Alternator Upgrade

I have a 97 Chevy S10 4x4 extended cab truck. I'm looking to get my alternator upgraded, but I'm unsure of some things....

First off, I have no idea how many amps my factory alternator is putting out right now. If there is someone that could tell me or inform me of a site that could tell me that would be greatly appreciated.

Second, I'm not sure how much more power I should go with the alternator. I'm planning on running one 1200 watt amp, one 300 watt, and one 200 watt. I also need to power a yellow top Optima battery besides the battery that is in the engine compartment. Total of 1700 watts and the total amps on all of the fuses for the amplifiers are 175amps. I've talked with a guy that said I could get away with running a 150 amp alternator since I wouldn't be running all of the amps wide open all the time. This is true, but I was also worried about the idle current of the alternator since I will be competing in SPL. Any suggestions would be very helpful! Thankyou.

www.motorcityreman.com

they will have a ho alt for your truck...i would reccomend the 200a model

Damon

usually idle amps draw from a car or truck dont exceed the 30 amps that can be variable depending on how much electrical accessory you have. count in the A/C too. go in a garage who are specialized in electrical problem and ask them to check what is your idle amp draw with accesories like AC and blower to max. keep this idle draw noted. then crank up your audio system to the max and record your max amp draw. buy a high output alternator according to that amp draw when playing your audio system.

there is no fixed amp draw value for a 1000 rms system(example) because you dont know the exact efficiancy of your amps(heat loss....)...

best thing to go to a garage with a alternator tester like a sun tester or just a good amp induction meter.

this is what i do when making a choice for a HO alternator for clients.

make sure the alternator you choose exceed a little your max amp draw because peaks are most of the time not recorded by a meter(maybe if you have a fluke 98 or 440 but if you have this at home i dont think you would need our help :P)

i reccomend you the 300a alternator because maybe in the future you want to put more amps this is propaply sure if you want to get more db. so to save more money is better to get a bigger altarnator that will help you sure now but probably it will hwlp you more in the future!

Good Luck on the spl competitions.

Agamemnonas Charalampous

300 amp is kinda big for the sustem he will be running

150-200 would do u good

150 amp @ idle should give u 95 -110

200 amp @ idle should be around 100 - 130

I'm running a very big system in m SUV and have 2 Alt

a 250 amp and a 300 amp   250 is for driving around

300 is for the extra boost i need at Comps. during comps i have both the 250 and 300 supplying power to batteries

I looked in the engine and it's 100amp stock (so it says)... and yes it is a V6 Vortec 4.3L engine. 200 amps is the exact number I was thinking of upgrading to. I'm definitely not going with no 300 amp alternator! That's major overkill.

For kirktcashalini, you shouldn't down yourself. What you know is probably more than most! And about that comment, good luck with your "beloved" Orion H2's. I know you weren't cracking on my favorite brand. You trying to say the H2's suck? I really hope that's not what your saying cuz I did like you....... just playin!  

Another thing I was wondering is if a 200amp alternator would even fit in my truck. There appears to be some room, but the alternator is surrounded pretty good by hoses so the room is limited... Any suggestions as to what kind of alternator to get? I know Stinger and Ohio Generator are top brand alternators, but they are very expensive. Is there anything else reliable at an affordable price? Somewhere around $300 would be good, if possible.

Dom Iraggi  is a good guy and he stands behind his work.

he built my Alt. cost me a good 670 with external regulators and mounting brackets for the 2 of them