Alternator Question

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Mar 20, 2011 | 08:12 AM

#21

jb78L-82

Le Mans Master

Joined: Oct 2007

Posts: 7,453

Likes: 976

From: RI, Now Franklin/Nashville TN

Quote:

Originally Posted by 7T1vette

jbL78-82...

So, if the poster does the alt upgrade without upgrading any wiring, and then runs his battery down pretty well playing the stereo without running the engine to keep the charge up, then starts the car...with a battery that screams "SEND ME MORE JUICE!!" to the alternator, and it does...and then fries the fusible link [or worse, burns up the wiring]...

Are you going to fix the damage?

To the OP:

Rotten advice from this responder. But, it's your car. Do....or don't do....whatever you want.

My comments are based on 20 years of running first a 120 amp 10SI alternator and currently a 140 amp CS144 alternator through stock wiring with ZERO issues on my 78 with 320 watt Hella Euro Halogens as my only additional upgrade to the stock accessories. Thanx for grading my advice since you are such an expert with real world experience running high amp alternators through stock wiring. I would suggest you read my comments again carefully since I stated that running a total of 80-90 amps through stock wiring with all accessories running will not harm the stock wiring (I do run a relay with 12 gauge wiring for the 100 watt high beams only-BTW) but no changes to the fusible link. I have also had a dead battery or 2 over the years that has been jumped to get the car started and both high amp alternators do not provide maximum amperage until the battery is charged. What the alternator will do is provide a higher amperage charge and voltage until the battery is charged but NOT 120 or 140 amps as you implied-that info is incorrect!

Anyone else with real world experience running high amp alternators in C3's have any comments?

Last edited by jb78L-82; Mar 20, 2011 at 08:20 AM.

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