200 or 250 Amp Alt?

[Alpine CDA-9815 10+ year member]

Well I should be running around 2400-2600 watts RMS in my new system. I'm only going to do one deep cycle battery, magic 3 upgrade and a 200 or 250 amp alt. I'm wondering if 200 will be enough, or should I get the 250?

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[johnecon2001 5,000+ posts]

I'm assuming your using 1/0 awg for the main wire. So you would fuse according to the maximum capacity of the wire. Max for 1/0 is 350A. So anything from 200-350A would be fine.

 

[Alpine CDA-9815 10+ year member]

I guess I'll just get the 200 amp one then.

 

[deaf tones 10+ year member]

main question!!! one thing I would ask the person/company making the alt is:

what is the output at IDLE!!!

Different companies make the same 200 amp alt...but some companies require 3000rpm to get the full 200 amps. A 200 amp alt that only does 80 amps at idle is basically useless when you're in traffic, stop lights, parked...what ever (with those alts, if ANY damage is ever done, most likely that's when it would be, at idle).

It might cost you a little extra money but well worth it. Def. worth asking.

Any respectable company would have no problem giving you a demo of the load test of their alts. They should show you different outputs at different rpm's plus the true load test to prove the maximum output.

 

[Alpine CDA-9815 10+ year member]

main question!!! one thing I would ask the person/company making the alt is:
what is the output at IDLE!!!

Different companies make the same 200 amp alt...but some companies require 3000rpm to get the full 200 amps. A 200 amp alt that only does 80 amps at idle is basically useless when you're in traffic, stop lights, parked...what ever (with those alts, if ANY damage is ever done, most likely that's when it would be, at idle).

It might cost you a little extra money but well worth it. Def. worth asking.

Any respectable company would have no problem giving you a demo of the load test of their alts. They should show you different outputs at different rpm's plus the true load test to prove the maximum output.

Yes I also thought about this, but then again for $240 I really don't care. I don't feel like spending $400 on an alt that wont even fit on right, but will put out 125 amps at idle.

 

[deaf tones 10+ year member]

hehehe true so true.

240amp at idle 290+ amp peak for $300 in the original stock alt housing. 1/0 wire and solenoid included. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

Shop around...usually the local guys do the best work. Personally I would stay away from any online alt dealer. Not knocking their work or reputation at all, don't get me wrong.

$240 that sounds like an irragi alt or ohio?

 

[Alpine CDA-9815 10+ year member]

Well I was just going to get one from Alterstart. I got one there for my truck, and it woked awesome. Put out over 125 amps at idle, but it didn't not fit right and I had to mod the backet some to get it to fit. I called the guys at Alterstart about this, and they pretty much told me I knew nothing about what I was doing and pretty much to "f off". So therefor I will not do business with them again. I'm getting this one from Nathan at http://www.excessiveamperage.com/ cuz from what I hear he dose very good work.

 

[deaf tones 10+ year member]

ps...I would start looking at places that work on big diesels. The amount of equipment and lights those rigs have is crazy...they NEED the extra juice.

Places that specialize in car audio will charge you more just because it's car audio.

 

[deaf tones 10+ year member]

Well I was just going to get one from Alterstart. I got one there for my truck, and it woked awesome. Put out over 125 amps at idle, but it didn't not fit right and I had to mod the backet some to get it to fit. I called the guys at Alterstart about this, and they pretty much told me I knew nothing about what I was doing and pretty much to "f off". So therefor I will not do business with them again. I'm getting this one from Nathan at http://www.excessiveamperage.com/ cuz from what I hear he dose very good work.

ouch..that sucks!!! Exactly why I stay away from online places like that. If you EVER have a problem the brush off is usually what is received. Local shops are easy to get too and usually more than willing to help!

Not to mention they can just look at the problem rather than have it discribed to them.

a warranty is always good too.

 

[Alpine CDA-9815 10+ year member]

I don't think I got it in me to try and find someone around where I live to try and rebuild my alt. Even thought it might be easier if I did find someone, cuz then I could just get it done, not have to worring about having it shipped to me.

 

[deaf tones 10+ year member]

I don't think I got it in me to try and find someone around where I live to try and rebuild my alt. Even thought it might be easier if I did find someone, cuz then I could just get it done, not have to worring about having it shipped to me.

exactly //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif . plus any cost of shipping can go toward higher amperage. c'mon, you know you wanna go find a local guy. keep it home grown //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif

**edit**

now that I think about it...unless you're in the cuts and an hour away from any small town a local shop might not be so local LOL. that might be a deciding factor.

 

[Alpine CDA-9815 10+ year member]

exactly //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif . plus any cost of shipping can go toward higher amperage. c'mon, you know you wanna go find a local guy. keep it home grown //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif

**edit**

now that I think about it...unless you're in the cuts and an hour away from any small town a local shop might not be so local LOL. that might be a deciding factor.

Nah it's just that I'm a lazy bastard, and it's hard enough to find anyone to work on this car. $240 is shipped as well.