so i ordered my ho alt today 200a. he said thats what they are rated at but put out about 250-275. and i also ordered a batcap 400, he tried to talk me outta that and get a new optimu battery, but i stayed with the 400, was that a wise choice???
BatCap ain't gonna do you sh!t without the right batttery to back it up. Batcap is an over rated in my opinion, gimmick which has a higher rate of discharge than a regular battery but less capacity. The biggest thing is that the batcap has a pretty high ESR (internal resistance) which makes it kinda useless as a cap it self because an amplifier with sufficient draw will draw the power faster than it can be replenished. If you plan on playing your system with the engine off then plan on (depending on your amps) getting two or more batteries, preferably deep cycle unless you are going to use an isolator then I would recommend a starting battery up front and a couple of deep cyles (or more) in the trunk. This with the addition of your HO alt and sufficient upgraded wiring should serve you well. If and only if you still suffer from the disco ball effect (flashing lights) and yes it is still possible, then try a cap, not a batcat but an ordinary cap with a low ESR, typically lower than 5 Farads and that should help you there. JMHO...Polo.
most alt companies underrated their alts just like an amp company, just so everyone will do at least what it says. buddy of mine purchased a 220a from USA Reman, and he has a 5hp motor to turn the alt and a test bench, and his amp-meter shut off at 240(that was as high as it went)!!
i just ordered a 200 amp alt from iraggi but it looks exactly like my stock on. how can i tell the difference. i mean the sizes are the same and they look identical. is there a way to test it??
Yes phillp, take it to like an autozone or advance to get it tested. Your stock alt will be considerably less than the upgraded one. Also you will not be able to tell the difference just by looking at the outside, it's the coils and everything on the inside of the alt that you should be concerned about. If you have the time, open it up and compare. There are only a few simple screws to loosen up to see the "meat" inside the alt.
Little stores only carry testers that test fixed load of no more than 20 amps.
You need to take it to a rebuilder to get a real output rating.
Also note that any alternator will out do what the spec is. Because the spec is rated when the alternator is hot, in its normal running temperature. As the alternator heats up it loses its capability in output.
That is why GM especially in the trucks are taking more and more out of the alternator. They are watercooling the recitifier on the frame, rather than air cooled in the alternator.
A rebuilder is a guy that takes in alternators and starter, and rebuilds them. So when he rebuilds them, he full load tests them to make sure that they work. Therefore they should have a full load tester that can test your alternator for max output at max RPM.
Where are you located, I can try and help you find one.
It will crank over your motor, the yellow tops are deep cycle and have more resistance in them. Therefore they wont crank out as many amps as fast as the red tops. So it is not recommended to use a yellow as your starting battery because it was not made for the rush of current that the starters draws.
Tyler is right! The yellows (deep cycle) is designed to give a steady, constant flow over a longer range that is why the resistance was incorporated into its design. This being said it also limits the amount of current available at any given time and this is why there is a need for MULTIPLE yellow tops, depending on the amount of current your system draws of course..Polo.
