Alternator

[MikeS]

Looking into winter project thinking about converting existing generator to alternator.  Looks like most folks have dealt w/Bill Thompson. Question is amperage it appears he has from 60-150 plus amps available.  My thinking is sticking w/60 amps.  Will maintain positive ground and have 00 cables.  What do you think?

[MikeS]

1 minute ago, MikeS said:

Looking into winter project thinking about converting existing generator to alternator.  Looks like most folks have dealt w/Bill Thompson. Question is amperage it appears he has from 60-150 plus amps available.  My thinking is sticking w/60 amps.  Will maintain positive ground and have 00 cables.  What do you think?

Sorry Bill Howard - too many birthdays!

[Sam Buchanan]

43 minutes ago, MikeS said:

Looking into winter project thinking about converting existing generator to alternator.  Looks like most folks have dealt w/Bill Thompson. Question is amperage it appears he has from 60-150 plus amps available.  My thinking is sticking w/60 amps.  Will maintain positive ground and have 00 cables.  What do you think?

 

What I think is......you will most likely end up considering the alternator to be the best money you have spent on your car if you drive it often.

 

Unless you have electric radiator fans or other high-load devices 60a should be far more than your car will ever need. My P15 gets driven about every week and after a cold start the ammeter will swing over to 10-15a for a minute until the battery is topped up then settle in at about 5a while driving. Turning on the headlights makes no significant difference in the ammeter since the alternator keeps the battery fully charged even at idle.

Edited October 11, 2020 by Sam Buchanan

[MikeS]

2 hours ago, MikeS said:

Looking into winter project thinking about converting existing generator to alternator.  Looks like most folks have dealt w/Bill Thompson. Question is amperage it appears he has from 60-150 plus amps available.  My thinking is sticking w/60 amps.  Will maintain positive ground and have 00 cables.  What do you think?

 

[MikeS]

Thank-you Sam, I will go w/60.

[Countryss]

Just did this conversion today. Bought the kit from vintage auto parts. 

[Royal Duke]

Countryss - I think I'd like to do this conversion for my 1941 Chrysler Royal.  Can you give me the exact name of the vendor you purchased the alternator from. I called both Kanter and Bernbaums.  Neither one had it.  I'd appreciate your guidance.  Duke

[Countryss]

I'm sorry meant to put vintageautogarage.com  yes it was a bit pricier than getting part by part at a supply store but I wanted everything I needed in one package with super clear instructions and that's exactly what they delivered. 

[Sniper]

Holy cow!  that 12v alternator that looks like a generator conversion kit is pricey.

 

I put a stock mopar 78A alternator on my 51 for less than $150 last fall.  But that necessitated a change to 12v negative ground which was fine with me.

 

$40 for the alternator, core price included.

$3 for the alternator connectors.

$4 for the boot to cover the alternator stud

$31 for a 12v heater blower motor.

$9 for a Ford 12v starter solenoid.

$5 for a ballast resistor

$20 for a voltage regulator

$4 for the regulator connector

Total $116 plus misc wire to connect things all prices today from Rockauto.

 

Doesn't look stock, but that not an issue for me.

 

http://www.yourolddad.com/12-volt-conversion

 

[Sam Buchanan]

Howard Enterprises is the vendor I used for my 6v alternator, I'm very please with customer support and the performance of the alternator. This vendor includes shipping in the listed price.

 

https://www.ebay.com/str/HowardEnt?_trksid=p2047675.l2563

 

About $140 shipped, an optional bracket is available at reasonable cost. That is all that is needed to do the conversion.

 

 

 

Edited October 13, 2020 by Sam Buchanan

[DJK]

17 minutes ago, Sam Buchanan said:

Howard Enterprises is the vendor I used for my 6v alternator, I'm very please with customer support and the performance of the alternator. This vendor includes shipping in the listed price.

 

https://www.ebay.com/str/HowardEnt?_trksid=p2047675.l2563

 

About $140 shipped, an optional bracket is available at reasonable cost. That is all that is needed to do the conversion.

 

 

 

I second what Sam said, very pleased with my 6v pos ground alt from Bill Howard.

[maok]

35 minutes ago, DJK said:

I second what Sam said, very pleased with my 6v pos ground alt from Bill Howard.

I second second the sentiment, I have two of his conversion, working well and was easily adapted.

[wagoneer]

Hello, An alternator does sound like an appealing upgrade as power is always an issue with the current generator. The howardEnt site looks promising, and has some very high amperage output alternators.

 

I found this one that is also a GM conversion -- https://www.qualitypowerauto.com/item_24/6-Volt-Alternators-Positive-Ground.htm

 

A question for the forum - is there any disadvantage to purchasing a higher amperage alternator? The HowerEnt site offers up to 105 amps. How does this affect the stock voltage regulator?

 

I'm curious if you can get at least a couple of amps out of the cigarette lighter? Would be nice to plug in a usb charger, if a 6v charger exists.

[maok]

1 hour ago, wagoneer said:

Hello, An alternator does sound like an appealing upgrade as power is always an issue with the current generator. The howardEnt site looks promising, and has some very high amperage output alternators.

