High output Alternator ??

[BK]

posting this in the general area... had it on the 2nd gen area, but no replies as of yet...



I have a 99 QC 4x4...



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

 

[ABennin]

I purchased a Pa performance about 3 or 4 years ago. Works fine.

 

[BK]

Tnx.
been trying to call these OEMs today.
Finally went with the one that actually picked up the phone and would talk to me.
maniac electric motors

I heard good things about PA. . but they never picked up or returned my call.

Mean Green, on hold forever. . called a distributor of theirs and they admitted it's a big problem getting hold of them.
I'm worried about warranty. . want to be able to talk to someone just incase there is a problem.

 

[p-Bar]

Can't you find a small rebuilder around your area that does it all in house Or have they gone by the wayside? any of these guys?



https://www.google.com/search?source=ig&rlz=&q=alternator+rebuilder+long+island&oq=&gs_l=

 

[BK]

Frankly , don't know which in the area are fly by night VS really know what they are doing.
Soo many have come and gone.
So looking for those that folks have used before, can find a real presence on the web, actually pick up their phone... ... .

 

[rotohead]

Also will give a thumbs up to the PA 200 amp. Been working flawlessly for at least six years.

 

[BK]

rotohead and ABennin , when you installed the PA alternator, did you also install an additional wire fused wire from the alternator to battery?

the stock fusible link is 140amps and only a 6awg wire.
neither really sized for the aftermarket HO alternators.

MEM recommends adding an additional fused wire... . but looking at the sizing, the lugs for 2awg or 1/0 wont fit on the output stud of the alternator without going to a brass stand off or something.


TIA

 

[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.