HO alternator problem

[jrwalte 10+ year member]

Some AZ's don't even have a **** clamp meter - like mine. They just check the voltage. And the dumb expensive $5000 tester as the rep said it cost stated that my Kinetik battery was bad, which is only 2 months old and floats at a healthy 13ish voltage //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

They never understand what you mean when you ask if they have a tester that can put a 200A load on your alternator to test its output. They say sure and bring out this crappy $5000 little tester that only has alligator clips //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

I've been trying to find a local place myself so I can test the output of my alternator.

 

[MECHMAN 10+ year member]

The easy way to test an alternator is with a DC clamp meter. Just clamp the clamp around the charge wire, and turn the system all the way up, Air conditioning, headlights, etc... It will then display exactly how much amperage is flowing through the charge wire.

Regarding your problem, I doubt very much that it has anything to do with the alternator, more likely it's a grounding problem. If you changed grounds, or moved them around, the O2 may have lost it's ground, and the "heat" wire overheated it to the point of smoking.

If your volt meter reads between 13.5 and 15 volts at all RPMs, it is not an alternator problem.

...check the grounds.

 

[audioarsonal 10+ year member]

But not everyone owns a DC clamp meter.And they can be kinda salty just to see the current draw and know if the alt is putting out.Everyone seems to have a big doubt about the alt they buy.So they run to AZ for the "free" testing and end up disappointed cause the the machine says its broke or not putting out.When they themselves have little knowledge of what they are doing in the first place.They can't even tell you the RPM the machine is spinning at let alone the load they put on it.

 

[bobtista 10+ year member]

The easy way to test an alternator is with a DC clamp meter. Just clamp the clamp around the charge wire, and turn the system all the way up, Air conditioning, headlights, etc... It will then display exactly how much amperage is flowing through the charge wire.

Regarding your problem, I doubt very much that it has anything to do with the alternator, more likely it's a grounding problem. If you changed grounds, or moved them around, the O2 may have lost it's ground, and the "heat" wire overheated it to the point of smoking.

If your volt meter reads between 13.5 and 15 volts at all RPMs, it is not an alternator problem.

...check the grounds.

all my factory grounds are tightly secured and have been reinforced with 1/0 gauge wires.

my friend who was with me when i installed my alternator revved my engine as soon as he turned my car over for the first time. he put it up at 2500-3000 rpms right off the bat. Do you think that could be the problem?

 

[jrwalte 10+ year member]

But not everyone owns a DC clamp meter.And they can be kinda salty just to see the current draw and know if the alt is putting out.

As long as you place the clamp on the wire between the the alt and the bat then the clamp should only get the amperage coming out of the alt and not include what the battery helps to provide. This could at least tell you if your alt is providing enough for the system under full tilt by running the test on the alt wire and then run it on the battery wire and see if they're the same. If the bat amperage is higher, the alt isn't providing the entire current.

But I can't even find an auto store around here with a DC clamp. And I'm not going to buy one for $100. It can be a pain //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[audioarsonal 10+ year member]

As long as you place the clamp on the wire between the the alt and the bat then the clamp should only get the amperage coming out of the alt and not include what the battery helps to provide. This could at least tell you if your alt is providing enough for the system under full tilt by running the test on the alt wire and then run it on the battery wire and see if they're the same. If the bat amperage is higher, the alt isn't providing the entire current.
But I can't even find an auto store around here with a DC clamp. And I'm not going to buy one for $100. It can be a pain //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

That is my point.Unless your hardcore into car audio or have a job that requires it there is nothing to justify the purchase.

There should be no reason to have the alt tested for output unless there is trouble with it charging.

 

[jrwalte 10+ year member]

There should be no reason to have the alt tested for output unless there is trouble with it charging.

There is if you want to make sure you have gotten your money's worth from an HO alt purchase - the dilemma I currently have. I purchased a rated 180A HO alt but the way my voltage is acting I'm thinking it is only putting out around 130A.

 

[audioarsonal 10+ year member]

There is if you want to make sure you have gotten your money's worth from an HO alt purchase - the dilemma I currently have. I purchased a rated 180A HO alt but the way my voltage is acting I'm thinking it is only putting out around 130A.

What are you basing the 130a on?Your factory alt.What is the size of your crank?What is your idle RPM?What size alt pulley?Did you charge your battery before you installed the alt?These are all things that involve adding a new HO alt.Many of which people don't even realize have an effect on the outcome.They just assume you just put the alt in and its done.

