2 Alternators or Beef up???

[BundyMonkey]

Hi all I am looking at upgrading my alternator amp out put or looking at maybe installing a second alternator to help charge my electrical system as the stocko Toyota one just doesnt cut it.

I am currently running a duel battery system and I dont believe that it is charging it enough. Both batteries are less than 6 months old. The other problem is it is a diesel and has the brake booster pump on the back of it so searching for a bigger amped alternator at the wreckers is extremely difficult.

What are the costs involved in having the alternator beefed up?


Thanks

[-Scott-]

I don't know enough about alternators and regulators to be sure, but I suspect that with a standard setup the regulator "sees" the main battery as fully charged, and doesn't charge the second battery very fast. Effectively, your second battery is only ever trickle charged, never "boost" charged.

If you have space, a second alternator may be a better option. Leave the OE setup alone, charging only the starting battery. Add a second alternator to charge your second battery, and hang all your accessories off that. Yes, there's duplication there, but I think that may be the best way to keep both batteries topped up.

Cheers,

Scott

[Tiny]

agree with Scott, the OE set up has the vac pump so it becomes diffcult to do anything to upgrade the unit. other than that an elec vac pump elswhere and upgrade to a non vac alternator but more to f*** up

[wayne74]

you should be able to upgrade the alternator you have on there ,theres two ways buy a new one with bigger amps or have the original striped and rebuilt with a bigger rotor ,new rectifier,and coil .but ya might find it would be cheaper to buy a new alternator

[cathgart]

Hi had the same problem in my 84 lux. I went and got a 85amp commodore alt and made up a coupla brackets and mounted it where the air con is spose to sit. Put another charge light somewhere in the dash to hook it to and you beauty never have to worry about either battery going flat.

[PJ.zook]

Yeh you cant just install another alternator and connect the battery charge output to it, you must have the charge light as its not only a warning light, it also supplies voltage to the exciter coils and/or rotor coils which produce the magnetic field.

[BundyMonkey]

Can you post up a wiring diagram of this set up

Thanks again

[pongo]

Instead of a light in the dash, You can put in a small resisitor to do the same job. Dont ask me what size as a dont have a clue. Remeber a light globe is essentially a resistor anyway

Cheers

[-Scott-]

Instead of a light in the dash, You can put in a small resisitor to do the same job. Dont ask me what size as a dont have a clue. Remeber a light globe is essentially a resistor anyway

Cheers

An auto sparky told me to use a 2W globe in a 24V application. Having said that, it still doesn't work.

Scott

[CRUSHU]

Instead of a light in the dash, You can put in a small resisitor to do the same job. Dont ask me what size as a dont have a clue. Remeber a light globe is essentially a resistor anyway

Cheers

An auto sparky told me to use a 2W globe in a 24V application. Having said that, it still doesn't work.

Scott

That makes sense, as most dash globes are 1.2w, in 12v cars...