alternator question

[norachelhere]

where do you go to get a "better" alternator?
I've got several cars that all have systems, some better than others and if you watch closely, at idle, the headlights dim when the subs hit, and/or the idle will drop ever so slightly. Hooked up a voltage meter and you can watch it drop every time the subs hit. The GST I've got has a stock alternator and it only puts out 75 amps. I don't think the 240 or rx7 are much better. I would have to assume that an alternator with a higher amperage would have the nuts to sustain the added load.
Or am I attacking this from the wrong angle?

thanks for the help.

[POST]

where do you go to get a "better" alternator?
I've got several cars that all have systems, some better than others and if you watch closely, at idle, the headlights dim when the subs hit, and/or the idle will drop ever so slightly. Hooked up a voltage meter and you can watch it drop every time the subs hit. The GST I've got has a stock alternator and it only puts out 75 amps. I don't think the 240 or rx7 are much better. I would have to assume that an alternator with a higher amperage would have the nuts to sustain the added load.
Or am I attacking this from the wrong angle?

thanks for the help.

I would hope that a massive amount of power drain would make your voltage drop...

This is completely normal, and to be expected when you put in high power amplifiers to support subwoofers and non-stock speakers. The first thing to do that is the most important, cheapest, and easiest to do is to upgrade your "Big Three". Once that's done, check how the car reacts. Not enough? Upgrade your alternator. You'll have to find out from other members where to get them since I don't have a clue, nor am I interested. After that, upgrade batt/add a second batt. Don't bother with caps.

[Notladstyle]

Your idle RPM drops because the alternator has to make that extra current from somewhere - its not a magic device, it converts kinetic energy to electrical.

Need more electrical energy? It will tale more kinetic.

For the light dimming, that could be either that the alternator isnt fast enough to respond to the power demands, or the power demands are so great the alternator cannot produce enough power at idle. Neither one is a big deal unless your car lights dim while at 2k rpm.

[bnorth1990]

The first thing to do that is the most important, cheapest, and easiest to do is to upgrade your "Big Three". Once that's done, check how the car reacts. Not enough? Upgrade your alternator.

id have to agree with that

[norachelhere]

i understand why it does what it does. Not fast enough, not magic, and added load. makes sense. But I wasn't sure if increasing the amps would be the "right" way to go. I know when you go to shows, you see these guys with a million alternators. I don't want a million alternators. I don't want two alternators. I would assume that I would get one alternator to kinda meet in the middle of the stock one and two... Makes sense, right?

as for the "big 3", what is it?
The only big 3 I know of is a junk yard on 118th ave...

[POST]

i understand why it does what it does. Not fast enough, not magic, and added load. makes sense. But I wasn't sure if increasing the amps would be the "right" way to go. I know when you go to shows, you see these guys with a million alternators. I don't want a million alternators. I don't want two alternators. I would assume that I would get one alternator to kinda meet in the middle of the stock one and two... Makes sense, right?

as for the "big 3", what is it?
The only big 3 I know of is a junk yard on 118th ave...

Upgrading your grounds.

Just by doing this, you might fix your problem entirely.

[bnorth1990]

1- battery negative to chassis
2- alternator to battery positive
3- chassis to engine

this might help http://www.sounddomain.com/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/312025/page/1

[norachelhere]

thanks. i overlooked the alternator to battery connection when we upgraded connections and what not.
I've already got a better battery ground. and a better engine ground on all three cars... I'll do the alternator to battery next and see what kind of difference it makes...

[POST]

thanks. i overlooked the alternator to battery connection when we upgraded connections and what not.
I've already got a better battery ground. and a better engine ground on all three cars... I'll do the alternator to battery next and see what kind of difference it makes...

make sure it's a thick wire (to alt, from alt to batt). Will make a big diff.

[Notladstyle]

that will definitely help your dimming, not so much the idle drop though.

[norachelhere]

i know the idle is caused by weak spark and injectors not getting enough power to cycle properly.
I'm thinking a high out put alternator would also help with the car's overall performance too.
Now all I have to do is find them....

[POST]

I'm thinking a high out put alternator would also help with the car's overall performance too.

Heh, no it won't.

H.O. Alts usually sacrifice a little power in the low end and boost it up in the high end. Along with the added strain of having to turn a part with even more resistance, the H.O. Alts don't usually last as long either.

[Notladstyle]

i know the idle is caused by weak spark and injectors not getting enough power to cycle properly.
I'm thinking a high out put alternator would also help with the car's overall performance too.
Now all I have to do is find them....

you might get a stronger spark and SLIGHTLY better response from the injectors getting a voltage boost but I doubt you would notice it. Probably better mpg rather than HP.

[POST]

you might get a stronger spark and SLIGHTLY better response from the injectors getting a voltage boost but I doubt you would notice it. Probably better mpg rather than HP.

