2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission High output Alternator ??

[BK]

About 3. 5 years ago I bought a new alternator from the local autozone.

Now, need another, it's getting soft, and only can charge the batteries during the day (no headlights, and better with no cabin fan blowing).
At night with around town driving, just draining the batteries unless I keep the RPM up.

Drove the truck into the driveway last night, parked it and did some trouble shooting.
Heater grid isn't hanging on.

I charged the batteries (separately, one at a time) , they each took a while to take a good charge.
Off of charge, separated still - let them sit over night, and came nicely down to open terminal voltage, 12. 6.
Each responded well to a 100amp load test, and recovered back to open terminal voltage, 12. 6 .

Just seems the Alternator has gotten soft, and is worse than ever at idle or low rpm handling the loads.


Thankfully at this point, I don't have to rush to get it back on the road.

Been cruising our forum and others. . lots of options out there, most threads a bit older, so figured might as well ask for recent experiences, or now that you've owned xyz brand for a while, how is it. .

???


I found on the web, and pending phone calls, narrowed it down to these few.
Any one have experience with any of these ??


Off hand I like this shop, the only one that speaks to the issue of limited capacity of the stock cable and fuse.....

http://www.maniacelectricmotors.com...m013766HO180&gclid=CPL-6pnks7oCFVOf4Aodb1EAOQ

http://www.maniacelectricmotors.com/10gupocakit.html

And then we have in no particular order...

http://www.paperformance.com/scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=291

http://storesense1.mysuperpageshosting.com/HS13162/Detail.bok?no=848

http://www.xtremediesel.com/meangreenhighoutputalternator1339.aspx


tia

 

[Bernie]

I work with fire apparatus, and as you can imagine electrical draw is a problem for us. When we modify a smaller truck, like a ford F550, we used to (and say used to) add a second alternator and a separate battery just for accessories. That way the ford system was the ford system, and our equipment was on its own stand alone system that separated from ford system with a 200 amp relay. One switched separated everything up-fit from the stock system. this was to keep a good reliable system for the up-fit items and to keep ford happy from a warranty stand point on everything else.



Notice I said used to. Now that warning lighting and scene lighting is almost all LED, we don't need to do that anymore.



These days we typically just select the largest alternator we can when ordering a chassis and call it good. I still separate the systems with a 200amp breaker / relay, but that is about it.



With that said, I would just buy a high output alternator and call it good. Unless you have some high draw high use items, it should be fine.

 

[GAmes]

If you have an autozone alternator they are warrantied for life. Take it back. I get a new one from them about once a year it seems like.

 

[BK]

yea, thought of that.
I guess if it was just a grocery getter or station car.
But I don't feel like being in the middle of no where and the alternator takes it's yearly exit.
I'd prefer to cut my losses, and not support and on going movement of poor quality product.
I prefer to make changes that increase reliability.

 

[GAmes]

As you can see by the miles, mine is hardly a grocery getter. I have averaged nearly 90k a year for the last 10 years. I have a stocker (I think) in the shop that doesn't work, I just haven't got around to buying a rebuild kit. If I knew exactly how to ID it as an OEM I would put it higher on my priority list. I have found out that Autozones all over the country allow me to change out an alternator in their parking lots. :-laf So far (as I cross my fingers) none have failed during bad weather.

 

[BK]

That's great, works well for you.



The only two places I've seen an autozone for me is a few places I've been to on the west coast, and here locally.

So for a grocery getter or station car locally, for me, it wouldn't bother me, and I could see that working.



Every place else I've driven to or thru, into the boonies, I haven't seen or come across an autozone (or other chains).

So Such warranties don't comfort me, nor having to change alternators at a given pace, road side or in a parking lot by tracking down where a national chain auto store might be.

(no matter autozone, oriely, parts+,aid auto, pepboys, napa... ... . I'm not picking on autozone, none of them providing life time warranties provides me comfort. ) Just doesn't fit my "mission statement" , or "SOP".

When I have t be where I have to be, I have to be there when I have to be there, no one wants to hear that I had to stop and hunt down an alternator and take the time to fix it road side.

 

[mwilson]

You might want to consider replacing with a new OEM alternator. It is a hardy unit and in your situation may be the best fit.



I can not remember the brand (Denso, maybe?) but new ones are sold from sources other than Dodge. Just avoid knock-offs.



Mike.

 

[Bernie]

yea, thought of that.
I don't feel like being in the middle of no where and the alternator takes it's yearly exit.
I'd prefer to cut my losses, and not support and on going movement of poor quality product.
I prefer to make changes that increase reliability.

