Battery, or alternator?

[GCAdidas13 10+ year member]

If I understand correctly, there are only two ways of upgrading your electrical system. You can either upgrade your battery to a deep discharge battery, or upgrade your alternator to a high output alternator.

What I don't understand, is why everyone gets a new battery. I mean, if one were to upgrade to a high output alternator, wouldn't that diminish the need for a performance battery? I mean, especially for those of us that don't do an incredible amount of listening with the car not running.

Generally, couldn't a really powerful system be able to get by with any kind of battery and a high output alternator?

I just wanted to clear up any confusion.

Brian

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[monte_carlo97 10+ year member]

Yes a High Output alternator would be the best electrical upgrade. But the reason i think more people do the battery thing is because they can just go to their local auto parts store and get a yellow top where as getting a H.O. alt requires going online and finding a trustworthy place to buy one. Then purchasing it and waiting for it to arrive. More of a hassle to get the alt then a battery.

Just my theory

 

[GCAdidas13 10+ year member]

Good theory, however, if you have voltage drops with a regular battery, what good will a yellow top do? //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/confused.gif.e820e0216602db4765798ac39d28caa9.gif

 

[johnecon2001 5,000+ posts]

it bolsters the out going voltage with a steadier flow due to its deep cycle nature. It has some thing to do with better voltage plates inside I believe. Stiffer stuff, something to that nature.

 

[monte_carlo97 10+ year member]

Good theory, however, if you have voltage drops with a regular battery, what good will a yellow top do? //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/confused.gif.e820e0216602db4765798ac39d28caa9.gif

Eactly what i was trying to get at. If your alt can't supply enough amps and your battery has to make up for it. Well then the battery is going to run dead making it pointless. So morale of the story is alt first then battery.

 

[ngsm13 5,000+ posts]

Hell yeah brian, that 35.1 tears your shit up //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

But, as you've learned in this thread already...go with the alternator upgrade! peace

NG