Will a High Output Alternator Fry my car's Electrical System?

[audiolife 5,000+ posts]

When I say 200 amps, I'm not talking some sells pitch ad. I mean Real 200+ amps that can run all day long. Not "Three mins" before it cooks.
I use this type http://www.alternatorparts.com/dual_rectifier_big_ford.htm

Notice how much bigger it is "32lbs". Yes it can hit 300amps but thats cold not after its hot! They rate it as a 215amp cause thats real world amps!

I seen to many post on Alt failer from some cheese head company that throws numbers around like that means anything. Kinda like some companys say they put out amps rated at 2000watts and we know what to look for to avoid that crap!

i know of cars that have alot larger than 300 amp alts too lol and ohio generator isnt a cheesey company lol. just about anyone that is anyone in the extreme clas in db drag uses them....course i seem to remember someone losing their alts too in a death match in SS....

 

[Team Hammer 10+ year member]

i know of cars that have alot larger than 300 amp alts too lol and ohio generator isnt a cheesey company lol. just about anyone that is anyone in the extreme clas in db drag uses them....course i seem to remember someone losing their alts too in a death match in SS....

Extreme Class and DB Drags last about 60 Seconds and you still see those Marketing freebees go up in smoke!//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/crying.gif.ec0ebefe590df0251476573bc49e46d8.gif

Like I said all day everyday use, Not Three Mins in some contest. Since I got access to DC alt load testers I Know what happens to those cheapies. They get hot and fry!

The only way to get highier output is Larger Stators and Rotors to handle the high heat they produce. It takes more then a Larger Rectifier mounted on the outside to stay working!//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/eyebrow.gif.fe2c18d8720fe8c7eaed347b21ea05a5.gif

 

[audiolife 5,000+ posts]

burp lasts 4 seconds a run is 30 seconds of that time if you burp it more than wice you wont get any better unless you had the wrong tone. death match is a 5 minute affair but before you go off a a tree stump about them being weak alts the vehicles i am talking about draw over 10,000 amps on a burp........ so even with 60+ batteries its still a big load

 

[ffkk 10+ year member]

My input:

In all power systems, equipment will have different ratings viz. steady state or continuous and a transient rating like during a fault or switching surge. So a fuse or breaker should be rated to break a current during steady state and fault conditions in the milliseconds range otherwise the protection and other equipment in the path of the fault that's rated below the fault current could get damaged.

some types of loads require high fault levels, like furnaces/smelters. normally they require a short-circuit to load ratio (SCLR) >10. So for a load taking a continuous 1000 Amps will require no less than 10 000 Amps of fault level in order for their processes to work well and to minimise voltage dips in the power system. I believe this is analogous to an audio system that requires huge amounts of power for a few seconds, hence isolation in terms of protection is of great importance.

Cheers

 

[Team Hammer 10+ year member]

burp lasts 4 seconds a run is 30 seconds of that time if you burp it more than wice you wont get any better unless you had the wrong tone. death match is a 5 minute affair but before you go off a a tree stump about them being weak alts the vehicles i am talking about draw over 10,000 amps on a burp........ so even with 60+ batteries its still a big load

I wired a few of those systems and the Alt is nothing more then a battery charger. The load is carried by the battery banks and there isolated from the Alt to protect it. If that alt tried to run a system of 10Kw that comes to 700amps output.

If you have 60+ Batteries at 600 amps that comes to 36K which could run for 8mins before the voltage falls off below 10v which is the just above the min required before damaging a cell or two.

Thats one reason why Comp systems need muti Isolators, To break-Up the bank in sections. This keeps one bank from having to supply the whole system. Cause if you lose One or Two batteries "Most often the closest ones to the end" They will try to draw from those up the chain.

 

[Chevyaudio 5,000+ posts]

ummm...I run a 250 amp HO alt all day long. Bench tested at 261 on a Load machine, and not some shitty ass Autozone test either. And currently I dont run a battery bank. The alt primarily powers the amps currently.

