Factory alt question

[1ndatrunk 10+ year member]

I have a 85 Cadillac Fleetwood that I did a engine swap from an 89 Suburban/Camaro. Its a 350. There is a place on it where I can install something on the serpitine belt, may have been where the smog pump or something. I was wondering if I could install another alt here and use it JUST for my amps? I would free up my other amp for strictly the car and use the alternate for my A/V setup. Is it just a matter of running it straight to the back batts or is it a little more complicated than that?

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[zierbox 10+ year member]

The complicated part will be making the second alternator fit, mount and line up properly with good belt tension

Wiring it up to the rear batteries will be the easy part

 

[1ndatrunk 10+ year member]

If my measurements are correct, the second alts position will be just right for the belt to sit on it and I can get my cousin who works in a metal shop to fab some new mounts if they're needed. Finding a belt to fit will be one of my biggest challenges imo, but I may be wrong. I don't want to tackle the wiring and cause an electrical fire unless someone is sure that its an easy affair, and can tell me how to do it

 

[jrwalte 10+ year member]

As said, the wiring is easy. Run a dedicated positive (with a fuse close to the alternator) to the rear battery(s) (also place a fuse right before the rear battery). You can then run the negative of everything in the trunk to the chassis and I personally would install a negative wire from the alternator (on one of the mounting bolts) to the chassis.

Depending on how much amperage you plan on running ~160+, you may want to consider a dedicated negative wire from the alternator to your equipment in the trunk

 

[1ndatrunk 10+ year member]

Sounds do-able. Would a 150amp alt work if its dedicated just to the back batt and sub amp? I would run my 4chan off of the front batt. I'll be running 2 Lanzar 1800ds strapped.