I need some help again... I got my truck running pretty sweet now, but I have alot of electrical gadgets. I went to the local alternator shop, and they told me the max they could do was a 45 amp alternator for my '73 390. They suggested running a second battery, so I did. That seemed to fix the problem for about a month, and now I'm having problems again. I can't run any of my electronics, or it drains the power to the point where it won't start. What can I do? I was hoping that I could get a higher-output alternator, but the highest one I can find is 60 amps (if I remember right) from autozone. The one I *have* right now is 60 amps. I had the alternator tested, it's charging. Is there an after market or higher output alternator I can get, or am I looking at having to remove all of my electronics so the truck will start reliably?

This is what I have... Yes, I know, I'm insane:

(If you get red X's or an error message, my server has limited bandwidth. So *if* you can't see the pics, check back later. I'll post the actual links to the pics under each one just in case.)

Vehicle specs:
Base Vehicle: 1973 Ford F-100
Engine: 390 FE V8
Other Modifications:
Power systems: Dual 12v battery system, 2 12v power terminals, 110v AC power terminal, stand-alone USB power terminal
Central Computer Station: Lilliput fully-integrated compact dash-mounted PC: 8 inch overhead touchscreen monitor, 1ghz CPU, 512mb DDR Ram, 120gig memory core, bluetooth, instant-on(don't have to boot up the PC to use) CD/DVD/MP3/CDRW drive, 7 USB ports, full-size keyboard, handheld compact trackball mouse, wireless internet adapter, webcam, US Marine-grade SiRF chipset GPS module, FM transmitter.
Auxillary Computer Unit: HP iPAQ 3955 handheld Datapad PC. (dash-mounted interface to Central Computer Station)
Rear-view video/monitor.
Modified control systems, with built-in anti-theft measures, complete with various LED light readouts.
Astromech: Fully-functional modified Hasbro interactive R2 Unit (Dash mounted droid, designated R2-E6)
Comm Systems: 40 channel CB unit with built-in PA system, FRS frequency handheld radios
Radar/Laser detector
Dual air horns.
Sound System: Clarion CD stereo head unit, 8-speaker "surround sound" system, 200w Amplifier, 10" subwoofer, auxillary powered computer speakers.

Markings

Engine

Cockpit

"Aurek-7 Navicomputer"(Computer screen in GPS mode)

"Corellian Engineering Corporation" logo on the dash

 

Good God man!!! LOL...are ya sure you have enough stuff in that cab?? LOL...you can buy thru summit or Jegs and a few other places a one wire hotrod alternater that will run up to 140 amps..but now in doing that..your gonna have to upgrade the wires in the truck to carry the extra amperage... I also think an upgrade to a Opitma battery might be in order to...they hold a charge longer than your standard batteries...JMO

RJ

 

WTH!!! You got more stuff in your truck than i have in my house!
Whats with the markings on the side of your truck, meanings?

 

WTH!!! Dude with all that stuff you need,110volts.

 

Holy fudge man! You may as well get a 2 gauge 5,000ft extention cord and plug that sucker up to 220 at your house!

 

I'm a Star Wars fan... the mods to the truck were inspired by this, and the markings are similar to those found on an X-Wing.

The electronics have practical application, and all of the systems are designed to run on 12v vehicle power. R2 runs on his own batteries, but everything else is hard-wired into the truck's electrical system. Someone else also suggested running two alternators, but I'm not sure how valid that suggestion is, nor how I'd manage to pull it off.

I still want to install exhaust flamethrowers, under-body neon, maybe a couple other gadgets... I'm also wanting to get a campershell and deck it out to match the truck, which will need a couple power systems of it's own. (heat, AC, lighting, power outlet for travel items...)

 

LMFAO!!! Mikey likey!!! Give those high-tech Jeepers something else to envy.

You can fit a big case alternator to the FE. It just takes some tinkering with the brackets. IIRC, you'll find a high mount alternator on trucks, low mount on cars. If you have pull-yer-own junkyards, take a look at the cars with all the power goodies. The alternators that have the plug in the side of the case are easier to adapt; only one wire on the back to work around. I found this at a thrift store, never bolted up, cost $25. I saw it because the box had "Ford" stamped on the outside.


So how many amps do all these goodies gobble up?

 

Hmm... you COULD also find something marine/boat related that would possibly fit.

I had intentions of using a one-wire Delco version, but never got around to fabbing up the brackets necessary... then I scrapped 'er.

Keep pulley sizes in mind too... too big of a pulley on the alternator, not enough speed for charging at idle.

Which is also something to think about. Alternators are rated whatever amperage at room temperature, usually, and certainly not at idle. So a 140 amp alternator, when under the hood of a hot hot FE-power vehicle, idling, might only put out 40 amps.

If you have a big inverter, that equates to only 480 watts (12v X 40 amps) available before you starting taking from the batteries.