 

[audiolife 5,000+ posts]

I wired a few of those systems and the Alt is nothing more then a battery charger. The load is carried by the battery banks and there isolated from the Alt to protect it. If that alt tried to run a system of 10Kw that comes to 700amps output.
If you have 60+ Batteries at 600 amps that comes to 36K which could run for 8mins before the voltage falls off below 10v which is the just above the min required before damaging a cell or two.

Thats one reason why Comp systems need muti Isolators, To break-Up the bank in sections. This keeps one bank from having to supply the whole system. Cause if you lose One or Two batteries "Most often the closest ones to the end" They will try to draw from those up the chain.

most guys i know dont use isolators...

 

[Team Hammer 10+ year member]

I use a Snap-On Load machine with Voltage and Amp clamps. I can plot the Voltage/Amp Curve up to 400amps/24volts. Not a cheap Autozone 30second hand held unit. The test can be printed out to a PC for later viewing. This allows me to check each bank and campare it to the whole system.

It would be a good Idea to use Isolators as stated above. This gives better output control and amp draw that is designed for each section of the system.

Thats one reason Dual Alt are designed for Primary Secondary Charging. You get better performance and Multi Wiring options.

 

[Lakota 5,000+ posts]

Equipment only draws as much current as it needs, so why a ho alt will fry **** is beyond me

 

[ffkk 10+ year member]

Equipment only draws as much current as it needs, so why a ho alt will fry **** is beyond me

go read up on fault and switching surges and it's impact on equipment. Even breakers have a lifespan, too many operations and its gonna burn! What about coils? they have insulation, too many faults, that insulation is gonna start to crack up and short cct.

I believe the problem is two fold where the wrong protection is used or the wrong guage of cable is used. cant think of anything else really, except a total b@lls up with the wiring //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif

 

[Team Hammer 10+ year member]

When a HO Alt fails Say from a faulty Voltage Regulator. The voltage is no longer 14.5 volts but now its 180 volts with 250amps. Remember that a Alt is converting AC to DC. The wiring will fry and catch fire in seconds if there is no fuse to protect it.

HO Alt produce high heat. Which can break down the stator, rotor diodes. If one fails that energy has to go somewhere.

 

[abqrb2000 10+ year member]

I have a 1990 Mustang I have upgraded it with a 200 amp 3g alternator from the newer mustangs (common upgrade). Where can I get a 15 0r 16 volt regulator for it? I have 1/0 gauge from the alt to battery as well.

Back in the day I had a Phoenix Gold alt. that bench tested a 160 amps and 16.6 volts. I just can not find the voltage regulator??

 

[viziers 10+ year member]

I have a 05 audi a4 and it has what i think is stock amps of 150 at least thats what autozones replacement alt says it is. Will i need a larger one if i plan for a total of 2000 watt system?

 

[bigbang 10+ year member]

Got to get my opinion in. A high output alternator can fry a relay board under your dash or in your engine bay. When your stereo demands all the output of a new beefed up alternator, but it first has to travel through the stock alternator wiring into the stock electronics board not meant to handle the higher amperage, things may melt. Thats why its important to add a zero gauge from alternator positive to battery positive, so all this extra current doesnt have to go through stock equipment made for the factory alternator. Simply put, do the big three so the stock wiring/electronics doesn't have to handle the extra amperage.

 

[ReDemoN 10+ year member]

Here is my ? about the wire that runs from the batt to the alt?

This is on a 94 civic

Do I take away the factory wire that runs from the fusebox to the alt?

I'm gonna use 1/0 gauge wire from the batt to the alt.

I just run the wire directly to the alt from the batt terminal?

See the civic has a little wire that runs from the fuse box to the alt, there is a wire that runs from the batt to the fuse box so i'm just trying to figure out what the deal is.

Any help would be nice if you need a picture of what I'm talking about let me know.