Alternator Upgrade
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=73770
Printed Date: May 02, 2024 at 6:19 PM
Topic: Alternator Upgrade
Posted By: willdkartunes
Subject: Alternator Upgrade
Date Posted: March 02, 2006 at 3:12 AM
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.
Replies:
Posted By: diceman1000
Date Posted: March 02, 2006 at 5:08 AM
www.motorcityreman.com they will have a ho alt for your truck...i would reccomend the 200a model Damon
Posted By: Teslank
Date Posted: March 02, 2006 at 11:54 AM
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) ------------- Set-up:
Car: Toyota Corolla 1997
Head-unit: Alpine 9815
Amp: Lightning Audio STORM X1.800.4
Sub: Lightning Audio STRIKE S4.12.4
Front SPK: Phoenix Gold OCTANE-R 6.5 comp.
Rear SPK: Pionneer 6X9
Posted By: Soundforce
Date Posted: March 02, 2006 at 11:58 AM
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
Posted By: hardknocks
Date Posted: March 02, 2006 at 2:55 PM
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 ------------- 4-15" RF T2
6-7" RF Component sets
8 Planet Audio 900d
10 Batcap800
1 250 amp alt
1 300 amp alt
2" sound deadner roof,doors,floors
Posted By: kirktcashalini
Date Posted: March 02, 2006 at 9:46 PM
hey, I dont know much about alternator upgrades, and am not acting liek i do either. I do know there are HOT and COLD alternators, one puts out more power at low revs, and the other does the opposite i believe. Also... I do know about s-10s and blazers having had 3 in the last couple years. My 99 Vortec V6 has a factory 120 amp alternator. I dont know if they changed from 97-98 with the minor changes they made, and i am PRAYING you have a vortec, otherwise I just feel bad.
200A sounds good, but what do i know...... gl with your beloved orion h2s
-------------
99 Blazer LT. Yellow Top. Big 3. Infinity Kappa Speakers All Around. Jensen CD/DVD flip out. 2 Infinity Kappa Perfect 12DVQs powered by a Alpine PDX600.1 (in one custom box, building a FG box)
Posted By: willdkartunes
Date Posted: March 02, 2006 at 11:43 PM
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.
Posted By: kirktcashalini
Date Posted: March 03, 2006 at 11:38 AM
I just know Iragi kicks ass. Um, nah i wasnt putting down orion, I was just saying have fun with them, because liek every post you do is telling someone to buy H2s because you love them lol. And I knowwwwww you love them, so i said have fun with them 
Alt surrounded by hoses and everything... thats why changing an alternator isnt a 15 minute job, It requires you to obviously take off the belt, unbolt everything related to the alternator bracketry, maybe squeeze hoses outa the way, thennn change them. You should have room, most alternators are the same size as oem, if not, close to.
I know i could change my alternator on my sbc 355 s-10 in about 3 minutes flat, but thats just a v-belt, and 2 bolts lol, with no hoses near it. I may need to put a new one in my blazer, and am not looking forward to it either, even though I thouroughly enjoy working on engines. your lucky you have a 97, if you had a 98+ there is so much other crap you might have to deal with. ------------- 99 Blazer LT. Yellow Top. Big 3. Infinity Kappa Speakers All Around. Jensen CD/DVD flip out. 2 Infinity Kappa Perfect 12DVQs powered by a Alpine PDX600.1 (in one custom box, building a FG box)
Posted By: hardknocks
Date Posted: March 03, 2006 at 12:25 PM
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 ------------- 4-15" RF T2
6-7" RF Component sets
8 Planet Audio 900d
10 Batcap800
1 250 amp alt
1 300 amp alt
2" sound deadner roof,doors,floors
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