How do you use those electronics? Only on when the engine's running, or do you use them with the engine off too?

Start lining up the marine deep-cycle batteries in the bed right behind the cab

 

Well Art, I took your survey....and rated you a 15 out of 10..but it didnt seem to go thru?? LOL... Keep up the good work Bro!!

RJ

 

I use the electronics primarily when the engine is running, but I need to be able to use them when it's not as well, especially if I'm showing the truck eventually.

 

I'm sorry if you already mentioned it, but you are using an inverter, right? What size is it?

Or is everything really running on 12V ?

 

Everything is designed to run on 12v...

 

geez... Run a 3G - 130A..

Check fordfuelinjection.com for a harness
http://rjminjectiontech.com/?p=7

reference this:

http://fordfuelinjection.com/?p=75

Then add an isolator so you keep both batteries separate and can always start your truck.
http://store.summitracing.com/egnsea...s=false&N=+115



HTH,

Eric

 

Ok, Josh, I can fix your cranking problems fairly easily. Your Wookie fetish is between you and your doctor.........
First of all, you need more amps. Check some off-road magazines. 140 to 160 amp alternators like to hang out there. Folks who run electric winches have amp loads that make yours look tame. But remember your wiring sizes. 140 amps takes small battery cable to handle. Look at some of the wires in cars set up with huge amplifiers. But, don't get hung up on the "oxygen-free copper" snag. Regular copper works fine for your use.
You can mount an aftermarket alternator to almost anything with enough machine shop work. Most of the places that sell the big alts. will have custom brackets that will fit, but if not, find a good machine shop and make friends with the owner.
All the amps in the world will not help when the engine is not running.
Here is where I fix your cranking problem:

You need a two battery setup. I know, you already have one, but its hooked up wrong.
There are lots of discussions bout this next part. Some favor relay setups and some diodes. There are lots of good points both ways. I have always had good luck with diodes, so that it the way I go. Of course, since I am an electronics engineer, and fix the diodes if I blow one, that is understandable.

Heres my way.
Get yourself a Dual Battery Isolator. It needs to be rated higher than your alternator's amperage. It is a pair of diodes set in a massive heatsink. You have an input and two outputs. Imagine a water pipe going into a "T" with a check valve on each output. The water, here current, goes into the T and out the two check valves. But no water can come back or go between the two. Now you take your two big batteries and, if you have room, hook them in parallel. Cut the output wire from the alternator and hook it to the input of the isolator. Then hook the cut off end of the wiring harness that used to go to the output of the alt. to one output of the isolator. All the electronics should be running off the truck's system. Then, get a "small" cranking battery, about the size that you would normally use for this truck, and hook it up. The negative should be grounded, the positive should be hooked up to the starter solenoid and a heavy wire should run from the other output of the isolator to the positive of that battery. All batteries have a common ground.
Since your truck has been so heavily modified, you will have to do some figuring. Here is how it is supposed to work.

When the engine is running, the alternator is putting 14.5 volts into the input of the isolator. This voltage goes to both outputs. The older isolators would drop this voltage by about .7 volts due to the normal action of the diodes. Newer ones use Schottky diodes, and have less drop. This output voltage is applied to the positive terminals of both batteries. They then determine how much current they need. The alt. gets it's voltage feedback from the wiring harness hooked to the aux batteries. Now, no matter what, you cannot run down the cranking battery with aux usage. It is isolated from the the whole truck's electrical system.

Here is the main way this can fail. If you run the aux. batteries down so far that they cannot fire the starter sol. or fire the ignition coil, you cannot crank the truck and it would not fire if you did. To prevent this, you can hook a set of heavy cables to both positive terminals of the two battery banks with a manual switch or a solenoid between them. Then, you can "jump yourself off" with the cranking battery.
The only other time you would have problems, is if you blew the diode going to the rest of the truck. The cranking battery would still be hooked up to the alt. but with no feedback, the alt. would not be regulated and would begin to fry the cranking battery. This is easily spotted. If your charging light comes on, check the voltage going to the cranking battery and if it is high, tie the two outputs of the isolator together until you get somewhere to buy a new one.
You might check here:
http://www.ase-supply.com/category_s...FRuxgAodkwMcpQ

I have no ties with these folks, and so far as I know, have never done business with them. But, this page for Sure Power Isolators seems to have quite a bit of info. I looked at some of the PDF files and they look helpful.
Personally, I would do it slightly differently, but thats me.
They show normal truck loads on one bank and the aux on another. I like nothing on the cranking except cranking. That way leaving the headlights on does not give problems either.
I know that this is a long post, and complicated. Write back if you need more info.

J.

 

WOW hella good info.. I'm not going to do any Star Wars stuff but you never know when your going to date some freek of a gal who wants to bring all her toys camping LMAO