 

I found this one that is also a GM conversion -- https://www.qualitypowerauto.com/item_24/6-Volt-Alternators-Positive-Ground.htm

 

A question for the forum - is there any disadvantage to purchasing a higher amperage alternator? The HowerEnt site offers up to 105 amps. How does this affect the stock voltage regulator?

 

I'm curious if you can get at least a couple of amps out of the cigarette lighter? Would be nice to plug in a usb charger, if a 6v charger exists.

You by-pass the stock regulator, these alternators have a regulator built-in, so one wire to your ammeter or wherever the 'bat'wire from the old regulator was connected to.

[Stargrinder]

Has anyone tried one of these alternator's that look like a generator.  It is a little pricy but I am thinking about going this route for the looks...

https://www.qualitypowerauto.com/item_543/6-Volt-GM-Positive-Ground.htm

 

Thoughts?

[Sam Buchanan]

7 hours ago, wagoneer said:

Hello, An alternator does sound like an appealing upgrade as power is always an issue with the current generator. The howardEnt site looks promising, and has some very high amperage output alternators.

 

I found this one that is also a GM conversion -- https://www.qualitypowerauto.com/item_24/6-Volt-Alternators-Positive-Ground.htm

 

A question for the forum - is there any disadvantage to purchasing a higher amperage alternator? The HowerEnt site offers up to 105 amps. How does this affect the stock voltage regulator?

 

I'm curious if you can get at least a couple of amps out of the cigarette lighter? Would be nice to plug in a usb charger, if a 6v charger exists.

 

60a is more than enough capacity for our cars. The stock regulator can be eliminated or used merely for a terminal junction if you want to retain it for cosmetic reasons. Be sure you check shipping charges for a vendor you are considering. Howard Enterprises doesn't charge additional shipping.

 

There have been recent threads about installing usb power ports, use the forum Search engine.

Edited October 13, 2020 by Sam Buchanan

[Adam H P15 D30]

9 hours ago, wagoneer said:

Hello, An alternator does sound like an appealing upgrade as power is always an issue with the current generator. The howardEnt site looks promising, and has some very high amperage output alternators.

 

I found this one that is also a GM conversion -- https://www.qualitypowerauto.com/item_24/6-Volt-Alternators-Positive-Ground.htm

 

A question for the forum - is there any disadvantage to purchasing a higher amperage alternator? The HowerEnt site offers up to 105 amps. How does this affect the stock voltage regulator?

 

I'm curious if you can get at least a couple of amps out of the cigarette lighter? Would be nice to plug in a usb charger, if a 6v charger exists.

The only disadvantage to a higher amp alternator is hearing your amp gauge pop if you try to run a 100 amps through it.  Hopefully it will just be a pop and not a fire.  Make sure your primary wire from the alternator is rated for 100a.

Edited October 13, 2020 by Adam H P15 D30

[Sam Buchanan]

1 hour ago, Adam H P15 D30 said:

The only disadvantage to a higher amp alternator is hearing your amp gauge pop if you try to run a 100 amps through it.  Hopefully it will just be a pop and not a fire.  Make sure your primary wire from the alternator is rated for 100a.

 

Along these lines....what would it take to draw 100-ish amps from an alternator? A dead shorted battery??

 

In the photo below you can see the 60a fuse I installed where the old regulator used to be. I might change it to a 35a. My alternator is rated at 60a but I've never seen the ammeter indicate more than 10-15a for a minute after a cold start with a charged battery.

 

 

A semi-related story:

 

My RV-6 has a Nippon-Denso based 35a alternator. Some idiot left the master switch on for ten days and ran the Odyssey PC680 battery dead flat. I stupidly (see a trend?) jumped off the plane and watched the poor little alternator pump 49a into the totally dead battery. Within a half hour the alternator was toast, killed by trying to charge the dead battery.

 

Lesson learned----I never jump start a vehicle with a completely dead battery due to the stress it puts on the alternator. Charge the battery for awhile first, then jump start if necessary. The alternator will appreciate you.

Edited October 13, 2020 by Sam Buchanan

[Adam H P15 D30]

13 minutes ago, Sam Buchanan said:

 

Along these lines....what would a take to draw 100-ish amps from an alternator? A dead shorted battery??

 

Probably a good idea to have wires that will NOT carry 100 amps. That would basically provide a fusible link.

A dead battery and a jump start would easily overwhelm the amp gauge.

A shorted cell in the battery also.

If someone wants to add a fuse or fusible link, great.  You don't want that to be the wire = FIRE. 

My 60a alternator would peg the amp meter after a long crank (sitting), glad it wasn't a 100a alternator.  I dumped the ammeter and replaced with volt gauge, but it never failed.

Ammeter should be ok with a 60a alternator, you'll know pretty quick if it isn't up to the task....

[Sniper]

there is a reason OEM's put fusible links in the system.

 

Same reason your house had circuit breakers.

 

Both should be the "weak link" in the system so that they can provide protection.

 

It should not matter is your wiring can handle 100A, or your ammeter "only" 60A if the fusible link is the weak spot it will protect your circuit.

[Adam H P15 D30]

OEMs use fuses or fuse links to protect the vehicle electronics.  Size the charge wire from the alternator to the battery according to the max output of the alternator, just like the OEMs do.  Same philosophy as not running 12v battery cables on a 6v car.

[Royal Duke]

Thanks to all for the advice.  Duke