MECHMAN

Don't get under a big payment man. Jobs come and go, and in this economy who knows what could happen to you. Most young people who destroy their credit start with an automobile repo. Just find something that's a couple years old and buy it private party. Get your own financing through a credit union and you will save thousands over leasing something from a dealership. Believe me, I used to sell cars, and I know what I'm talking about...

The critical piece of information is the diameter of your crankshaft pulley. The RPM on the graph is rotor RPM, which is subject to the pulley ratio of the vehicle. For example: if your crank pulley is 6" in diameter, and the alt pulley is 2" in diameter, (6 divided by 2 = 3) you would have a 3:1 pulley ratio- the Rotor RPM would be 3 times the engine RPM. Because this unit is a large case that has been modified to fit, (rather than an "overwound" small case) it will have hands down the best LOW RPM output available, much stronger than your stock alt in fact. In addition, the digital regulator that we use (the red anodized heat sink on the back) has a much lower turn-on speed than a factory regulator, which also helps. If need be, I can install a 1.75" overdrive pulley on it, that would net you a 3.42:1 ratio with a 6" crank pulley. 650 idle RPM x 3.42 = 2288 rotor RPM = 142 amps, assuming a 6" crank pulley, which I believe is stock on an S10.

A 500 watt ampplifier usually draws between 30-40 amps at full volume. Most all vehicles are built with only as much alternator as they require, (although it varies from vehicle to vehicle) In order to eliminate voltage drop, and to be able to play the system indefinitely without eventually running down the battery(s), it would be good engineering to increase the charging systems capability by 30-40 amps. You won't have huge problems, but the headlights might dim a little, and your system might not get as loud as it could be with more available current.

Sitting on my desk, I have a Large case conversion unit specially machined to bolt right on to 2.2 liter 4 cylinder equipped S-10 pickups, Cavaliers, and Sunfires. We tap the mounting ear, clearance the case, and inlclude the necessary adpter harness, so it installs in minutes. This unit is a 250 amp StreetBeater model, and has an outstanding low RPM power curve, as shown below on it's birth sheet. I include the 1/0 oversize ground and charge posts and the appropriate cable ends at no extra charge. This unit has also been built with the adjustable digital internal regulator, which is a $50 option. Weekly special price is $349 (normally $449) PRICE LOWERED TO $249 SHIPPED I can't hardly build these for that price! Matt @ MechMan 1-888-MECHMAN

You're general theory is correct. An alternator is never going to be more than 60% thermally efficient with off-the-shelf regulator and rectifier technology. The higher amperage potential of the unit, the more heat it can produce. As a rule of thumb, heat is the alternator killer. That being said, you have to cmpare the heat disipating, and heat handling caricteristics of the components between the stock and the "HO" alternator. By converting over to a physically larger case alternator, you gain more surface area of case to disipate heat, larger Fans, and typically an overall larger rectifier assymbly. The difference between an AD244(large case) and a CS130D (stock small case) is signifigant. The diffence in surface area is aprox. 40%. An OE rectifier assymbly uses tiny 30 amp diodes that are soldered to the surface of the rectifier plate. Under high-heat conditions, the solder melts out, or the small diode itself burns up. This is one of the most common alternator failures. A well built HO alternator would use a much more expensive HD rectifier cut out of solid copper instead of aluminum; which gives it better conductive properties. A high quality HD rectifier would also use press-fit 70 amp diodes which are much larger, can handle more heat before failure, and can disipate heat more quickly to the rectifier plate becasue of all the contact surface are achieved by being pressed into the plate. A good HO stator would be spec'd out to use extra high heat winding sleeves, which would prevent melting and running in-between the rotor and stator at high temperatures. A premium high output unit would also use a digital regulator with oversized heat sink for regulator durability. In order to handle the additional amp draw of a low impedance rotor, these regulators have substantially beefier circuitry, and better heat resistance at a byproduct. Finnally, a good HO alternator would use premium NTN bearings with synthetic lubricant to better withstand heat and RPM. I'm not saying that running two stock alts isn't a good idea, they will work great for you. I'm merely pointing out that there are more factors to consider when comparing the heat issues between a stock and properly built high output alternator.

We have really small pulleys if you need a couple.

You will be fine at 14.9, but anything higher than that and the battery will start getting cooked if it's an AGM type. 15.5 is OK if it is a flooded battery. A High Output alternator will not hurt anything as long as the voltage is set within those peramiters.

Two stock alts would have a little better low RPM output than a single 300 amp unit, but a little less on top. I would do it if you can get the bracket cheap. $61 for a stock AD244 sounds awfull cheap though, I would make sure you are getting the right thing. It might just be a CS130D which only does 70/105amps stock.

