dual alternators

[tinytruck]

hey i got a question, the other day when i was on a trail, my serpentine belt started squeeling like a pig, and so i drove to the mechanic, and told him what had happened. He explained thAT MY AC COMPRESSOR's clutch had locked up and needed to be replaced. the ac in my truck has never worked and quite frankly, i would like to be running dual alternators, simply because i have two of them. does anyone know who sells a bracket that will convert the ac mounting holes to alternator mounting holes? and if so what belt do i need?

[JohnnyU]

Brackets and belts are the least of your worries. I never figured out the controls behind dual alternators. I also heard of many guys that plow who opted for teh Ford option having trouble with them.

[94STXRanger]

Why not just run a higher capacity alt. and make an OBA system or something?

[AllanD]

You are aware that there is a 130Amp alernator that is a bolt-on to any enine that uses a 3-bolt mount alternator, right?

So the '91-up 2.3's, 3.0 and 4.0 engines can have a 130amp alternator...

I just found an econoline with a 7.3powerstroke in it.

I didn't have the right tools to get it off but I'm going
back tomorrow.
I don't know if that will fit my 4.0, but I'm for damned sure gonna try.

It's a 200-something amp alternator.

AD

[Will]

All you have to do is treat it like 2 seperate electrical systems--hook the thing that you need the extra current for to an auxillary battery and the second alternator goes only to that battery. Then I would connect the two batteries together with a heavy cable and a simple ON/OFF switch like this in case you needed to jump the main battery.

But I doubt you really need the second alternator. It's a complication. Keeping the stock system in top shape is a better option. And onboard air--yeah, that's a good use for the AC compressor. I should do that.

[94STXRanger]

haha byron-1, other confusing ideas that involve to much mind power-0

[michowski]

Its much easier to just run a bigger alternator like a 200amp. Right now im looking at one that puts out 130 amps at 800 rpm and 200 amps at 1500 rpm. So just driving along really slow will charge my battery in minutes. I also plan on going dual battery and having them seperated were I can either run one or the other or both at the same time. I think thats definatly the way to go if your running a lot of accessories.

Heres a link to the kit http://cgi.ebay.com/12V-DUAL-AUXILIA...QQcmdZViewItem

[tinytruck]

ya i know i could run just a single high output alternator, but i dont want to replace the ac compressor...to much money and heck it still wont work.

i'm running a 130 amp alternator right now, and 4 capacitors, along with an optima battery, but its still not enough when youre pushing over 6,000 watts, and drawing around 200 amps. believe me i DO have a reson for doing it...thanks guys, ya'll rock!

[Wicked_Sludge]

6,000 watts at 14 volts is 428 amps. i have my doubts that your running this serious of a system (peak and RMS wattage are two different animals)...and if you are, your certainly not running it while your in the truck. in that case you could connect a couple of deep cycle batteries to power your system while your at a show, then use your high output alternator to charge them on the drive home.

[Shoeboy]

Why not just remove the A/C compressor and either run a shorter belt or buy a pulley kit where its a bracket with an idler pulley mounted to it that mounts up to the factory a/c compressor location to keep the same factory belt size, or is that idea flawed or am I just thinking to simple and not leaving you a project?

[tinytruck]

ya...thats why i said 200 amps brotha, the system will put out somewere around 6000 watts when maxed though... and no that is not with me in it...as im sure id go deaf? so wicked sludge whatya think about the bracket? ever heard of one?

[Wicked_Sludge]

as far as i know, noone makes such a bracket...although with access to a few basic machining tools, it wouldnt be hard to fashion one.

i still think your making an overly elaborate (and thus, problematic) solution to a simple or non existant problem.

even if you pushed half that power RMS (i still doubt you push 3,000 watts while your anywhere near the truck, and for any length of time), a 200 amp alternator would be sufficient to run it.