Alternator Upgrade Questions
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Joined: Oct 2004
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From: Gainesville, Georgia
Alternator Upgrade Questions
I have a 1967 truck. Currently I have a 61 amp alternator on it.
Is 61 amps enough to run Winch, Fog Lights, 7 KC Lights (5 on roll bar and 2 on bumper), Radio, etc.
If I wanted to upgrade to a 95 amp or 100 amp alternator, what all needs to be done. Will simply changing alternators burn up my wires? Can this even be done? Will I need to do anything to the Voltage Regulator and will I need to add a fuse?
I really need some direction on this? Thanks so much for the help.
Is 61 amps enough to run Winch, Fog Lights, 7 KC Lights (5 on roll bar and 2 on bumper), Radio, etc.
If I wanted to upgrade to a 95 amp or 100 amp alternator, what all needs to be done. Will simply changing alternators burn up my wires? Can this even be done? Will I need to do anything to the Voltage Regulator and will I need to add a fuse?
I really need some direction on this? Thanks so much for the help.
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Joined: Jan 2001
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From: Virginia
You will need to upgrade some wiring to run all this stuff. Not necessarily the original truck wiring, but you will be adding lots of heavier wiring to the new equipment and you probably need to add a small fuse panel under the hood.
Putting a larger alternator on the truck is one option, though you will have to re-wire some of the original alt harness and probably make or try to modify the brackets for the new alt to make it fit. And the larger alt will not make a huge difference unless you idle the engine up a little bit(I am thinking about the winch).
What you could do that seems to work very well for people with heavy loads like the winch, would be to keep your stock alternator, but buy a battery isolator and add a second deep cycle battery under the hood. Let the second battery run the winch, and any other loads that you wish to use, even with the engine off. The isolator will keep the loads from running down the original starting battery, but will let the alt charge the second deep cycle battery.
The second battery with the isolator gives you lots of options and plenty of power. The smaller original alternator will have plenty of time to slowly charge the second battery up as you are driving down the road after using the winch and lights.
Putting a larger alternator on the truck is one option, though you will have to re-wire some of the original alt harness and probably make or try to modify the brackets for the new alt to make it fit. And the larger alt will not make a huge difference unless you idle the engine up a little bit(I am thinking about the winch).
What you could do that seems to work very well for people with heavy loads like the winch, would be to keep your stock alternator, but buy a battery isolator and add a second deep cycle battery under the hood. Let the second battery run the winch, and any other loads that you wish to use, even with the engine off. The isolator will keep the loads from running down the original starting battery, but will let the alt charge the second deep cycle battery.
The second battery with the isolator gives you lots of options and plenty of power. The smaller original alternator will have plenty of time to slowly charge the second battery up as you are driving down the road after using the winch and lights.
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