternator. I'm beginning to wonder if there are any alternatives as it doesn't seem to grip as well as a conventional rubber belt-even when adjusted fairly tight, very soon afterwards it feels slack again. This situation compounds the low rpm of the Jp, and charging via the alternator is not good. 

  Any suggestions? 

My experience of genuine the modern Fenner link belt has always been that it transmits power well, doesn't stretch and is more tolerant of misaligment. However, there's Z section, and also SPZ which is the same top width (10mm) but a different profile (8mm deep rather than 6mm deep) so I'm wondering of you have the wrong profile belt for your pulleys? That would explain the lack of grip and the quick wear rate.

I've also come across plenty of set ups where the alternator pulley has been a different section to the flywheel pulley, so it's worth checking both match. The correct belt when new should sit just proud of the pulley grooves, and not touch the root of the V.

[nb Innisfree]

20 minutes ago, nb Innisfree said:

OP, is your belt cogged or toothed on its inside edge and is there any black dust created? For small pulleys belts need to be cogged.

ETA: Ours needed to be cogged driving a 3" alternator pulley. 

Just realised OP's belt is a linked one, doh! 

Though the cogged bit still applies to continuous belts

[BWM]

11 hours ago, Rose Narrowboats said:

My experience of genuine the modern Fenner link belt has always been that it transmits power well, doesn't stretch and is more tolerant of misaligment. However, there's Z section, and also SPZ which is the same top width (10mm) but a different profile (8mm deep rather than 6mm deep) so I'm wondering of you have the wrong profile belt for your pulleys? That would explain the lack of grip and the quick wear rate.

I've also come across plenty of set ups where the alternator pulley has been a different section to the flywheel pulley, so it's worth checking both match. The correct belt when new should sit just proud of the pulley grooves, and not touch the root of the V.

This is the set up as it is, The belt is cleaned regularly and isn't as dirty as it looks.

[Kieron G]

I use a link belt with a similar set up to you and have no problems, but the belt I use is a different construction to that shown in the pictures. Have just checked and type I use is called 'twist link belting'. edit ' Fenner twist link belting '

Edited November 24, 2017 by Fitter kieron
add 'Fenner'

[Eeyore]

The minimum recommended diameter pulley for the "A" section belt of that type (Fenner Twistlink) is quoted as 80mm or 3 inches. Someone at Fenner obviosly cann't convert from mm to inches! They really don't like anything smaller, especialy when well tensioned.

Edited November 24, 2017 by Eeyore

[BWM]

15 hours ago, Eeyore said:

The minimum recommended diameter pulley for the "A" section belt of that type (Fenner Twistlink) is quoted as 80mm or 3 inches. Someone at Fenner obviosly cann't convert from mm to inches! They really don't like anything smaller, especialy when well tensioned.

That sounds worth a go, I went for the smallest to increase the rpm, but it may be more productive to use a larger one to avoid the problems i'm experiencing.