My system keeps killing alternator(S) need help!!!

[Boomin_tahoe 5,000+ posts]

I went through five brand new alternators on my dually in the course of 2 weeks. We couldn't find a single thing wrong that was causing them to fail. I was putting them on myself charging battery before I put them on, and they just wouldn't charge. Finally got sick of it and took to Custom Truck and auto they slapped a new one in, it failed then put another on and it's been fine ever since. Sometimes they just fail. Luckily mine were under warranty

What brand? I mean that's a lot to go thru considering brand new out of the box.

 

[SuperDuty350]

What brand? I mean that's a lot to go thru considering brand new out of the box.

Shiiiit. It's been a while. I was sooo pissed too, I should remember. They were H.O. From Oriellys.

It's a long story, but my truck died in BFE Michigan over a holiday weekend. I barely limped it into their parking lot. Bought the last one they had and slapped it on in their parking lot. Once on, we checked it with their meter and it was fried immediately after putting on. Only problem was we didn't bench test that before installing. Manager said it could have been bad in box, and it was only one they had. he went to autozone up the road and bought one to swap the one I just got. Put that autozone replacement alternator on in the lot, checked it and it did fine. Next day it fried so I charged my batteries strong and limped it back to Carmel Indiana. My home turf and I went to the oriellys there. Pitched a biiiiitch fit. They tried a new one. Went around the corner to my dads and put it in. Drove to have it tested and came up failed. I think I may have tried once more and then got money back. Then took to custom auto. They get their parts from napa. One of theirs failed then the one in now has been fine for a while.

I know they were remans

 

[audiobaun 5,000+ posts]

I went through 6 alts for a honda from Orileys.Two swapped out and throw ons from warranty..Later to find benched before leaving several stores before I finally got one that benched fine, and worked,.Took approx two weeks to find a good alt...I did have an issue with RED TOP/OPTIMUS batteries a couple years ago on my truck.Two new batteries and ended up damaging my alt..replaced the alt then replaced two new RED TOPS upon warranty, Damaged alt and again new batteries..Trashed the RED TOPS, and Replaced my Alt again under warranty and placed two new Batts with Orileys's Super Start AGMs at the same time and havent had any issues since. Red Tops must have been sitting on hot shelves before sale during summer that year.Several people had issues with RED TOPS/Optimus batts at that time.It was one hell of an expensive way to find out what the issue really was at that time. I used to believe in OPTIMUS Red Tops asthey have lasted very well in the past.I no longer buy them.Ive had very great luck with the AGM S. StartsGold from Oriley's so far.If running Multi Batts..I recommend removing the bad batt(Usually tell by a buldge on the side) and Fully charge all, existing before adding the new battery

 

[66novals3]

Thanks you guy again for the replies!!

IT be nice to know what is failing..
What IS failing is the rectifier, the last one specifically, took out a ground diode.

Rewound alts are horrible.. Besides what they are doing.. they are also installing MORE hardware in the same case resulting in the now rewound alt(s) having LESS cooling.

IT could very well be overheating to the point the rectifier just gives out..

FYI- Rectifier is #1 source where alts fail typically from abuse.

Well, we're definitely abusing the alternators:crap:

Getting a cheap Ho alt is like getting one rewound.. There are MANY ways to cut corners when designing or "upgrading" an alt and any corner cut can come back and haunt you..

IF all they are doing is just adding more copper in a sense.. then at this point, it doesnt matter what is failing.. Those alt(s) would be junk at this point.

I'm guessing this is all he did and charged me $300 to do so, man this is expensive and frustrating.

Find out what is failing.

Rectifier is failing, I'm starting to realize auto electric shops know how to disassemble, test, rebuild but not really what is going on & how it all works.

can you just run 2 ad244's lol im not sure how they'll mount up but they're 200a each and cheap as **** from a junkyard. might be able to get a diff case (sell your alts and buy the ad244s for under $50 ea...)I should really have more than enough amperage to do the job.

i havent had a single alternator fail on my truck and i beat the **** out of them at idle(450a draw).. so i wonder what kind of design your alternator is that may be causing this. are they small case?

Holy ****! That's a big draw!! What's your battery /alt set-up?

looking at what your voltage drop is, you're not that hard on them. try to get a dc clamp meter and see what kind of load you're putting on them at idle. if it's over 50a you might have an internal short somewhere or bad battery

I have a 70 amp draw at idle (stereo only) I've load tested the optimas multiple times and brought them in multiple times to test... No issues.

my money is with shizzzon, heat is the ultimate killer but why, too small of a case? bad engine location? inherently small rectifier on that alternator design? lower diesel rpm = improper pulley ratios?

