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73-87 Chevy _ GMC Trucks => 73-87 Chevy & GMC Trucks => Topic started by: werewolfx13 on February 09, 2008, 05:46:17 am
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Does anyone have a dual alt setup, or pics of a dual alt setup on our trucks? I'm going to be setting up an independent accessory circuit including a second battery, and was curious to see any setups like this that anyone has..Before anyone asks, I'm looking in this direction for two reasons..One, the cool factor of being able to run CB/ham gear, the stereo, and anything I want to run while camping, without having to worry about draining my starting battery or fight with an isolator. Not to mention, I think a GOOD high capacity battery isolator runs about as much as setting up a second stock reman alt. Reason number two, if my main alt ever flakes out, and/or my primary battery dies, I'll either have a 1000a switch or just a piece of terminated cable left disconnected to let me connect both batteries for starting, and charge from the second alt.
I'm thinking my second alt will be mounted down where a smog pump would have been..Aligned with the main alt, and use a longer belt.
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I have converted several military 24V systems to 12V and left the other alternator in tact but it's really not practical. If you don't want to run an isolator you can do what I just did for a guy at work. I gave him an auxiliary deep cycle battery and made a hold down with a thumb screw for ease of release without tools. The Battery terminals on the aux battery are also wing nuts. I installed a disconnect switch so the secondary battery circuit can be manually isolated and the cables will be dead when removing and installing the battery. When it's turned on it will charge the battery and act as an auxialliary cranking battery. But I don't see anything practical about having a secondary alternator unless you are running at over 80% capacity. Are you planning on pulling more than 70amps continuous from the charging system at a time?
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Here's a decent article on a military 24V to 12V conversion. In the 1st pic you can see the 2 alternators
http://www.roscommonequipmentcenter.com/news_notes/nn10.pdf
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Thanks, thats got some useful info..I'm keeping my factory AC intact, so I cant run a passenger side and drivers side alt, but that gives me some ideas.
My initial load wont be that much, but eventually I'll see a 100-125a load every time I key down and start talking, and transmitter amps are picky about their voltage supply. Dual/triple alts is what is reccommended by most serious operators instead of one big alt.