Amp Reading and my alternator
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,118
From: Crossville TN
100 amp alternator on stock 50 amp wiring..... What's wrong with this 'picture'?
If you upgrade the alternator, you upgrade the wiring.
P.S. If having a short-term discharge on your battery is a problem, then no one should start their car (hundreds of amps to the starter)...
If you upgrade the alternator, you upgrade the wiring.
P.S. If having a short-term discharge on your battery is a problem, then no one should start their car (hundreds of amps to the starter)...
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 11,152
Likes: 890
From: South Western Ontario
You definitely need to either quit using the fan or update the alternator. You really shouldn't need the fan anyways is the mechanical is in good shape.
The existing system will only work if you live in a rural area and don't sit stopped much. If you live in an urban area, or in other words will be city driving, the battery will be slowly discharged due to the stop and go driving.
The existing system will only work if you live in a rural area and don't sit stopped much. If you live in an urban area, or in other words will be city driving, the battery will be slowly discharged due to the stop and go driving.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 7,098
Likes: 378
From: Las Vegas - Just stop perpetuating myths please.
This is one of those problems difficult to resolve w/o being able to take measurements myself. The problem with the stock ammeter is many owners have changed its wiring which has a specific resistance to keep the ammeter accurate. But you could take a hand held DC ammeter and splice it into the desired circuit wiring to verify current amount and direction. And its a good idea to measure the current draw on your fans anyways so you can match up your electrical system for them. If you want an accurate ammeter you need to know what you should be reading. Now splicing into the battery ground cable is not a simple task so sourcing a clamp-on DC ammeter would be best but they are not cheap and maybe difficult to find. You can get creative here with measuring the current but I wouldn't encourage that unless the owners is truly interested so measuring the individual current loads and adding them/totaling should be simpler.
Hope this helps.
Hope this helps.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 6,748
Likes: 1,390