These are small 3g cases. The auto electric shop said the rectifiers were cheap & small... Hoped that was my issue... No so.

When you say "they", who is they? I'm guessing you had someone or a shop do your big 3 for ya. If I'm reading that right, you have diff gauge wires for the big 3? Not good.

I made the cables, lug ends soldered crimped & heat shrunk. They turned out really well. I do have different gauge wires, I will redo if you think it's necessary.

I went through five brand new alternators on my dually in the course of 2 weeks. We couldn't find a single thing wrong that was causing them to fail. I was putting them on myself charging battery before I put them on, and they just wouldn't charge. Finally got sick of it and took to Custom Truck and auto they slapped a new one in, it failed then put another on and it's been fine ever since. Sometimes they just fail. Luckily mine were under warranty

What engine do you have? I've read nothing but bad things with my truck & alternators. I've read tons of threads with bone stock trucks like mine going through several alternators before finding one that works. I've literally never had issues with Aftermarket alternators, from here on out, I'm going to the dealer.

I went through 6 alts for a honda from Orileys.Two swapped out and throw ons from warranty..Later to find benched before leaving several stores before I finally got one that benched fine, and worked,.Took approx two weeks to find a good alt...I did have an issue with RED TOP/OPTIMUS batteries a couple years ago on my truck.Two new batteries and ended up damaging my alt..replaced the alt then replaced two new RED TOPS upon warranty, Damaged alt and again new batteries..Trashed the RED TOPS, and Replaced my Alt again under warranty and placed two new Batts with Orileys's Super Start AGMs at the same time and havent had any issues since. Red Tops must have been sitting on hot shelves before sale during summer that year.Several people had issues with RED TOPS/Optimus batts at that time.It was one hell of an expensive way to find out what the issue really was at that time. I used to believe in OPTIMUS Red Tops asthey have lasted very well in the past.I no longer buy them.Ive had very great luck with the AGM S. StartsGold from Oriley's so far.If running Multi Batts..I recommend removing the bad batt(Usually tell by a buldge on the side) and Fully charge all, existing before adding the new battery

Ouch dude, 6 alts. I feel you on that! I have heard of issues with optimas and agm batteries as a whole. They like to be charged on waves instead of direct current and take a lot longer to charge, but discharge slower.

 

[Papermaker85 5,000+ posts]

so you mean the voltage doesn't jump up until you hit the gas?

 

[66novals3]

so you mean the voltage doesn't jump up until you hit the gas?

Yes, when I come to a stop after pushing the system, I turn the music down and voltage drops to ~13.2. Raise the rpms a few hundred and immediately hits 14.2v. Always is rocks solid while driving at 14.2v with the system working hard. Even massive bass hits do not affect while driving off idle. I even see my lights ever so lightly dim with massive hits but the voltage doesn't drop.

 

[66novals3]

I ALSO HAVE A CORRECTION, THESE ARE BOTH 6G ALTERNATORS. sorry for the incorrect info.

 

[Papermaker85 5,000+ posts]

Yes, when I come to a stop after pushing the system, I turn the music down and voltage drops to ~13.2. Raise the rpms a few hundred and immediately hits 14.2v. Always is rocks solid while driving at 14.2v with the system working hard. Even massive bass hits do not affect while driving off idle. I even see my lights ever so lightly dim with massive hits but the voltage doesn't drop.

the alts isn't exciting the field becasue its not spiinning fast enough to do so. you can A put a smaller pully B raise your idle 3 replace your exciter

 

[SuperDuty350]

Just for the heck of it, Have you checked your batteries?

 

[66novals3]

the alts isn't exciting the field becasue its not spiinning fast enough to do so. you can A put a smaller pully B raise your idle 3 replace your exciter

I have already ordered (2) 2.30" pulleys. Factory is 2.5. That should raise it my sweet spot and only raise rpms 1000 at redline. They should be here Tuesday or Wed at the latest.

Just for the heck of it, Have you checked your batteries?

Batteries have been tested and retested. While the alternators were at the shop I brought them to work & used our carbon pile VAT and they tested good! I even recharged them both and did another test. I'm starting to question the batteries. The store won't return/exchange without them failing.... And they don't fail.

