BIG difference between a 285 Horsepower 5.3L and a 250 horsepower 7.3L in a vehicle that easily weighs 2000 lbs. less.

9K lbs. worth of camper was probably pretty easy other than the huge ratio split of the 1-2 upshift in the 4L60.

 

yeah,
I considered at one time, changing the ring & pinion ratios, but that would require two sets for 4wd and the price was more than I wanted to swallow

 

i swapped out front and rear in my F150 from the stock 3.55 to 4.10's to accomodate the hilss and slightly larger tires... it hit the wallet two times, buying the parts, and now its gas mileage...

 

so back to the subject... I just pulled the trigger on a leece neville 230 amp unit i guess i will see what happens. the mechman like john has is way bigger than what i need heck even this unit is bigger than i need a simple 160 or 180 would be sufficient, but if the leece neville is what the fire departments and forestry service spec its what I am getting. now the question is how to automate the alternator not spinning up till glow plugs are done. i think initially i will just turn blower on full along with headlights to bleed off excess and see how that acts. then if that is insufficient i will use a relay triggered by the glow plug relay like was suggested earlier.

at 230 amps vice 110 a full two minutes of not charging should not be an obstacle for this alternator to catch up quickly.

ken

 

Ken,
did you check all of the MechMan offerings?

Mine is not the smallest of their inventory, but the Leece Neville is plenty hoss enough.
that is what was on my truck when I bought it, too bad it got packed full of fibreglass and overheated.

for your truck, they have a 240 amp version
https://www.mechman.com/alternators/...sel/1999-2003/

 

They don't make a wire gauge big enough to handle some of the outputs of their offerings, plus there is only one output post. 370 amps is a LOT of current. Looking up how big a wire gauge needed to carry the load, the graph runs out at 4/0, 300 amps, and 20 feet long.

 

But you only need about 2 feet to get to the passenger battery so 2/0 would be sufficient.
​

 

Yes. IMO, the 240amp is a good investment, but to go any larger is simply a waste. The rest of the truck cannot support that sort of electrical load.

 

you folks are overlooking Alternator FACTS.

it will NOT ever put out MAX amps, unless the Load needs it.
none of them will, the Regulator takes care of the demand by keeping the voltage under control.

370 amps, or 320 amps like mine, or 240 amps, don't matter,
the load will never be that high, unless you have a HIGH current load, like a Winch.

As for Cable Gauge?
it is only about 20 inches long, 00 is more than enough, mine is 2 ought.

 

Think again.

 

ha ha ha,
it will take 175 hp just to drive the alternator on that truck

 

LOL, ......