mechman alt problem.

[windowtinter]

Have you put a load tester on each battery individually? Depending on your set up could be a bad battery loading up the alt and burning diodes? it never hurts to check them.

[IdleSilence2580]

Kicker wire is pretty good and is OFC that is tinned so it won't tarnish over time. That's why it looks like it's not copper, but it really is.

[basshead8569]

Have you put a load tester on each battery individually? Depending on your set up could be a bad battery loading up the alt and burning diodes? it never hurts to check them.

What I did when I was having major voltage drops. But, it is a new optima yellow top.

[basshead8569]

Did you run ground from the alts negative stud directly to your battery negative? You should have. also its important to use the ring terminal supp lied with the alt only on the post that it comes on for the best fit/contact of ring terminal to studs on alt. you shouldn't have had to replace wires simply add your 1/0 runs to the existing locations.

Does your alt come with a Adjustable voltage boost module? Is it supposed to be direct plug N play? Is your car PCM controlled or not?

The alt did not come with any ring terminals. And when I put in the second one I did option 2 on a diagram that an admin here posted on someone elses post. Which is the way you posted. I just got the new one in the mail today and I ran it this way. Which is how I was taught and was told to wire on here.

• Alternator Charging Wire: Replace the positive charging wire that connects the vehicles alternator to the positive car battery post.
  
• Engine Ground: Replace the cable that connects the engine ground to the vehicle’s chassis.
  
• Battery Negative: Replace the cable that travels from the negative car battery post to the vehicles’s chassis
  

And the computer and all the electrical is new and nothing wrong with it. I replaced it myself. So, I know it is right. Even double checked it.

[MECHMAN]

We are way over complicating this.

1) It does not matter what kind of wire you have, as long as it is 1/0. Even if it were CCA (not pure copper) it would be sufficient to carry the amount of current that alternator makes the distance to where the battery is mounted.

2) We are not concerned with any diagram, big 3, etc... As stated in the alternator instructions, all that matters for proper alternator longevity and performance, is that you run a single 1/0 gauge cable for positive and ground directly from the alternator to the terminals of the battery. It sounds like you have done what many people on the forums do, and jumpered from the alternator housing to the engine or chassis, and then run a separate cable from engine or chassis to ground. This is somewhat redundant, and allows for more connections and more potential problems. Running a 1/0 ground cable directly from one of the alternator mounting bolts to the negative terminal of the battery does the same thing, with fewer cables and fewer connections.

3) MAKE SURE YOU ARE USING THE CORRECT SIZE RING TERMINALS ON YOUR CABLES. IF THE HOLES IN THE RING TERMINALS ARE OVERSIZED, IT WILL DAMAGE THE ALTERNATOR . The holes should be just large enough to pass over the bolt or stud that you are using.

4) Have your batteries tested with an actual load bank, not the little handheld tester that they have at autozone. A large 400+ amp load bank is the only way to properly test the batteries. Also, MAKE SURE that you do not have a parasitic drain on the vehicle that is partially discharging the batteries at night. Starting off in the morning with partially discharged batteries will cause the alternator to work very hard, before you ever even turn the stereo system on. Parasitic drains on the batteries, or the use of sulfated batteries are the two most common cause of alternator failure.

Hopefully that helps. The 6G unit that is used on your vehicle is a very good design from Ford. You should not be having any problems with it, especially with the massive solid copper rectifier that we use in that unit.

Edited June 27, 2012 by MECHMAN

[basshead8569]

Sorry took so long to reply back. I got a new one. And re-ran everything. And knocking on wood. Been weeks and working better then ever. Thanks everyone for the info. Mechman is amazing at helping the customer. Glad I did not listen to those that kept saying switch to another brand. That mechman is useless. I beg the differ.

[MECHMAN]

We are glad you are now achieving success. Please let us know if there is anything we can help with. Best of luck to you.