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So my alternator has been fluctuating a lot more lately. I use my trucks alternator to charge my dump trailer battery via a heavy gauge connection going from the battery to the bed of the truck and I have a similar heavy gauge wire setup coming from the trailer that plugs in to the flush mounted plug. Anywho, local auto parts store with my commercial account can get me a 230 amp powder coated alternator with a lifetime warranty for a good deal. I think with the way that I am using the truck a higher output alternator would be ideal. I also have 2 10" subs with a 1200 watt skar amp pushing them. What do y'all think? Thanks
this is mine, boy does it pack a wallop, after a cold start at 20*F and a full two minutes on the glow plugs, the batteries are at about 11.5 volts.
within one minute, that alternator is pushing 14.8-15.1 volts to them to get them recharged ASAP
MechMan
1035 Data Lane
Knoxville, TN 37932
Customer Service Available:
Mon. - Fri.: 9am - 430pm
email: service@mechman.com
oh, my truck used to have a Leece-Nevelle alternator on it, and the wiring was F*d up by the fire department "mechanics",
I had to call MechMan service to figure out how to interface it to the truck...
none of the OEM factory harness was left for me to work with, it was buggered up beyond all recognition.... I ended up going to the Fuse Panel itself, and then running a brand new wire from fuse F2-45 which is a KEON power point.
Tristan, what is the brand of the 230A alternator you are considering? The powder coating is purely aesthetic and in my opinion should not be a major consideration point for purchase.
What alternator are you running now, the OEM 110A (I think it is 100A) or the 6.0L 140A (I think it is 140A).
We know money is tight (for most people) right now and you need something that will get the job done. If it were me, I would NOT consider an alternator from QuickStart and would only go with Leece Neville or MechMan. Although, that brings up additional costs and concerns regarding the higher output and need for balanced positive and negative cables in larger gauges. Some people feel that larger gauge or additional cables are not required, but that is not my opinion.
You may be against the wall here and need to go with the store brand 230A with a lifetime warranty. I prefer to pay more for a good product that will last instead of a poor product with a good warranty that I need to swap out and be down at inconvenient times.
this is mine, boy does it pack a wallop, after a cold start at 20*F and a full two minutes on the glow plugs, the batteries are at about 11.5 volts.
within one minute, that alternator is pushing 14.8-15.1 volts to them to get them recharged ASAP
MechMan
1035 Data Lane
Knoxville, TN 37932
Customer Service Available:
Mon. - Fri.: 9am - 430pm
email: service@mechman.com
oh, my truck used to have a Leece-Nevelle alternator on it, and the wiring was F*d up by the fire department "mechanics",
I had to call MechMan service to figure out how to interface it to the truck...
none of the OEM factory harness was left for me to work with, it was buggered up beyond all recognition.... I ended up going to the Fuse Panel itself, and then running a brand new wire from fuse F2-45 which is a KEON power point.
That's awesome, thanks so much for the info. I'll check them out! After seeing your clean engine looks like I'm going to have to go clean mine again LOL
Tristan, what is the brand of the 230A alternator you are considering? The powder coating is purely aesthetic and in my opinion should not be a major consideration point for purchase.
What alternator are you running now, the OEM 110A (I think it is 100A) or the 6.0L 140A (I think it is 140A).
We know money is tight (for most people) right now and you need something that will get the job done. If it were me, I would NOT consider an alternator from QuickStart and would only go with Leece Neville or MechMan. Although, that brings up additional costs and concerns regarding the higher output and need for balanced positive and negative cables in larger gauges. Some people feel that larger gauge or additional cables are not required, but that is not my opinion.
You may be against the wall here and need to go with the store brand 230A with a lifetime warranty. I prefer to pay more for a good product that will last instead of a poor product with a good warranty that I need to swap out and be down at inconvenient times.
It's duralast. I've gotten set up really nice with the commercial guys at AutoZone and get way better discounts than I probably should and can get a good deal on it with a lifetime warranty and if it ever breaks these guys would go above and beyond to make sure it was taken care of. Even if it meant driving out to me and changing the alternator in a parking lot or something, one of them has recently become one of my good friends and we've been hanging out a lot.
But, nothing is set in stone. I haven't bought an alternator yet and I did just finish a decent job and get a little bit of money. Not that I want to spend it but if adding $100 with my investment will get me something way better than I see it being worth it.
In terms of battery cables, I kind of want to just get rid of the factory alternator cable and running new lead to the alternator to the passenger side battery and run a new power wire from the start solenoid to the glow plug relay. I've got a big spool of 4 gauge wire if you think that's big enough. That is the same size I used running my recent battery cables to the driver side battery.
On a completely and unrelated note, I have been playing with tunes on my truck again and with the way that I have been using my truck lately I really, really like the 40 HP towing tune. I'm not sure what kind of horsepower range that would put me at with my 200/30s but, it feels great when towing. No smoke either. I am considering custom tuning at some point. I want to make a thread on the matter or join one that is ready made.
