dual alternator setup
Printed From: the12volt.com
Forum Name: Car Audio
Forum Discription: Car Stereos, Amplifiers, Crossovers, Processors, Speakers, Subwoofers, etc.
URL: https://www.the12volt.com/installbay/forum_posts.asp?tid=44761
Printed Date: May 12, 2024 at 12:32 PM
Topic: dual alternator setup
Posted By: DDexter
Subject: dual alternator setup
Date Posted: December 08, 2004 at 9:53 PM
If i install 2 alternators (cs130d), can I wire their outputs together? I would like to know how anyone who is using a dual alternator setup has configured the alternator output wiring. Thank you.
Replies:
Posted By: wheelerdr
Date Posted: December 09, 2004 at 1:01 AM
It is best to take it to a mechanic, Most will run one output to your car (regular) and run the other for you system( to another battery in the trunk)
Posted By: dustin_parks79
Date Posted: December 09, 2004 at 2:24 AM
no do not wire them togather, if your using 2 alternators, use one for system only and the other for your car...I have the dual alternators in my 1992 ford mustand, and i fried alot of sh*t not knowing what i was doing, i hooked the 2 togather wich over charged the system and well ended up having to replace alot of things, than a helping stranger off this here site told me what i did wrong, wich is what i kinda figured went wrong, but told me i could still run the 2 alternators but one for my system alone, so that is what i did, i have no bat. or any thing comming off of the alt.....only thing comming off my second alt. is my 2 ga amp wire straight to the amp and works great......
Posted By: DDexter
Date Posted: December 10, 2004 at 8:36 PM
Thanx for the replies.
The reason I was going to add a second (stock) alternator, was because my High Output alternator does not perform well at idle (in gear). I usually get around 12.6 volts under these conditions. To top it off, the alternator already comes with an overdrive pulley.
Until I install the second alternator, I will simply up the idle by about 150 rpm's ..
Posted By: DDexter
Date Posted: December 20, 2004 at 10:31 AM
I did some more research on this topic. Unless you have made wiring errors, I do not see why connecting 2 alternator outputs together would cause a problem. If you do not have a big load, then there should not be any large amperage flowing to whatever is getting fried. My main concern was if 1 alternator would act as a source, and the other a sink since they would not both be giving out the same output voltage. No one has answered this.
Posted By: haemphyst
Date Posted: December 21, 2004 at 11:10 PM
If you were to diode isolate them, you can run all of the alternators you want to one battery, and they would not act as sink to the other, but both would always source. Each, of course would require it's own regulator, with a sense lead to the INPUT SIDE of the isolator, and a trigger lead to get them both to start generating. Since the field on most alternators today is self-exciting, if you diode isolate them, they would not see each other, but they would also not see the battery, so they would simply free-wheel forever, because there is no voltage to set-up the excitation field, and the battery would never charge. It can be done, but I think it would be a bit too much work, to make it worth your while.
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