 

[MECHMAN 10+ year member]

If there is ever any doubt, and you just can't manage to find someone who can test it, I will dyno it for you for free, and send it back with a dyno sheet showing it's full output curve. (as long as you pay the shipping to send it back to you) It only takes me a few minutes to dyno a unit.

 

[jrwalte 10+ year member]

I'm basing the 130A guess on how the voltage was with my stock 90A alt. It can go a little louder, but not much. My system is 1900RMS and under good conditions 180A alt should be able to handle that without dropping into the 12s and even the 11s when driving at over 2000RPM.

I've had the alt in for over 3 weeks now on a 2 month old Kinetik so I don't think battery charge would be an issue (no, I didn't charge it first). The pulley is under 2". I originally had to return the alt because the pulley wasn't small enough and the alt wouldn't perform at idle (it does now). The other odd thing is the system seems to handle almost as well at idle as it does when I'm driving over 2k. I could go to volume 43-45/60 instead of 38-40/60 when idling before dropping below 13.2 while usually maintaining 13.9+

This is making me believe I may have a ground issue. I'm currently grounded to my wheel well frame using a streetwire grounding block (sanded, bolted with lock nuts and loctite). I plan on buying a run of 1/0 knu flex and running it directly from the built-on ground bolt on my alt to my distro block in the rear to see if my current throughput improves.

This is one reason I want a clamp meter. To check current at alt and then at amp. If the alt and amp are the same, I probably have a throughput issue. If the alt is less than at the amp, then my alt isn't outputting what it should.

 

[jrwalte 10+ year member]

If there is ever any doubt, and you just can't manage to find someone who can test it, I will dyno it for you for free, and send it back with a dyno sheet showing it's full output curve. (as long as you pay the shipping to send it back to you) It only takes me a few minutes to dyno a unit.

Thanks for the offer. I'll keep it in mind if I can't find someone locally (I'm sure I could find a local guy in the Atlanta area). I've only tried auto part stores so far. Definitely last resort, though, seeing as you're in LA. Long wait on the shipping //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[audioarsonal 10+ year member]

I'm basing the 130A guess on how the voltage was with my stock 90A alt. It can go a little louder, but not much. My system is 1900RMS and under good conditions 180A alt should be able to handle that without dropping into the 12s and even the 11s when driving at over 2000RPM.
I've had the alt in for over 3 weeks now on a 2 month old Kinetik so I don't think battery charge would be an issue (no, I didn't charge it first). The pulley is under 2". I originally had to return the alt because the pulley wasn't small enough and the alt wouldn't perform at idle (it does now). The other odd thing is the system seems to handle almost as well at idle as it does when I'm driving over 2k. I could go to volume 43-45/60 instead of 38-40/60 when idling before dropping below 13.2 while usually maintaining 13.9+

This is making me believe I may have a ground issue. I'm currently grounded to my wheel well frame using a streetwire grounding block (sanded, bolted with lock nuts and loctite). I plan on buying a run of 1/0 knu flex and running it directly from the built-on ground bolt on my alt to my distro block in the rear to see if my current throughput improves.

This is one reason I want a clamp meter. To check current at alt and then at amp. If the alt and amp are the same, I probably have a throughput issue. If the alt is less than at the amp, then my alt isn't outputting what it should.

It sounds like your on the right track.//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[jrwalte 10+ year member]

It sounds like your on the right track.//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

I was just thinking of another way to possible test if I have a throughput issue to know if I should go ahead and buy the 1/0 wire without a DC clamp test.

What if I took the amp and my sub out of the trunk and placed it on the ground next to my battery and then ran a dedicated pos and ground to the amp from the bat. This way I avoid the frame ground and I can play a test tone and see if my voltage stays more stable. This would also give me an idea of how a dedicated 1/0 ground run to my trunk may work.

Do you think this would be a viable test?

 

[audioarsonal 10+ year member]

I was just thinking of another way to possible test if I have a throughput issue to know if I should go ahead and buy the 1/0 wire without a DC clamp test.
What if I took the amp and my sub out of the trunk and placed it on the ground next to my battery and then ran a dedicated pos and ground to the amp from the bat. This way I avoid the frame ground and I can play a test tone and see if my voltage stays more stable. This would also give me an idea of how a dedicated 1/0 ground run to my trunk may work.

Do you think this would be a viable test?

You need to have it in place to get a true reading.Placing it next to the battery will shorten the lenght therefore decreasing voltage drop.Try testing different ground locations.And be sure to clean them well (bare metal).With the wattage your pushing the voltage drop shouldn't be that significant with what you have.So I would try that.