Constant 14.5 volts!

[POST]

Got a new alternator installed a week ago because my volts were always at 12.3 or lower WHILE driving... killed the hell out of two batteries, finally got the new alt and a new batt in, all is swell. both the batts at rest stay about 12.58 for the front and the yellowtop was at a whopping 12.91...

When the car is on, it only takes the alt to go from 13v to 14.5 (or higher sometimes) a few seconds, and it just stays there. The lowest it usually goes to is an even 14, but i have yet to see my car's voltage drop below 14 at any time other than shutting it off.




The higher voltage is nice and all with my headlights being really bright now (compared to the 11.5v i was getting before :puke: ) and my amps going at near full capacity... i guess. Just wondering if it will have any real negative impacts on anything? I cant seem to find anything, its either posts about it being 12v or below or extremely high at like 18v.... so i'm wondering if i should even have anything to worry about?

[Notladstyle]

wont hurt anything. Lead acid float charge is 13.8 and the gell cells is 13.7 so you may shorten their life slightly but no biggie.

[TJElite]

You'll be fine.

I have a customer who had an 87 corvette with a bunch of motor work. He had a 16 volt alternator built, and it would hold a pretty constant 15.2 or so, at idle. At cruise, it would go 15.8-15.9. He drove it daily like this for over 2 years, without even burning out a bulb. He also claimed that it took time off his 1/4 mile.

Toby

[the727kid]

What size alt you got now? And what amps?

[POST]

What size alt you got now? And what amps?

its said to be an OEM replacement, but comparing it to the old one --

the OFFICIAL specs are:
(actually has like a birthsheet lol!)


maximum output power: 1345 watts
max output under full load: 100 amps
voltage regulator set point: 14.30 volts
turn on speed: 397 RPM
leakage current tested @ 12v: 0.36 mAmps
leakage current tested @ 12v(hot): 0.36 mAmps
ripple current @ 2500 RPM: 27 Amps
regulator activation speed: 397 RPM
pulley ratio: 2.04 -
secondary regulation: 15.28v
lamp terminal output voltage: 14.21v


they also provided a 'dyno'-like sheet of performance through the RPMs.
taking photo later, i just think it looks funny.

thanks guys

[POST]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v671/P057/AltDyno.jpg



:lol:



I was going to get a high output alternator but the guy in south carolina wasnt responding to emails and the day that my alt finally took a 100% dump, I had to replace it asap.

the high output was rated at 150 amps. My original stock alt is rated for only 80 amps max. So i just kinda got a slightly upgraded alt i guess. voltage is higher than its ever been, its always stayed at 13v or lower..., 14v even at only maximum rpms and when the batts were low.


So i'm actually really happy with it right now. Dalton helped me out a little when i swapped it out so i saved a bit of money rather than taking it to the shop and also learned a little too, so all in all it was a pretty good experience.

[Notladstyle]

Dalton helped me out a little when i swapped it out so i saved a bit of money rather than taking it to the shop and also learned a little too, so all in all it was a pretty good experience.

Helped you out a little?????? i did like 80% of the work.

[POST]

Helped you out a little?????? i did like 80% of the work.

you did not, you told me what to do, and then you said "Here", and threw the alternator at me.

Every once in a while you'd step in to fix something i was obviously doing wrong.

i'd say the work was 70% me/25% you/5% my sister holding the light.

[TIM TIM TIM]

dads van runs an average or 14.7, have seen 15.1 before.. stock, its a diesle though, so it has 2 batteries

[POST]

dads van runs an average or 14.7, have seen 15.1 before.. stock, its a diesle though, so it has 2 batteries

yeah i think diesels usually have higher voltages...


I was just wondering if it was going to cause premature failure of batts, the alt, lights, etc.

But all answers point to a maybe no so i think i'm happy with that.

i think the day before yesterday i saw it get to 15 or something when i was revving hard on 275.

[the727kid]

I've seen 15.1 on the Caddy with the system low. I've seen at at 14.8 with system going though(with one SAZ1500). I'm waiting to see how well it will handle the new set up once all in.

[Notladstyle]

I've seen 15.1 on the Caddy with the system low. I've seen at at 14.8 with system going though(with one SAZ1500). I'm waiting to see how well it will handle the new set up once all in.

so with 2000+wrms you are only dropping to 14.8? Thats... interesting. I would like to see that at the meet.

[POST]

so with 2000+wrms you are only dropping to 14.8? Thats... interesting. I would like to see that at the meet.


i don't think he means when he bumps it to the max, i think he means with the system on and going at a low volume.

I can see when my car bogs down to 13 or so due to the system when i have it loud, and see the little needle dance to the thumps.:lol:

[the727kid]

Right now on full tilt my dash will typically display mid 13s, sometimes 12.8 when I got seat heaters, AC on, HIDs on, ect.

I want to see it stay that high on tilt when I get my electrical done! I got 75 feet of 0 gauge laying here, already got like 30 feet in the car. 2HC2000s in the trunk, red top up front. New alt will come eventually, haven't decided on what amperage yet. I'm leaning towards the 200/175idle though. Weird how the 300amp ones ares like 130idle.

[POST]

Weird how the 300amp ones ares like 130idle.


thats not that weird :P

[the727kid]

Well I have no idea how alternators work, but I though it was odd the higher rated ones have a lower idle. You think both would increase. But yet again I know nothing about alts.

[POST]

Well I have no idea how alternators work, but I though it was odd the higher rated ones have a lower idle. You think both would increase. But yet again I know nothing about alts.


they increase output with higher rpms

i'm not sure why it'd be lower, but it doesnt strike me as odd either.

I saw a higher output alt for my altima (150 amp) actually only output like 75amps at idle vs 80 of my current one, only went up higher at higher revolutions.


to understand how an alternator works:

Understanding Alternators, How alternators work (http://www.alternatorparts.com/understanding_alternators.htm)


Even just quickly skimming through it you get an idea.


basically theres one part that moves (controlled by the speed of the belt that you have attached to the alternator that rotates) and one part that doesnt, when the movable part spins, it creates an electric current by the magnetic fields. that electricity is then sent through your batt and the whole car.

*BELOW IS AN ASSUMPTION/UNDERSTANDING THAT I HAVE, NOT TO BE TAKEN AS A TRUTH, IT WILL MOST LIKELY BE DEBUNKED LATER TONIGHT OR TOMORROW*

As far as why higher output alts dont show their true power until at higher revs, thats most likely due to the fact that higher output alts have more winds/coils in the nonmoving part so that when the higher revs do start getting it going it makes a lot more power. I'm guessing that with the higher the coil winds, the more work the alt has to do to make the same power at idle, but when it starts going up higher in revolutions, it really starts going through. VTEC!


I'm just going to wait until Toby or someone chimes in to tell me i'm off and they'll end up explaining it better.

[the727kid]

Hmm, always cool to learn something new :D. That does make sense though. I think I'll end up getting the 200/175, since my RPMs are usually under 2000 when driving city anyways.

[Notladstyle]

they increase output with higher rpms

i'm not sure why it'd be lower, but it doesnt strike me as odd either.

I saw a higher output alt for my altima (150 amp) actually only output like 75amps at idle vs 80 of my current one, only went up higher at higher revolutions.


your current one puts out 30 amps at idle :oops:

[POST]

your current one puts out 30 amps at idle :oops:


Yeah i just realized i said that, whoops!

I meant regular driving (for me) since i usually drive on the highway @ 65-80mph @ 2.5-3k rpms.


oh well. Would've been nice for idle though!! :lol: