How do I find out my alternator specs?

[Wan]

Does anybody know the stock alternator specs for a '91 bare-bones Exceed? If not, how do I found out?

I'm running some unique mileage boosting technology on my van, but I think it's overloading my alternator. The booster I've installed draws 20 amps, plus I have a 300 watt amplifier for the stereo, and nothing else extra installed. By my calculations, the booster and stereo amp are drawing a little over 40 amps combined. What does the rest of the vehicle draw in amperage (assuming all electronics are on, such as high beams and heat) ???

Any help is appreciated.

Wan

[Green1]

"mileage boosting technology"? I don't know that I dare ask...

I believe the stock alternator for people with the "cold weather package" is 90amps... without it would be less. on the bright side, the vehicle itself being a diesel uses almost nothing by itself.

[loki]

"mileage boosting technology"? I don't know that I dare ask...

I believe the stock alternator for people with the "cold weather package" is 90amps... without it would be less. on the bright side, the vehicle itself being a diesel uses almost nothing by itself.

not to thread jack but does anyone know if it would be difficult to get the alternator rebuilt to provide more power? or get a "bigger" one installed in stead or even adding a second one? I going to be setting up a portable filtering system for WVO and don't want to buy a genny as it is too much money atm and it would have to be a diesel one so I could run it on wvo too wich makes the cost that much more.

[JMK]

Didn't I see a very detailed post on this forum about how to install a higher capacity alternator. I remember thinking it was not a job to be tackled for the faint hearted.

On top of the 45 amps for the 2 devices you have now, add 20 amps for your lights, that leaves you 25 amps for fog lights, heater, etc. I've also been real curious to know how much that heater draws, I think Green once mentioned that it draws a fair bit when it is on full blast, so every time I use my fog lights in the dead of winter I think of that, and lower the heater fan just in case.

[docsavage]

Standard alternators are either 60 or 75 amps. If you have the dual battery set up from the factory it should be 75 amps. It is possible to upgrade an alternator's output - a rewind shop should be able to deal with it. Another option is to use a common alternator and put in an alternative vacuum pump for the brakes, like this:

http://www.delica.ca/forum/100-amp-alte ... g-429.html

This has worked great for me.

What is leading you to believe there is not enough amperage to run your fuel saver? It could be that the voltage regulator needs replacing, and that is a relatively cheap fix.

James

[TardisDeli]

I have been wondering the same alternator question for the TardisDeli. Just how many kettle, heater, microwave, and electric blankets can I use simultaneously (no stereo amp, this is a tuff off-roadster).

I looked thru my Russek manual. Nothing about which were used in what models. For clarity, I have retyped here the diesel stuff:

Identification No. (all L300 alternators listed):
MD108023 A2TO2084 50 amps at 12 volts
MD106319 A2TO1683 60 amps
MD106320 A2TO1783 65 amps
Regulating voltage 14.1 - 14.7 volts at 20 degrees celsius.

Hmmm. So I got ambitious and went outside and cleared the tons of stuff from the centre console and lifted the Bonnet. Hmmm. Well I can't see an alternator. Manual shows how to totally rebuild it, but don't say whether to access from inside or underneath to read the sticker. grr.

So, someone else can crawl under, I give up. Cheers, Christine of TardisDeli.

[Green1]

alternator is best accessed from... ummmm... nowhere... it's a royal pain, your best bet is from underneath the vehicle, it's located on the driver's side.

I coulda sworn it was 90A though... not 75, because I remember it being more than my old vehicle that was 75...

For people debating high current devices, the alternator is only one part of the equation, the battery can handle amazingly high current draws for short term use, so for things with high current draw, but short duty-cycles you don't need a big alternator. the alternator only needs to be big if the current draw is ongoing for a long time. (so if you're planning on running a microwave oven on an inverter for 3 minutes to re-heat a pizza-pop, don't worry too much about your alternator size, but if you're trying the same current draw on an 2 hour basis, the alternator will be important.)

[Wan]

Great replies!

I'm hearing lots of different speculation on what the stock alternator ratings are. Does anyone know for sure what they are?

I heard this talk about rewinding alternators to have higher outputs. Apparently a 50 amp can actually do 150 amps if "rewound" properly. HOWEVER, my mechanic (Ray at Marigold Service) tells me that there's no point because the amp will fry itself. It needs the body to go with the output, otherwise it can't keep itself cool enough.

As for the vacuum to the brakes system... I'm clueless, not a mechanic by any inkling of the imagination, but I'm willing to hear it explained in layman's terms

Anyway, are you folks familiar with electrolyzers? or Hydro Boosters? Check out sites like eagle-research.com or hydrogengarage.com or check out yahoo talk groups like "Hydroxy" to learn more. This handy device is what I'm installing. It will be drawing 20 amps all the time, so long as the vehicle is on.

The reason everyone helping me with this deduces that I need a bigger (or a second) alternator is because when I turn my booster on, the rpm's go down when they should go way up. They say I'm asking too much of the alternator, and so the engine get's bogged down (like driving in too low of a gear) because the alternator demand is too high, and I end up losing the huge benefits of my electrolyzer. So my alternator must be quite a low stock setting like 50. That's what Ray at Marigold thinks. But does anybody know FOR SURE?? If not, how would I find out without taking the thing out myself?

Wan

P.S. James, thanks for the voltage regulator theory. I'll check that out with my mechanics.

[Green1]

Anyway, are you folks familiar with electrolyzers? or Hydro Boosters?

I'm aware that many snake-oil salesman try to sell them as a way of increasing efficiency when in reality they do the opposite...

the theory being that you use electricity to separate hydrogen from water and then burn the hydrogen in the engine to increase efficiency, the problem being that it uses more power to separate the hydrogen from the water than it will generate by burning it.
The EPA in the US has done many studies on these devices and every time they are proven to use more fuel than the vehicle would otherwise use without it.

You are welcome to try it, but if you do I recommend you keep track of all costs associated with the system, as well as recording your mileage at every fill over the course of many months (to eliminate discrepancies in driving styles, weather, etc)

For more information on these hoaxes see the following:
http://consumer.georgia.gov/00/article/ ... 91,00.html
http://www.epa.gov/otaq/consumer/reports.htm

And if you still believe the claims of the person selling this, ask yourself why they haven't sold the invention to any car manufacturer... any company that could make their cars that much more efficient that easily would jump on it!

[Wan]

Actually, I've tested these devices myself and they do exactly what they're supposed to do.

I'm not some schmo getting duped by a salesman.

I appreciate your angle, but don't knock it 'til you try it.

The theory, by the way, is not to separate hydrogen from oxygen. You need to educate yourself more on this subject before you go passing judgment on it.

These inventions have been made since the 1800's. Thousands of working alternative energy technology has been created and proven more efficient than burning petrol. Every patent that has been created has been bought up by large oil companies, and then thrown on a shelf in a dark place to never be seen again. They cannot control people's use of water, so they don't want you to know it could be your source of fuel instead of relying on their oil. I encourage you to read more and empower yourself with the knowledge that has been deliberately hidden from you and suppressed for over a hundred years.

Anyway, if you'd like to talk more about this, perhaps consider posting a new topic... in the meantime I would like to stay focused on my questions about alternators.

So, can anyone help me out?

[Green1]

I've read quite a bit about it, however it all points to the same thing.

it's a hoax.

Water is not a fuel (ever tried to burn water?), and it takes more energy to extract hydrogen from it then you can get by burning the resulting hydrogen.

nobody has ever produced a device like this that has stood up to peer review.

and all the oil company conspiracy talk is just that, talk.

All that said, feel free to install it on a Delica, I look forward to your meticulously recorded results.

[Wan]

I repeat myself... Learn more

[Green1]

I repeat myself... Learn more

I'd love to, but I seem to have run out of unbiased sources...

Please let us know the real world figures you get on a delica (over an extended time), we have plenty of "baseline" vehicles to compare your results to and we will see how well it works out.

[loki]

[loki]