Gerrs69rr
Well-Known Member
Head light harness
- Thread starter Gerrs69rr
- Start date
thanks for your feedback on crackedback,one day I will buy it.
Yes, 60 amps alt is still not enough. Normally ( and depending on the pulley diameter ) the iddle power is half way of the max output rated. So a 60 amps could be on around 30-35 amps rate iddling ( or less ), while your car maybe is needing 35-40 amps.
As I use to mention, the best alt you can get is the one able to feed your car main requirements at iddle. In that way the batt won't be sucked out constantly and voltage rate will be stable. This will keep safe also the ammeter being centered most of the time without loads coming or going. IMHO the borderline is in between 80-100 amps. 100 amps for a daily driver down the rain and stuff ( wipers sucks a lot, same as A/C-Heater blower ) and 80 amps if occasional driving, never down the rain or traffic. You can go higher too, but no less.
I have been using a stock 80 amps ( from 80s Mopars ) alts which with A/C and using it at nights on traffic ( and halogen headlights ) it keeps a bit short sourcing 40-45 at iddle, so I'm pointing out to a Tuff Stuff 100 amps unit when money comes, which as far I know is able to source around 60-65 at iddle.
I will add ( just in case some other controversial opinions float on, per experience latelly ) this is my opinion based on my personal experiences on my 1974 daily driver car, on a tropical country with lot of rains, and usually windows rolled up due personal safety issues in Vzla, so AC tipically on on low speed at least, and on a city with heavy traffic.
As I use to mention, the best alt you can get is the one able to feed your car main requirements at iddle. In that way the batt won't be sucked out constantly and voltage rate will be stable. This will keep safe also the ammeter being centered most of the time without loads coming or going. IMHO the borderline is in between 80-100 amps. 100 amps for a daily driver down the rain and stuff ( wipers sucks a lot, same as A/C-Heater blower ) and 80 amps if occasional driving, never down the rain or traffic. You can go higher too, but no less.
I have been using a stock 80 amps ( from 80s Mopars ) alts which with A/C and using it at nights on traffic ( and halogen headlights ) it keeps a bit short sourcing 40-45 at iddle, so I'm pointing out to a Tuff Stuff 100 amps unit when money comes, which as far I know is able to source around 60-65 at iddle.
I will add ( just in case some other controversial opinions float on, per experience latelly ) this is my opinion based on my personal experiences on my 1974 daily driver car, on a tropical country with lot of rains, and usually windows rolled up due personal safety issues in Vzla, so AC tipically on on low speed at least, and on a city with heavy traffic.
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Gerrs69rr
Well-Known Member
Nacho-RT74, thanks for the info, I should have done more homework. I read to many threads about burned up wire harnesses, but looking back that was from 120 amp alternators or bigger. I do drive this car a lot, in the rain, at night, A/C blasting and oh yeah, I have electric fuel pump! I'll update this post after I get new alternator installed
not really, the High amps alt are not the culprit, but the lack of power coming from stock alts. this made constantly suck from the batt and when revving up, alternator began to source the car requirements but also the batt recharging procces. This is like another sucker device. Packard terminals are not able to hold this extra load. Barelly are able to support 30-35 amps of constant loads of the car functions, which when batt is getting recharged, increases to maybe 60 when reving up. If you keep the batt out of the game to source what alternator is not able to source at iddle, won't become later on a sucker either, so the load requirements will kept on just the car demands.
and if you think on several accesories adds on have beeing attached to the batt post ( wrong procedement when you have an ammeter ), this increases loads going through the ammeter without need for that. Every add on to the car when you have ammeter mujst be sourced from alt side of the charging system.
your car will need the same amperage no matter the source. If you need 50 amps and the alt is not able to source it, it will still suck 50 amps from wherever comes... alt and batt combined. If your alt is able to source 80 amps, and your car sucks 50 amps, the alt will source just those 50 amps. You can get 500 amps alt and your car will keep sucking the same. The alt will provide just what is needed. Amperes are not pushed in by the source but sucked out by the device per its needs. You only need to guarantee the good source for it.
is juts like having your cellphone being charged at your AC wall outlet ( which sucks maybe 1 amp ) the same than a hair dryer ( which could be on a 10-12 amps rate ) and both are on a line protected by a 20 amps breaker and a 16 amps Wall outlet. Your cellphone won't be broken by a 20 amps line.
or using a car example... the same batt is able to move your starter motor ( maybe 120-150 amps? maybe a bit more depending on starter and engine specs? ) will also light up your dome light ( maybe 1 amp ? ) and your dome light won't burnt, neither its wiring, because is conected to a 500, 600, 900 amps battery.
AND the bulkhead bypass ( complete bypass or a parallel path to the existant one ) between alt and amm will increase the load paths efficiency to source without burnt anything.
after all these years, the ammeter check and mantenience is a must too.