My alternator was replaced 2-3 yrs ago with a remanufactured OEM spec unit and I'm considering replacing it in the coming months. Taking my time deciding affords me time to research and bounce ideas. About the same time this reman alternator was replaced the battery cables were done at the same time. I purchased them from Custom Battery Cables and opted for the "cold start" version. https://custombatterycables.com/prod...2003-3-0-2300/
Two alternators that I'm considering are the Leece-Nevile A160202-2, or the Mechman. I understand the LN will require a slight modification to the mounting bracket. Will the Mechman require the same? Also, what Mechman part number is recommended for my 2001 Excursion with the 7.3?
when the water pump seized last March, the radiator, overflow bottle, hoses, tensioner, pump, pulleys, belt, were all replaced with new parts, I did not reuse a single thing....
the mechanic found out why it was always low, when he took the old bottle off, he found a pin hole in the overflow hose.
I was constantly looking for leaks, and never was able to find it
Two alternators that I'm considering are the Leece-Nevile A160202-2, or the Mechman. I understand the LN will require a slight modification to the mounting bracket. Will the Mechman require the same? Also, what Mechman part number is recommended for my 2001 Excursion with the 7.3?
the MechMan is Plug 'n Play, no mods needed, especially if your truck has the OEM alternator harness unmolested, mine did not...
a fire department tech screwed it all up, MechMan support talked me thru getting it wired up right.
Leece-Nevile needs a little grinding done on the alternator bracket, but its like a 5 minute job. grind fit, grind fit, grind fit and done. wireiing is plug and play. either it or the mechman will take care of what you want. John has the mechman, I have a Leece-Nevile and neither of us have had any issues. I would read the thread concerning HO alternator meets glow plugs just to be informed though. Personally I have been waiting until the GP shuts off, as I have not had time to dink with a relay circuit to shut the alternator off but eventually i will get around to it.
Leece-Nevile needs a little grinding done on the alternator bracket, but its like a 5 minute job. grind fit, grind fit, grind fit and done. wireiing is plug and play. either it or the mechman will take care of what you want. John has the mechman, I have a Leece-Nevile and neither of us have had any issues. I would read the thread concerning HO alternator meets glow plugs just to be informed though. Personally I have been waiting until the GP shuts off, as I have not had time to dink with a relay circuit to shut the alternator off but eventually i will get around to it.
that is what I am doing, I watch the DVM on the Power Port, and when it starts back uphill, I hit the starter then.
I would prefer a Push Button for the glow plug power, but.... not easy on my truck.
the DVM monitoring battery voltage gets the job done.
it would be easy to insert a Time Delay relay in the circuit that energizes the Alternator, set it for 2 minutes and be done with it.
even in the summer months, a 2 minute delay to start charging is not going to be an issue.
Would be easy to just get a 555 Timer, put it on a perf board, and trigger a relay with that, lots cheaper than commercial delay timers.
But, this one is Plug 'n Play, no worries about fabricating something.
After more research I've decided on the Mechman 240 amp alternator. With a discount, no tax and free shipping it appears I'm getting a pretty good deal. And an extra bonus, it doesn't require grinding away any material to make it fit.
I emailed Mechman about installation and they suggest using a 1/0 cable from the alternator directly to the battery. I do have a couple questions. First, how/where would you fuse the power wire? Mechman recommends a 300 amp fuse?
Second, how should the ground be made, should it attach to the alternator mounting bolt and if so, where is the best place to terminate it, the Neg battery terminal or where?
I've seen a Fuse Block Terminal fuse like this one from Amazon. It could attach directly to the alternator power terminal but is there enough room under the hood?
I bought a 300 amp fuse and block,
but when I looked at it,
decided NOPE, no fuse....
the Leece-Neville didn't have a fuse on it either,
so thinking that MechMan is a high quality product,
I just left it like the Fire Department boys installed it
I would prefer to error on the side of safety. In this case, there is the "potential" for a lot of current in the alternator/battery circuit, therefore I believe a fuse is a MUST for safety reasons. The stereo system (900 watts) is direct to the battery and fused. The HID headlights are direct to the battery via a relay controlled by the headlight switch. Those are the only accessories outside of the factory system. No winch, plow, or any other heavy loads present. When I turn on the headlights, driving lights, air conditioning front & rear with the fans on full and windshield wipers, voltage drops into the high 12's. Added that I have a reman alternator, it's not keeping up, hence the desire for a better alternator. The OEM alternator only puts out 110 amps at best. Sure I don't need 240+ amps but given how many have testified to the fact that the Mechman is top quality, I feel pretty confident that the 240 amp Mechman is a very good choice.
I'm open to logical arguments...
[QUOTE=John in OkieLand;21315828]I bought a 300 amp fuse and block,
but when I looked at it,
decided NOPE, no fuse....
the Leece-Neville didn't have a fuse on it either,
so thinking that MechMan is a high quality product,
I just left it like the Fire Department boys installed it
Assuming your positive cable goes directly between the alternator post and the battery terminal, can you please snap a picture showing the entire cable so I can see how you routed it? Also how long did you make the cable?
08-04-2024 | 05:46 PM
