Alternator recommendation
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 11,273
Likes: 2,136
From: Bowling Green, Kentucky
Thanks for reminding me about that, Larry. In reality, I don't think I'm using anywhere close to 100 amps. It's probably closer to the numbers you mentioned. I don't drive at night, so no lights. I have a Bose with its own power supply for tunes, so I don't use the radio. I actually drove the car for awhile with the original 37 amp alternator with the A/C and puller fan installed with no issues.
However . . . I'm a belt and suspenders kind of guy so I'm probably going to give some thought to the wiring upgrade anyway.
Anyone know how to check the total amp draw with the car running? I don't think my little multimeter is up to the task. It's highest setting is 20 amps.
-- Steve
However . . . I'm a belt and suspenders kind of guy so I'm probably going to give some thought to the wiring upgrade anyway.
Anyone know how to check the total amp draw with the car running? I don't think my little multimeter is up to the task. It's highest setting is 20 amps.
-- Steve
I won't belabor the point I made earlier after this.............but the problem comes in if you have a discharged battery or some other issue that demands max current. The components downstream of the alternator just aren't equipped or designed for the larger, extra amount of current. A wire or wires will overheat and possibly burn thru, especially near the crimped end connections which are the most vulnerable. That is why homes and cars have fuses or circuit breakers protecting the downstream wiring. The largest wiring in your car is 10 gage from the alternator, which is rated for about 30 amps continuous and probably double that for intermittent service.
You could install a 60 amp fuse in the alternator discharge wire to limit the output and keep a few extra fuses in the glove box, but this is less than ideal. Bigger diameter wiring is a consideration, and some here have done this, but they had to do a lot of extra wiring revisions to multiple points in the car to cover all the possible issues. You do have fusible links in the 1967 model, so these may provide protection, but are not easy to replace on the road.
It is your car, and others may have additional comments or simply say I am off-base and don't worry................but I don't think so.
Larry
Last edited by Powershift; Oct 1, 2015 at 10:54 AM.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 26,118
Likes: 1,874
From: Greenville, Indiana
Here are other's opinions:
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...lternator.html
That said, I put a 90 amp(?) alternator on my Corvair to run a pair of C5 fans full time. I didn't change the wires and I haven't had any overheating problems in the wires, yet. But I keep an eye on it.
Last edited by MikeM; Oct 1, 2015 at 11:28 AM.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 58,061
Likes: 7,146
Army
You could do the fuse thing as suggested Steve....on the flip side I have a dozen+ friends that run Vintage A/C, pusher fans, stereo amps with upgraded alternators in both C1s and C2s with stock wiring and no issues.... Maybe they are rolling the dice, maybe not...