MUST SAY, this is just a plain and simpe way to say and understand it. There are more involved on the science of this, but the final result of the charging system can be read it just like this.
and if you think on several accesories adds on have beeing attached to the batt post ( wrong procedement when you have an ammeter ), this increases loads going through the ammeter without need for that. Every add on to the car when you have ammeter mujst be sourced from alt side of the charging system.
your car will need the same amperage no matter the source. If you need 50 amps and the alt is not able to source it, it will still suck 50 amps from wherever comes... alt and batt combined. If your alt is able to source 80 amps, and your car sucks 50 amps, the alt will source just those 50 amps. You can get 500 amps alt and your car will keep sucking the same. The alt will provide just what is needed. Amperes are not pushed in by the source but sucked out by the device per its needs. You only need to guarantee the good source for it.
is juts like having your cellphone being charged at your AC wall outlet ( which sucks maybe 1 amp ) the same than a hair dryer ( which could be on a 10-12 amps rate ) and both are on a line protected by a 20 amps breaker and a 16 amps Wall outlet. Your cellphone won't be broken by a 20 amps line.
or using a car example... the same batt is able to move your starter motor ( maybe 120-150 amps? maybe a bit more depending on starter and engine specs? ) will also light up your dome light ( maybe 1 amp ? ) and your dome light won't burnt, neither its wiring, because is conected to a 500, 600, 900 amps battery.
AND the bulkhead bypass ( complete bypass or a parallel path to the existant one ) between alt and amm will increase the load paths efficiency to source without burnt anything.
after all these years, the ammeter check and mantenience is a must too.
MUST SAY, this is just a plain and simpe way to say and understand it. There are more involved on the science of this, but the final result of the charging system can be read it just like this.
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Gerrs69rr
Well-Known Member
All these years doing this and never had it explained like that. I fully understand how this system works, thanks again
a bit of extra info ( specially on page 3 ):
https://www.forbbodiesonly.com/moparforum/threads/poll-about-ammeter-reading.198930/
https://www.forbbodiesonly.com/moparforum/threads/dissection-and-study-of-a-mopar-ammeter.199179/
there are a lot of threads about this... with hardcore discussions included LOL... making a search will find them
And this is the firts post I made ever about this.... if you think my english is not perfect now, it was way worst 14 years ago LOL
http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,33574.0/all.html
some upgrades options on wiring there.
more info suporting my versions of this
http://www.heritech.org/cuda/Charge.html
https://www.forbbodiesonly.com/moparforum/threads/poll-about-ammeter-reading.198930/
https://www.forbbodiesonly.com/moparforum/threads/dissection-and-study-of-a-mopar-ammeter.199179/
there are a lot of threads about this... with hardcore discussions included LOL... making a search will find them
And this is the firts post I made ever about this.... if you think my english is not perfect now, it was way worst 14 years ago LOL
http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,33574.0/all.html
some upgrades options on wiring there.
more info suporting my versions of this
http://www.heritech.org/cuda/Charge.html
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plus.... think when you are revving up the engine after a battery discharge process the alt will be providing the car loads and the battery recharge loads, BUT the ammeter is reading JUST what is running to the batt. You think you are getting just 25 amps, but NO:
If your ammeter is reading +25 it means the alt is providing maybe 30-35 the car sucks ( main splice is before the amm and amm doesn't read that with an engine running ), plus the 25 amps to the batt which is the only load ammeter is reading. that it means 55-60 amps. Thats the load runing through the bulkhead alt conector.... while the batt bulkhead connector just holds those +25. Hence the reason why black alt wire uses to burn earlier than the red batt wire and EVERYBODY thinks is the high output alt...which is not exactly like that.
this is the same when you conect accesories to the batt. Ammeter will read as a charge because loads are running to that side... so more reasons to get wiring ( and ammeter ) damages
an alt able to source AT ANY SPEED all the car loads will keep the batt out of the game, since batt will never be requested for power, which it means zero reading on ammeter. So the bulkhead will be holding the car 30-35 amps. Problem begins when you get a regular discharge reading at iddle. We can live with small flicks to discharge side, not a problem, but on big cities with heavy traffic this becomes on a huge problem. Not so much into the country roads when you can regular ride at speeds and not stuck on traffic iddling. High output alts are a must on this situation.
If your ammeter is reading +25 it means the alt is providing maybe 30-35 the car sucks ( main splice is before the amm and amm doesn't read that with an engine running ), plus the 25 amps to the batt which is the only load ammeter is reading. that it means 55-60 amps. Thats the load runing through the bulkhead alt conector.... while the batt bulkhead connector just holds those +25. Hence the reason why black alt wire uses to burn earlier than the red batt wire and EVERYBODY thinks is the high output alt...which is not exactly like that.
this is the same when you conect accesories to the batt. Ammeter will read as a charge because loads are running to that side... so more reasons to get wiring ( and ammeter ) damages
an alt able to source AT ANY SPEED all the car loads will keep the batt out of the game, since batt will never be requested for power, which it means zero reading on ammeter. So the bulkhead will be holding the car 30-35 amps. Problem begins when you get a regular discharge reading at iddle. We can live with small flicks to discharge side, not a problem, but on big cities with heavy traffic this becomes on a huge problem. Not so much into the country roads when you can regular ride at speeds and not stuck on traffic iddling. High output alts are a must on this situation.
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Gerrs69rr
Well-Known Member
Ok, 100amp alternator came in the other day and I finally got it installed tonight. Couldn't be more confused, it's doing the same thing as the 60 amp, below 900 rpm's pretty big lose of power. Tough Stuff claims this alternator provides power at low rpm's. As soon as rpm goes over 900, it's fully powered. Am I missing something??? I don't want to throw parts at a problem, just trying to understand what I can troubleshoot next. Anyway to test voltage regulator? Battery is fully charged, spent several hours cleaning, tightening grounds and I ran a chassis ground for alternator, all grounds are crimped, soldered and heat shrunk.
Wooops! Something is wrong with the alt. Maybe a diode or stator winding
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