I would assume a slightly larger load on the belt and therefore the engine?

[norachelhere]

i agree, it would make for a higher load in the lower RPM range, but once you got it moving, i'm wondering if it would provide more than it is is taking. Ya know. I know road race cars have crazy alternators, especially when you consider the lack of accessories. I'll have to talk to some of those guys and see if I can get a decent reason as to why.
What do you guys think about making the alternator pulley smaller?
It would make the alternator spin faster at idle, therefore making a little more power, but would it cause a problem in the higher rpms?

[POST]

i agree, it would make for a higher load in the lower RPM range, but once you got it moving, i'm wondering if it would provide more than it is is taking. Ya know. I know road race cars have crazy alternators, especially when you consider the lack of accessories. I'll have to talk to some of those guys and see if I can get a decent reason as to why.
What do you guys think about making the alternator pulley smaller?
It would make the alternator spin faster at idle, therefore making a little more power, but would it cause a problem in the higher rpms?

it would probably screw with the HO Alternator's functioning.

Yes, once up to speed, it will definitely make a lot more power.

[Notladstyle]

I would assume a slightly larger load on the belt and therefore the engine?

no - kinetic energy converted to electric energy. If no extra demand is needed, there is no extra(or negligible difference) load between an OEM and an AM alt.

Some HO alternators have a higher efficiency than the OEM(at the expense of life span) and will present a smaller load on the belt for the same amount of power.

[Notladstyle]

Overdrive pulleys increase the rotational speed in relation to the engine. Basically your idle RPM should make the same current as an RPM 30% higher would make with the stock pulley.

This comes at a cost too though. If it spins faster, it ages faster... And yes if you rev the engine to a point that originally would have met the top rpm for the alternator, with the pulley it will exceed that point and probably just age the coil even faster.

[pnrcaraudio]

Hey just a few things
A. alternators designed for road racing are a different animal than alternators designed for car audio.
B. purchasing an alternator for car audio is an extremly large purchase (very expensive) if you want one that is gonna do the job properly.
C. Go buy a deep cycle blem battery at Electro battery in St. Petersburg (23rd Ave and 32nd St.) for $40 or so and wire it in between your front battery and amps and 90% chance that it will solve your problem.
Unless you have an extreme system you should not need to purchase an upgraded alternator
But if you either do have an extreme system or just have money to burn and want to buy one google HO Alternators and Ohio Generators, these are the two top alternator companies in car audio today and you can get a quote for your vehicle from both companies on line

[italiancorolla]

I just purchased an Iraggi alternator, today I am taking it to discount to make sure it putsa out the 200A it shows it does

[the727kid]

Iraggi FTW. Talk to Dom tell him exactly what you want/need and he will work it out for you.

[norachelhere]

Hey just a few things
A. alternators designed for road racing are a different animal than alternators designed for car audio.
B. purchasing an alternator for car audio is an extremly large purchase (very expensive) if you want one that is gonna do the job properly.
C. Go buy a deep cycle blem battery at Electro battery in St. Petersburg (23rd Ave and 32nd St.) for $40 or so and wire it in between your front battery and amps and 90% chance that it will solve your problem.
Unless you have an extreme system you should not need to purchase an upgraded alternator
But if you either do have an extreme system or just have money to burn and want to buy one google HO Alternators and Ohio Generators, these are the two top alternator companies in car audio today and you can get a quote for your vehicle from both companies on line

i would have assumed an alternator was an alternator... to an extent... how are the road race ones different than other ones?

[italiancorolla]

Iraggi FTW. Talk to Dom tell him exactly what you want/need and he will work it out for you.

isnt dom the guy that owns iraggi? There were 2 different brands out there fo rme to choose from, one was $325 with a 6 month warranty, and one was $385 with a 1-year an could purchase an extended lifetime warranty. I chose the 2nd one :)

[POST]

isnt dom the guy that owns iraggi? There were 2 different brands out there fo rme to choose from, one was $325 with a 6 month warranty, and one was $385 with a 1-year an could purchase an extended lifetime warranty. I chose the 2nd one :)


I would too. That's probably something that you just don't want to skimp out on.


Good luck, let us know how that one works out for you.

[pnrcaraudio]

Hey I have been hearing of Iraggi a lot lately some good some bad, could you let me know how yours works out for you. I know they are relativly cheap in price compared to HO or Ohio Generators but do not have any personal experience with them yet.

As far as the difference between racing alternators and car audio alternators I do not race and do not sell racing equipment so have never investigated the difference in order to give you a reasonable explanation to that question I just know that they are designed differently for a few specific reasons.

You can try going to the power master website (Powermaster (http://www.powermastermotorsports.com)) and asking these guys they produce both types of alternators for High output and for racing.