[A/S] Generator -- Alternator vs Magneto??

[schuetzen <chasm@xxxxxxxxx>]

ok, trying to finger this out and all of this is from trying to remember back to
the 70s when I used to dick around with 2 strokers and such like.. 

a converter  changes AC to DC
an inverter   changes DC to AC

now, if the Yamaha is an inverter  then it is a machine producing DC (from a
magneto??) and providing it as AC to the user...thru some fancy electronics of
which I used to know the names of the parts but have no idea today...

thus the square sine wave and like that.  (actually, you can simply buy a good
(pc quality output) inverter and plug it into one of the 12VDC outlets in your
TT and then plug your PC into that.)

Magneto's are usually found on 2 cycle machines to provide power to their
ignition systems and are wonderful for that because the faster they spin the
stronger/more powerful the voltage.  As I remember, my Triumphs and Nortons did
not need coils because the DC voltage increased the faster the magneto spun.
Magneto's are efficient in that you do not have to turn them very fast to obtain
12VDC out of them thus, the "genset" should last a long time as it has to hardly
do much more than idle to produce the power.  However, as your load increases,
then the magneto has to spin up a bit faster and the voltage has to be filtered
and clamped and like that (a magneto uses a set of brushes on a magnet and they
are noisy in an electrically defined sort of way) to keep it at 12VDC so that it
can be INVERTED to 110AC with ever increasing wattage or whatever.

anyway, I can see why an inverter would be a good idea but a better one would be
a Diesel inverter as you get a lot more of the benefits from that than you would
from a gasser.

enough, maybe one of the Electrical PE's can better describe what in inverter is
or how it is producing shorepower (AC voltage) thru INVERSION.  

fwiw but still confused.

chas