Need alternator suggestions
Cargo Master
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 2,253
Likes: 345
When planning to add electric 2 speed fan to my 72 f250, I went ahead and did 3g as well. I also did EPAS and headlight relays and newer stereo equipment. If your voltage suffers when adding stereo, I would do the headlight relays first, its easy. On my 70 f250, after driving a while at night, I have had headlights go out on me. That is on the list for that truck. Here is a link if you want to look at it. https://www.ford-trucks.com/articles...ghter-brights/.
FTE Legend
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 30,912
Likes: 4,123
From: Angier, NC
I just got my pulley in and tested it and it solved my issue! I got it from Summit. It’s promaster v belt pulley 111. It’s outer diameter is 2.342”. The one that came on it was about 2.625”.
I had everything on. Brights, wipers, blower in high, and when the electric fan hit, it dropped to a stable 12.6v at idle.
Hopefully when I get to adding a stereo, it will still work out for me. If not, that’s fine. It’s not on the near future and I know to expect that I’ll need a different alternator.
I haven’t ditched the old headlights for leds yet, so that is an option as well.
I had everything on. Brights, wipers, blower in high, and when the electric fan hit, it dropped to a stable 12.6v at idle.
Hopefully when I get to adding a stereo, it will still work out for me. If not, that’s fine. It’s not on the near future and I know to expect that I’ll need a different alternator.
I haven’t ditched the old headlights for leds yet, so that is an option as well.
Them suckers pull a lot of power and I think if we knew this from the start some would have pointed you down a different path.
With out the fan did the factory setup work at idle with everything else on?
Good to see for now it is staying at 12.6 so it is not pulling or adding power to the battery as 12.6 is what the battery should have fully charged as rest.
Your next step is a 3G ALT in place of the 1G you are running now.
BTW you still running the motor driven fan and the electric fan as a helper when needed?
How hot is hot (number?) that you turn on the helper fan?
Not running a shroud, have you tried to run one?
If you did the electric to save power all you did was move it from a motor driven fan to the the ALT to drive a electric fan.
Dave ----
FTE Legend
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 30,912
Likes: 4,123
From: Angier, NC
When planning to add electric 2 speed fan to my 72 f250, I went ahead and did 3g as well. I also did EPAS and headlight relays and newer stereo equipment. If your voltage suffers when adding stereo, I would do the headlight relays first, its easy. On my 70 f250, after driving a while at night, I have had headlights go out on me. That is on the list for that truck. Here is a link if you want to look at it. https://www.ford-trucks.com/articles...ghter-brights/.
I did the kit to my 81 F100 before I even got it back on the road after a 4 year cab off rebuild.
The only thing it dose is take the load off the head light switch so the breaker in the switch dose not trip, lights out, and the lights are brighter.
It cant take the load off the battery or charging system as it is still using the same power to work as before just taking a newer wires (less resistance) and a shorter path. Well maybe a little less power because of less resistance?
Dave ----
See A Man About A Horse
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 4,917
Likes: 667
From: Mariposa, Ca.
I have, in the past on another truck, used a one-wire alternator when upgrading from generator to alternator. This time, I’m going to use a 150 amp Mega Amp (120 amp max idle) from Quality Power:
https://www.qualitypowerauto.com/ite...-Ear-Mount.htm
My stock alternator easily handles the few minor additions I’ve made so far: moderately low powered stereo; fog lights; a headlight relay harness with higher wattage Hella e-code headlights. That last mod removes the load from the headlight switch, very important to me. The pre-made headlight harness comes complete with relays and fuses in fuse-holders , and requires one circuit for the low beams, one for the high beams. It allows both high and low beams to run simultaneously if desired. And I do. I cut the supplied fuse-holders off and the two circuits are fused directly from the new fuse panel.
To easily supply the above loads, I simply added an additional fuse panel near the battery, and took all the new circuits(4) from it. Fuse panel is Blue Sea brand , they make lots of marine grade stuff.
Now that I’ve added an auxiliary 100ah Life-Po 4 in the back of my shell, that requires an upgraded charging system.I charge the aux. batt. at home before leaving, by shore power if my campsite has it, or via a portable 200 watt solar panel if it doesn’t. I’m all set up with a battery isolating system so I can charge both the starting and auxiliary batts. while moving down the road. The LifePO4 batteries draw higher amperage and require higher charging voltage, so I’ll be changing the stock voltage regulator to an adjustable one. The two batts are isolated when the key’s off so the starting battery isn’t discharged while in camp. Everything’s all set up, just saving my pennies till I get the 325 bucks or so for the new alternator and adjustable voltage regulator
The ‘Mega Amp’ is in the same size 1G case as stock, can be gotten with your choice of pulleys, and the wiring’s not required to be altered - much. I like that, and want to be able to put things back to stock when and if I want to.
I know nothing about the company ‘Quality Power’, but I’ll take my chances. I’ve had several phone conversations with them, and am confident .
https://www.qualitypowerauto.com/ite...-Ear-Mount.htm
My stock alternator easily handles the few minor additions I’ve made so far: moderately low powered stereo; fog lights; a headlight relay harness with higher wattage Hella e-code headlights. That last mod removes the load from the headlight switch, very important to me. The pre-made headlight harness comes complete with relays and fuses in fuse-holders , and requires one circuit for the low beams, one for the high beams. It allows both high and low beams to run simultaneously if desired. And I do. I cut the supplied fuse-holders off and the two circuits are fused directly from the new fuse panel.
To easily supply the above loads, I simply added an additional fuse panel near the battery, and took all the new circuits(4) from it. Fuse panel is Blue Sea brand , they make lots of marine grade stuff.
Now that I’ve added an auxiliary 100ah Life-Po 4 in the back of my shell, that requires an upgraded charging system.I charge the aux. batt. at home before leaving, by shore power if my campsite has it, or via a portable 200 watt solar panel if it doesn’t. I’m all set up with a battery isolating system so I can charge both the starting and auxiliary batts. while moving down the road. The LifePO4 batteries draw higher amperage and require higher charging voltage, so I’ll be changing the stock voltage regulator to an adjustable one. The two batts are isolated when the key’s off so the starting battery isn’t discharged while in camp. Everything’s all set up, just saving my pennies till I get the 325 bucks or so for the new alternator and adjustable voltage regulator
The ‘Mega Amp’ is in the same size 1G case as stock, can be gotten with your choice of pulleys, and the wiring’s not required to be altered - much. I like that, and want to be able to put things back to stock when and if I want to.
I know nothing about the company ‘Quality Power’, but I’ll take my chances. I’ve had several phone conversations with them, and am confident .
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