Where can i get a high output alternator reasonabley priced? I have a standard 100 amp alt but need a higher output alt, somthing like a 150+.

 

Firstly why do you want a high output alt? You might be able to do some other tricks, including upgrading the charge and ground wires. You will need up grade the charge and ground wires if you upgrade the alt any way, so you might as well do that first.

One persons reasonable and the industries standard pricing are quite probably two different things. I think you can get into a power master 140amp for something like $250, the 200amp units are closer to $450 and the 230amp alt I have will run you around $700. One thing to look at is, are there OEM higher output options available for your vehicle? Ambulance, police and heavy service packages often have higher output alts that will bolt right in and you can pick them up rebuilt for under $200.

HO-Alternators/Metra/Tsunami and Powermaster are the only two manufs I have had contact with. I've sold I alot of Powermaster over the years and I am happy with my 230amp HO/Metra/Tsunami. Like I said, a high out aftermarket is not something you should just bolt in. You need to upgrade the charge wire, the engine to body/chassis ground wire and the body/chassis to battery wires to handle the current. When you increase the out put of the alt, you also increase the ripple from the three phase AC that it produces which means you need a good battery to smooth it out so you don't produce a lot of alternator noise through you audio systems.

Other things you can do are, drive your headlights through relays direct to the battery. Put in a bigger or higher Amh battery. Add batteries. It all depends on what you need the power for.

 

I'm running SVO which takes a megatherm electric heater inline. I'm also using a hydrogen generator which is using a lot of the power produced by the alternator. Not to mention the a/c. And then I drive to work around 5am which means headlights. The 100 watt alt that just died just didn't do the job.

 

Do you have an idea of your power consumption? Figure just the stock will be 90amps, roughly 10% overhead available stock.

Using your stock chassis, powermaster should get you to either 140amp or 200amp. If you don't mind changing chassis, there are cheaper alternatives, but you have to build some bracketry to hold it.

 

is the hydrogen generator increasing your mileage enough to offset the extra power consumption?

 

He should have the hydrogen generator set at around 20 amps, from what I have been reading about it. That electric heater may be taking most of it. He may could get rid of the heater if he routed some engine coolant lines to do the same thing.

The other poster pretty much listed your options. The aftermarket alternators are expensive, and the stock ones for special purposes are hard to find unless you wanted to install a Ford 3G. I believe it has around 130 amp output.

 

Thanx Dave

I did some research and realized he is running biofuel and it made a lot more sense...

its august...why would he need a heater...to heat the biofuel so it wont clog up

Now I know a little more than I did yesterday

 

Yes, the hydrogen generator is making a differance in milage and no, I can't give the MPG saved as I'm using SVO and can only say that I'm not stopping at the gas station as much as I used to. I figure I'm saving about 1/2 tank of Diesel every 2 weeks. Not using the vegtherm is one option I've thought of. The problem with that is then I would still have to get a higher output alternator in the fall. As right now it is hot enough that once everything gets hot enough to turn off the heater which then brings another problem, the filter getting gummed up from the cooler oil. I have a heater in the oil tank and run the coolant lines from the tank to the engine so the heat from the engine gets transfered to the oil going to and from the engine. I checked the local "OReilly" store and found that the newer alternators mount differently, from the side instead of from the front to back. Also they had always talked about the "ambulance" types. I asked what the difference was and they said the price, $700. OUCH!! Only if I find a wrecked one in a recycle yard. I think I'll check on the 3G that Franklin mentioned. As far as the Hydrogenerator fusing, I started with 10 amp and smoked that one. The only fuse I had at that time was a 30 amp. I used that one and have had no more problems. I'm still checking my ratio of baking powder to water to find the best combination.

 

I have seen some systems that have a copper coil inside the svo tank. This is hooked up to the anti-freeze/heater lines of the engine. Once the engine gets to around 180 degrees, the engine is switched over to the svo.

You could in addition, run the svo supply lines inside the the heater hoses supplying the heated coolant to the tank, to further heat the oil as it runs up to the engine.

 

Franklin2, sounds like you have my system figured out. I have a "HOTFOX" in the SVO tank. The "HOTFOX" consists of the feed tube (svo) surronded by coolant tubing which I believe is either stainless or copper, I forget which right now. As far as running "hose in hose", I get very nervous. The farther I can keep the coolant from the fuel, any fuel, the better.

 

you could run the lines side by side and insulate them, keeping the heat inside

 

That is how I have my oil and coolant lines running front to back. The oil feed line and return lines both wire tied to the coolant lines with pipe insulation around the coolant and oil lines. I had the misfortune of finding out Advance Auto parts coolant hose is VERY weak and had the coolant lines just break open. I went with O'reilly hose which I found out is "GATES" hose. If I make any changes I'm going to use black iron pipe front to back. That way the hose won't be as long.

 

Be careful with iron, you will run into electrolysis issues with some oils and coolant. I would think SS would be a better choice just for the corrosion resistance. Gates and Dayco are both decent hoses as long as you get the right kind of hose and it is capable of carrying what your passing through it.