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 ) 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?

 

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.

 

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

 

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

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.