How to incorporate dual alternators

mhiscox

Expedition Leader
Ford also has a high idle option so that if you need a lot of power you can be running the engine at a ramped up idle as required for the current draw.
A small point that has nothing to do with the main argument:

I don't know enough about big Ford trucks to know if my experience is relevant, but for what it's worth . . . I paid considerable extra money to add high idle programming to my Sprinter camper so I could recharge the house battery bank off the alternator. But after a couple of experiments, I never used it because the noise of running my engine at 2K rpms with no load for many minutes was so annoying when camping. I ended up just carrying a small Honda generator and found that much less intrusive.
 

witt

Adventurer
Not sure about using all of the batteries in one bank - seems like I'd have to replace my two starting batteries with dual-purpose starting / deep-cycle batteries, and even then I'd be afraid to draw them down very far for fear of not being able to start the truck. Keeping it all stock Ford is appealing though.

I definitely agree about not wanting to idle the truck to re-charge the batteries. Had to do that with a previous vehicle, and found it annoying to me and anyone camped nearby (if we were staying somewhere for more than a couple of days there were usually other people around). The high-idle setting would be useful for winching, but I'm not a hard core wheeler, and may not even fit a winch.

In any case, I'm also going to put in some solar for when we're parked for a few days. We won't have domestic A/C or a microwave, so hopefully we won't need a generator.
 

dwh

Tail-End Charlie
The 3-stage external regulator from Sterling says it piggy-backs on the existing voltage regulator and if it detects an internal fault, shuts itself down and lets the stock regulator take over.

For that, you'd have the alternator shop add external connection, but you wouldn't disconnect the internal regulator as Balmer recommended.


(The Sterling has also got temperature compensation for the battery charging, and a temp sensor for the alternator as well. And an available remote control and monitoring panel.)
 

FellowTraveler

Explorer
I fabricated second alternator/generator brackets for my 6.5 NAVISTAR its the top right unit they are controlled by ECU w/pulse width modulation(PWM) built into factory regulators then I did my own high idle PTO switch w/3 settings 1k, 1.3k and 1.6k all wiring is over built.

In the even of an alternator/generator bearing going south I just remove the long 2 alt/gen drive belt then bad alt/gen then top r/s1999 K2500 Burb 003.jpg idler pulley and make sure the good alt/gen is mounted at lower l/s of my diesel then attach the stock drive belt and go on my way, I like redundant.1999 K2500 Burb 001.jpg
 
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witt

Adventurer
So after reading everyone's input (thanks!) and doing a bunch of research, I decided to skip the whole dual alternator thing, and go with a single high output / heavy duty replacement, as fastlane suggested at the top of this thread. My reasons are:

1. The second alternator runs off the engine's main serpentine belt, which is longer with the dual-alt setup. That means that even if I want to just bypass one of them temporarily, I have to replace the belt, and have a spare in the shorter length with me.

2. The second alternator seems pretty difficult to get to to install or replace - it would be easier to replace the one in the primary position

3. Expense of installing the dual setup would be more than using a single high-output (I'd be hiring someone to do it for me.)

Thanks again for all of the suggestions.
 

G35Vortec454

Adventurer
On high output alternators

Be careful in your selection. Stay away from online rebuilders who trick stock sized alternators so they can deliver a high output. They won't last in a high, continuous and high current demand applications. Get the largest that you can fit in the alternator bay, even if you have to use customized brackets. There are reasons Ford/Delco/Denso/Bosch manufacturers set the max output of the stock-sized alternator, so they won't burn our prematurely.
 

FellowTraveler

Explorer
So after reading everyone's input (thanks!) and doing a bunch of research, I decided to skip the whole dual alternator thing, and go with a single high output / heavy duty replacement, as fastlane suggested at the top of this thread. My reasons are:

1. The second alternator runs off the engine's main serpentine belt, which is longer with the dual-alt setup. That means that even if I want to just bypass one of them temporarily, I have to replace the belt, and have a spare in the shorter length with me.

2. The second alternator seems pretty difficult to get to to install or replace - it would be easier to replace the one in the primary position

3. Expense of installing the dual setup would be more than using a single high-output (I'd be hiring someone to do it for me.)

Thanks again for all of the suggestions.

You still have to increase wire gauge from alternator to battery (s) and include proper sized fuse link and/or holder & fuse to distribution block, bypass this requirement and it will surely cost much more.
 

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