 

[10k-watts]

Scrap red tops... go northstar or xspower under the hood battery... go with on single high output alt...320...370 mechman...singer...js ultimate alt...apexhighoutputalts... does your truck come with dual alts oem? You don't have that much power to fry alts... the prob might be you replaced wires instead of adding to oem... the rule of thumb I've been taught is never replace oem only add... so big 3 is adding wires not replacing... all other wires should be added to starter not replaced... your system should've worked fine just on oem setup... so if alts are fried get a strong ho alt and biggest northstar battery or xspower battery under that hood and return all the wire u replaced and add the wire to the areas u swapped

Mr. 10K

 

[mclerico83 5,000+ posts]

I have already ordered (2) 2.30" pulleys. Factory is 2.5. That should raise it my sweet spot and only raise rpms 1000 at redline. They should be here Tuesday or Wed at the latest.


Batteries have been tested and retested. While the alternators were at the shop I brought them to work & used our carbon pile VAT and they tested good! I even recharged them both and did another test. I'm starting to question the batteries. The store won't return/exchange without them failing.... And they don't fail.

its not that after market alts are bad. Its just cheaper rewound alt tend to be unstable.

https://alternatorparts.com/6g-series-heavy-duty-alternator.html

best place for ford alts never have had a problem

Welcome to Singer Alternators | Singer Alternators

Mechman Alternators | Made in the U.S.A High Output Alternators | Call 1-888-MECHMAN

https://www.dcpowerinc.com

Welcome to Ohio Generator

all rep companies that many have used before. If in the future you ever need anything done, these are who i would talk to

 

[66novals3]

Scrap red tops... go northstar or xspower under the hood battery... go with on single high output alt...320...370 mechman...singer...js ultimate alt...apexhighoutputalts... does your truck come with dual alts oem? You don't have that much power to fry alts... the prob might be you replaced wires instead of adding to oem... the rule of thumb I've been taught is never replace oem only add... so big 3 is adding wires not replacing... all other wires should be added to starter not replaced... your system should've worked fine just on oem setup... so if alts are fried get a strong ho alt and biggest northstar battery or xspower battery under that hood and return all the wire u replaced and add the wire to the areas u swapped
Mr. 10K

Thanks for the reply. I did a bunch or testing this morning. I nabbed the carbon pile tEster from work and did some playing. What I found is the optimas do not like taking a charge. They are super slow to recover now. My upper alternator is putting out 100 amps at idle and 160 at 1500 rpm. While running the batteries are no longer getting to the 14v range. My lower alt is completely dead. No output even with the upper removed from the equation. Man I'm sick of the ****. I called the auto parts store and they've agreed to buy back the red tops since they are garbage. Considering the glow plugs draw 60 amps for up to 10 minutes i think im going back to regular lead batteries. thinking ofor returning the alternators as well since they are still under warranty from advance auto and the alternator shop. I'm going to add a big 3 and put a large single alt on it.

its not that after market alts are bad. Its just cheaper rewound alt tend to be unstable. https://alternatorparts.com/6g-series-heavy-duty-alternator.html

best place for ford alts never have had a problem

Welcome to Singer Alternators | Singer Alternators

Mechman Alternators | Made in the U.S.A High Output Alternators | Call 1-888-MECHMAN

https://www.dcpowerinc.com

Welcome to Ohio Generator

all rep companies that many have used before. If in the future you ever need anything done, these are who i would talk to

Thanks for the reply! which company would you go through? I'm looking for quick turn around and good customer support down the road....hopefully this is the end of my nightmare.

 

[SuperDuty350]

I had a feeling it was battery related. At least one not taking a full charge. Smart move on the heavy duty single. Mines been good so far...knock on wood. I know how frustrating chasing that shiiiiit can be. I did the same as you for weeks only to find defective new parts. It's a real mind ****.

 

[66novals3]

I had a feeling it was battery related. At least one not taking a full charge. Smart move on the heavy duty single. Mines been good so far...knock on wood. I know how frustrating chasing that shiiiiit can be. I did the same as you for weeks only to find defective new parts. It's a real mind ****.

Yeah man, it's been rough, especially dealing with it & having a newborn at home. Which single do you have & which would you recommend for me? What batteries are you running? Like I said, my system pulls 70 amps by itself on top of all the factory stuff. I know my glow plugs pull 60-65 sometimes up to 10 minutes.