amp kills your alternator, urban myth?

I've heard stories from people who told me that having too many amps or too powerful of amps can damage your alternator. Now, from what I know about electricity that doesn't make sense to me. It seems to me that the amps would at worst be underpowered and I've always disregarded this theory.

However, I recently rewired my RF Power bd 10001 from 1ohm to .667ohm (running four Kicker L5's) and less than 2 weeks later my alternator is dead...

Is that coincidence or did I really kill my alternator by drawing too much current?

Your alternator died because you were running it WFO for 100% (or close to) duty cycle... Parts like diodes get hot, and eventually.. Poof... Not an urban legend at all!

-------------
It all reminds me of something that Molière once said to Guy de Maupassant at a café in Vienna: "That's nice. You should write it down."

what does 100% duty cycle mean? Could the dead alt be because your amp cant handle less than a one ohm load?

Duty cycle is a ratio, expressed as the amount of time a device is on, relative to the amount of time a device is off. If you run something all the time, without allowing a cooling down or "resting" period, that is a 100% duty cycle. Alternators CAN run 100%, but not hot, as in UNDER A HOOD, and even then their expected life is not what it might be.

If it were an amplifier issue, the amp would be dead or mafunctioning, and he would be here asking why the amp is tweaked, not the alternator.

-------------
It all reminds me of something that Molière once said to Guy de Maupassant at a café in Vienna: "That's nice. You should write it down."

Well, I replaced the alternator with another 130amp alternator from Napa. I also replaced the lame costco battery with an Optima Yellow Top.

This weekend I will rewire my speakers so the amp runs at 1ohm. I'll also upgrade my big three to 0 gauge and get new terminals. I didn't really realize the sad shape my underhood wiring was in until I was in there putting in the new alternator/battery.

Hopefully, this will solve my problems because I hope to be getting another 1000ish watt (rms) amp for father's day...

-------------
'94 Ford Explorer / Kenwood KVT-815DVD / RF Power T1682C 6x8 (all doors) / RF Power T10001 / 12" Kicker L5 (x4) / Optima Yellow Top Battery

With a 130A alternator, and another (?!?!) 1000 watt amplifier? You are NOT going to be done with this anytime soon. A 130A alternator is not adequate for a 2000 watt system... not in any way, shape or form!

For those amps to make 1000 watts each, for any kind of time frame, you need 175A for those amplifiers alone. Then you have to add additional loads for AC/cabin fan, power windows, lights, rear defroster... Any amps you night have for the highs... I expect this alternator won't last very long, either...

-------------
It all reminds me of something that Molière once said to Guy de Maupassant at a café in Vienna: "That's nice. You should write it down."

It's like trying to run the Hoover dam with a garden hose....it just isn't going to happen.

-------------
2003 Chevy Avalanche,Eclipse CD7000,Morel Elate 5,Adire Extremis,Alpine PDX-4.150, 15" TC-3000, 2 Alpine PDX-1.1000, 470Amp HO Alt.

OK...

so you'd recommend something like this? https:////NEW-Ford-Truck-Explorer-200-AMP-Alternator-7750_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33573QQihZ003QQitemZ130124141701QQrdZ1


-------------
'94 Ford Explorer / Kenwood KVT-815DVD / RF Power T1682C 6x8 (all doors) / RF Power T10001 / 12" Kicker L5 (x4) / Optima Yellow Top Battery

My link seems to be broken but I'm talking about item #130124141701 on ebay.

-------------
'94 Ford Explorer / Kenwood KVT-815DVD / RF Power T1682C 6x8 (all doors) / RF Power T10001 / 12" Kicker L5 (x4) / Optima Yellow Top Battery

ebay links are blocked by filter. If you intend on running on running 2 of these amps I would look for something a little more stout say 250amp  as minimum.