Is their a higher capacity alternator available for a classic my99 turbo ? with these dark nights and all the electrical demands we place on the car I think an uprated alternator is called for.

 

Have you sat down ,and worked out the demand on the alternator, versus the actual output? I think that even with most stuff on, demand will still be short of output, which is, IIRC about 90A.

Alcazar

 

Actual output is not the issue, it's short journeys, if I can get an alternator to put more charge in over a short period the battery will stay at a higher state of charge.

 

I must agree with alcazar, an alternator rarely reaches it`s full capacity to charge the battery , if it does it is for a very short period, unless you have electric everything and only drive in the cold and dark for about 1 mile, it will make no difference, sounds more like poor conections or a dodgy / undersized batery to me
Have a good one
Tim

 

Modern alternators, unlike very early ones, and the old dynamos, much loved by early Escort drivers, reach their maximum output at quite low revs, so short journeys shouldn't be a problem unless EVERY one is less than a mile.

Alcazar

 

ESCORT DRIVERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! would you mind watching your language in here
Have a good one
Tim
(an ex mini driver ahh the welsh lanes at night, the farmers that would wait with their tractors to pull you out on a "not as map" the police being HELFULL!! :-)
now I`m showing my age lol

 

:
My Escort, with 4 cibies, (2 super oscars, and 2 oscars), each with 100w bulbs, and 2 cibie Biodes with 2 x 100w H1 bulbs, total: 800w from a 23A alternator!!!!!

Alcazar

 

was that a ........ hmm been a while 15 acr ?
I had a mini, cibie concave heads 100/80`s 4 x oscar + 100w`s drives, AFAIR 23 acr ?? 72a ???
working for a cibie agent helped at the time :-)
Have a good one
Tim

 

Sorry, I just realised what I typed, "23A alternator" should read "23A Lucas dynamo"!!!!

I remember a workmate quipping that when I turned the lights on, did the car go backwards from the recoil???LOL

I wasn't long, (about 2 flat batteries), before a cousin got me a refurbished Lucas 18ACR alternator, and that replaced the dynamo!:

Happy Christmas,
Alcazar

Alcazar

 

Of course. 150 amp ones are easy to get hold of, as these are commonly used on Group N rallycars.

As the others have said though, there's no need for this sort of reserve on a road car. If your current alternator's working properly, there's no need to change it, and if it is a bit dodgy, theres's little point in getting anything other than a direct replacement.

If your battery's going flat, the likeliest reason is that the battery's on it's way out, so replace that rather than the alternator.

[Edited by greasemonkey - 12/24/2003 1:12:46 AM]