I'm not saying that the stock alt won't last, by "crash" I mean vastly exceed it's maximum output. You stock alt will probably last just fine, (as long as you don't play the system wide open for extended periods of time) you just will have much lower voltage than if you had a bigger alternator, which means the system won't be as loud as it could be.

The resting voltage will be different between the two, and it doesn't work as well as having both batteries agm. That is not what is causing you're problem, however. It is definitely a wiring problem, most likely a bad connection somewhere.

You will crash that little 80 amp honda alternator. Your voltage will fall down to nothing under large bass hits. I would do a high quality AGM battery up front (biggest that fits) and a quality high output alternator.

+1 to that. Batteries are just a band-aid fix if you don't have an alt to keep them full. 250amps is the most amperage you are going to get without sacrificing a lot of idle out-put. I know some people say otherwise, but we have done extensive testing, and that is just the best you are going to get without getting into exotics.

To my knowledge, we are the only alternator company that includes a dyno-graph print-out showing the entire output curve of the alternator. Each one is hand tested and initialed before it gets put into it's shipping container. Our 250 amp units do a minimum of 150 amps at idle, or otherwise they don't pass inspection.

Bump. I still have two of these left!

PM replied

You can buy the bat or the alt first, it doesn't really matter, but I would definitely upgrade both at some point. I have never personally had a Kinetik swell under the hood either, but I have read several threads complaining of swelling under high heat. I'm from Vegas too

I have 250A StreatBeaters on the shelf, direct bolt-in for Expedition for $349 shipped. They also do 150 amp minimum at idle. Holler.

You won't have a problem starting the vehicle with any two AGM batteries, no matter what brand or wether they are deep cycle or a starting battery. FYI- the Kinetiks are not available with a steel shell, which is necessary if you are going to mount the battery under the hood. The heat from the engine compartment causes the case to swell, and for the cells to gas out. Odyssee, stinger, and Powermaster have the steel shells available as an option for this reason. The Powermaster batts are a hybrid, and have medium thickness plates. This means that they can be safely deep cycled without damaging the battery, but have much more burst output (for starting engines and bass hits) like a starting battery would have. The Kinetiks are a little slow on their discharge under big loads.

adding batteries is only a band-aid- it will just take longer to depleat the batteries, because the alternator is not putting back in, what the system is taking out. Most vehicles use 40-60 just to run the stock systems on the vehicle: headlights, AC, ignition, fans, fuel pump, etc.. You have to add the amperage that your Amplifiers consume to 40-60 amps to arrive at the vehicles total amperage consumption "worse case". (meaning with the system cranked, headlights and AC on) Also, you have to remember that all alternators are rated at cruising speed. For example, a stock 105 amp GM alternator only puts out about 70 amps at idle. A 205 amp "overwound" small case alternator will only put out about 50 amps at idle. It is easy to see how fast you run out of amperage, especially at idle. Our 250 amp StreeBeater large case alternators put out 150 amps at idle, and you would easily use all 150 amps with your setup. Upgrading the alternator will keep your voltage higher, and save you headaches down the road, no matter how many batteries you choose to run.

You can mix and match any of the batteries front-to-rear as long as they are all AGM batteries. Kinetik, stinger, odyssey, Powermaster, Optima, are all AGMS. We carry Powermaster because they performed the best in my SPL vehicle in my own testing. I believe Steve had similar results with his powermasters. If you need help with fitment of a Powermaster battery under the hood, I have a deminsion chart- I can tell you what the biggest you can fit under the hood will be. We also are doing free shipping on Powermaster batteries right now.

It would require the case to be CNC'd. We can do that for $50 extra, and it would be a direct bolt-in.

With slight modification and an adapter plug, it will fit on an 87 Astro. It does 150 amps at idle, and will include a dyno sheet proving that it does. My number is 1-888-MECHMAN . Thanks!

We are blowing out a couple of our 250 amp StreetBeater series alternators. These are built specifically for daily driven SPL, and have brutal low RPM output. They fit 1996 through 2007 Tahoes, Suburbans, Yukons, Escalades, Silverados, and Sierra pickups. These were built with crome overdrive pulleys, w/ polished nose cones for a little bling. Normaly $399, I will let them go for $299 each, shipped in the continental 48 states. I have 3 at this price.

Under-hood heat causes swelling, so does overcharging. The Powermaster can be purchased with a steel shell if you are going to use it under the hood to protect it from the heat, the Kinetiks are not available that way and shouldn't be used under the hood. In our own testing on our demo vehicles, the Powermaster batts dramatically outperformed the Kinetiks in discharge rate. That's why we sell Powermaster now.

If you ever run the batteries down without giving the alt to charge them back up you will let the smoke out of that stock alt for sure- That is the danger of running multiple batteries without enough alternator to keep them full. Batteries don't "power" anything, they are simply a reservoir to store current.