battery Isolators

[5.0Flareside]

well i dont wanna get a new alternator its got a brand new alternator on it. only bout 6 months old. bout 120 bucks. is there any other way to really improve the output of the alternator?

 

[DNFXDLI]

In a word...no. But if you are having issues like you are, a check of the whole charging/battery circuit should be in order. You really should not be having issues like that in a normal situation.

 

[5.0Flareside]

In a word...no. But if you are having issues like you are, a check of the whole charging/battery circuit should be in order. You really should not be having issues like that in a normal situation.

thats what im figuring especially since the truck has been through i think 7 alternators in the past 10 years.. 3 in the year ive owned it. 1st one was on it when i bought it it was a few years old and the bearing went out. so i got one from a junkyard and it lasted a lil bit just wasnt strong enough though to keep up with everything. it was like 65 amps. and the VR eventually went out. and then i bought the one thats on there now. it only drops voltage when a song is hitting HEAVY HEAVY bass.

 

[DNFXDLI]

What kind of an amplifier are you running?

 

[rickpilgrim]

One thing I know is the new design alternators don't last long when subjected to high amp loads for more than short bursts. I lost 3 on my 87 460 in the end it was the battery being bad and making the alternator work hard. Had to replace the plug also, when the plug is bad the alt won't charge much. I'm told my 87's alternator is 85amps or so. My adopted broin law has a killer sound system in his Caddy, with 2 Optima batteries, a bank of large capacitors and a 200 amp alternator and still has problems like that.

 

[DNFXDLI]

One thing I know is the new design alternators don't last long when subjected to high amp loads for more than short bursts. I lost 3 on my 87 460 in the end it was the battery being bad and making the alternator work hard. Had to replace the plug also, when the plug is bad the alt won't charge much. I'm told my 87's alternator is 85amps or so. My adopted broin law has a killer sound system in his Caddy, with 2 Optima batteries, a bank of large capacitors and a 200 amp alternator and still has problems like that.

Please explain how the battery being bad makes the alternator work harder?
The battery supplies the field excitation and starting capability..as well as supplementing the alternator at idle where it can't supply the required current. If your adopted BIL is having those issues with the described system, then there are design issues.