I understand and feel the same way... but this might be one of those things that there isn't much of a way around. I would do the following:
-Go with a stock mopar / dodge alternator. The consensus seems to be they last quite a few years, and the parts store replacements seems to go a year or two.
-Keep the load on the alternator as low as you can. Go LED where you can, make sure all the battery terminals and lines are in good shape. I just did the same, and was surprised at how bad the wiring was around my batteries. The "crossover" line was corroded back for a bout a foot on each side so I had to replace it.
-To address your middle of nowhere concerns, I would carry a rebuild kit from Genos. I rebuilt an alternator (ok, not the bearing, just the electrical parts) on the side of the road in the Allegheny National Forest.

 

[Bob Beauchaine]

I purchased one of PA performance alternators several years ago after my OEM alternator went bad. I had the OEM rebuilt by a reputable rebuilder and it failed about 6 months later. So far I have had no problems with their new replacement. If I remember correctly it was built in the US. They do use a slightly smaller pully which is how they get some additional amps. This pully makes installation of the drive belt - on 1st Gens - a breeze. I also installed a AutoMeter volt meter wired through a spdt switch so I can read volts both before and after starting if I want. BTW the old alternator caused the loss of both batteries.



Bob

 

[Road Dog]

An alternator doesn't "get soft"; some part of it -- a winding or diodes -- have failed and now it's just damaging your batteries and electronics.

 

[BK]

when the capacity of the alternator is reduced due to 1 opened diode, I considered it "soft " (acts as having reduced capacity, not totally failed, just how my OEM original failed) , same can happen with a short between two windings that are close enough to each other in the winding sequence.

Just like the OEM, noticed the batteries discharging at idle, and charging too slowly at cruise... lower than normal output from the alternator.


I've had others just outright failed with no output what so ever , or smoked (other vehicles thru the years).


I agrees, seems the OEM new stock (not rebuilt), seems much higher quality.
I thought of going OEM direct... locally the cost was insane, I hate paying the dealer pirate prices.


I appreciate the other comments, I carry certain spares, but there has to be an limit.
Once you have a good alternator, it will last a good long time, like a water pump.

All wires are fine, connectors and terminal clean.

As with my OEM original Alternator, I caught it in time and save the batteries, same this time.
After charging each one and letting them sit over night, I tested them with a DC load and later with conductance (after recharging them again), and they are right in the middle... not as good as new, but no where near bad.
I've had them for 3 years... so about where I expect them to be.


I had heard good things about PA, but tried 2 days to call, no one picked up.


Mean Green, picked up, no one ever came to the call, and was eventually hung up on. I called a dealer, that gent said, ya biggest problem with MG is getting to talk to someone - and warranties have to go direct, not thru the dealer. I've read good and bad about MG.


I called maniac electric motors, both times they picked up and spoke with me, first time for Q's , 2nd time to place the order.
Built to order, 2 days later shipped, just got the tracking number.

They don't what a core, so if I ever find the time, I'll crack this one open to find out what's up. . but I got a lot of stuff waiting for me to get to it, gotta feeling it'll collect dust on the shelf for a good long time.

 

[BK]

I received the MEM HO alternator Wed while I was on the road. During lunch today I installed it.
The 1/0 wire kit they provided, the lugs are just too big to get into the output stud of the alternator.
Can't get anything at HD that will fit either.

If I just had just 1 wire, I could see the 1/0.
But the stock wire being 6awg with a 140amp fuse, the 4awg kit they offered would have been fine.

I called them up...
They say most widdle down the stud insulator. I'm just not comfortable with that, the lugs are your normal 1/0 battery lugs. They said the recent stock is nothing but the large lugs.
They are sending a 4awg kit for free. Nice Customer service.

That batteries have been on charge since the weekend.

We are at about 50degF today, installed the alternator, and with the heater grid cycling, the alternator is putting out ~110Amp @ 13. 6 at idle, and when the grid heater goes off the current of course drops off and the voltage goes up to14. 2vdc.
(at batteries with a Fluke DMM)
Cruising around with the headlights on and heater grid cycling , VDC never goes below 13. 2 (measuring with a cheapo ciglighter plug in meter) (can't drive around with the amp clamp meter in place, so no idea of the current) .
Never had that before, always fell well below 13 (based on the dash gauge relative markings), and headlights dimmed terribly.
Isn't dark yet, so can't directly compare the dimming of the headlights.

 

[BK]

deleted, double post