Which alternator produces most current?

[Alex37211]

I have a 95 hatch DX (d15) I think my alternator is only putting out like 90 amps of current. I need more. Does the alternator from the EX (d16z6) create more amperage? I would assume so for the sunroof and electric windows and what not. Does anyone know for sure?
Also, would it be different from a del sol?
And would it be at all possible to mount an alternator from a b-series onto the d motor?

btw, i know they make "high-output alternators, but I don't want to shell out $250 for one when I can get all the stock ones I want for free (i work at a junkyard) And besides, an extra 30 or 40 amps would be all I need for my application.

Thanks!

[emt1134]

If you want more power output from your current alternator, you may be able to just buy a smaller pulley.

[Alex37211]

Do you mean the pulley on the motor? Or the pulley on the alternantor?

[emt1134]

alternator pulley

[Alex37211]

So that would make the pulley rotate faster. Wouldn't that overwork the alternator and ultimately cause it to fail?

[Christ]

if you want more output, you have to learn to rebuild alternators... they have HP brush/coil kits for them... adding a smaller pulley would give you more output, but would also cause it to fail... are you adding a system? You can use the stock alternator, as long as you have a cap that will handle your system... figure 1 farad per 800 watts.

You can mount just about any dizzy you want to your car, it's a matter of modification... check summit racing, they have nice HO GM one wire alternators for around 100 I think... that would def be a better choice than a new HO alternator for your price. You could also replace your current PS pump or A/c pump w/ another alternator, if you wanted, but that would require some wiring knowledge and a few gate-transistors.

[Alex37211]

Okay, this is what happens:
I put an amplifier in my car which drew 60 amps of current and I was pumping about 550 watts into a couple of 12's. At max volume, when a real deep bass note hit, my amp and cd player would power off completely for a few seconds. I think the stock alternator in my car only puts out 90 amps. I figure with the engine running, the spark plugs will draw a good amount plus lights and whatever else is on. And it's NOT the amp or the subwoofer wiring. It's done this with different amps and I know how to set up correct ohm loads. Is my electrical system throwing a switch somewhere from being overdrawn? I want to run about 90 amps of current just for my sound system (including one class A/B 4ch and one class D monoblock MTX and of course my head unit).

Don't I need a better alternator? Or is there another solution?

[Christ]

Yes, a better one would be nice, but you can suffice it w/ just enough caps to cover your ass... that's what they're for, so the deep hits don't strain your alternator/battery.

Or, like I said before, you can delete PS or AC and add another alternator, but you'd have to learn the wiring for the dual... or just run that one specifically to another battery in the car that has a constant draw... (so it doesn't over charge)

[eckoman_pdx]

This is a little old, but I wanted to chime in. Caps are a band aid, period. The problem is you don't have enough current, and that problem will still be there if you add a cap. If you don't have enough current, they only way to fix that is the get more current, IE, upgrade the alternator. All caps do is tax your alternator. Remember, they fill up quickly, but they discharge quickly. When the discharge, they have to refill. This takes current...current your alternator CAN'T put out. Don't waste $$ on a cap. A lot of HO alternator manufacturers, and good battery companies like Kinetik will tel lyou the same. Don't waste $$ on caps, they just put strain the alternator.

I have a 170 amp Ohio Gen alternator. I push over 1300 watts to the system, easy...it might actually be more. I don't have a cap, just the HO alternator. No light dimming issues, nothing shutting off...the battery voltage is steady and doesn't drain. This is because the HO alternator can handle the job I throw at it. I don't have current problems.

[Christ]

and adding a cap will still make your subs hit harder

Been there, done that.

[eckoman_pdx]

Originally Posted by Dr0pZ0n3

and adding a cap will still make your subs hit harder

Been there, done that.

I can hit 125.8db at only 46% volume running ONLY off the battery. I can hit a heck of a lot higher running off the alternator. I can top over 140db at full volume. I don't know the exact number, because my decibel meter won't even read high enough when at full volume. It's peak read number has been passed already, so it's been topped out. I could easily DB Drag that car, so don't give me crap about it making it hit harder. A cap would do nothing, since my system is set up right. The only way a cap would seem do anything is if your system is set up wrong, and even then it's doing more harm than you know to your alternator and battery. A cap like a loan shark. You think it solves the problem...but just wait. A cap will do nothing if your set up right. Nothing. Period. It's a band-aid for if you don't have enough current. If you don't have enough current, there is only way to SOLVE the problem. You need to PRODUCE more. Only a High Output alternator can create more current and do that. It will do more for you than a cap ever will, since it is SOLVING the issue by producing enough current. If you have enough current, aka a High Output Alternator, you can keep up with the current demands of the amp fine and the transient responses of the music fine. A cap (due to the nature of how they work) would not do ANYTHING except drain the alternator and shorten the life of the alternator. Call up ANY high end High Output Alternator manufacturer, and they'll tell you the same. Talk to any IASCA installer or high end installer, they'll tell you the same. If you need a little more something, add in a high end stereo battery like Kinetik Battery on top of the HO Alternator. Most of the DB Drag guys with the high numbers run HO alternators (sometimes multiple) and a good battery like Kinetik (sometimes multiple). Caps are a waste. There's a reason Kinetik is nicknamed the cap killer. There's a reason the first member of the 180db club ran HO Alternators and Kinetik Batteries to power the system.

If you want to "hit harder" (increase the db), sound deaden your ride 100% with a product like Dynamat. You'll "hit harder" and you'll sound cleaner. A cap is a waste. Period.

[Christ]

If you're using a high end system, a cap is a waste... agreed... fact is tho, most ppl aren't THAT concerned about their systems.. and aren't going to spend mad money on shit to keep it hitting in the pro range... in which case, a cap is a good way to STOP your system from killing your DieHard battery.

Seriously... if you take everything to the extreme, then you don't need it... If you are just running a system that will make some thump, and you're not trying to spend an assload of money on multiple batteries and 170 amp alternators, and several other "enhancements" especially on a stock car, it makes more sense to spend 100 on a cap than 1000 on some crap.

[eckoman_pdx]

Originally Posted by Dr0pZ0n3

If you're using a high end system, a cap is a waste... agreed... fact is tho, most ppl aren't THAT concerned about their systems.. and aren't going to spend mad money on shit to keep it hitting in the pro range... in which case, a cap is a good way to STOP your system from killing your DieHard battery.

Seriously... if you take everything to the extreme, then you don't need it... If you are just running a system that will make some thump, and you're not trying to spend an assload of money on multiple batteries and 170 amp alternators, and several other "enhancements" especially on a stock car, it makes more sense to spend 100 on a cap than 1000 on some crap.

First, that stuff is not crap. It's the right way to do it. Period. Whether the car is stock or a high end modified set-up, if you need more current, that's the way to go about it. A HO Alternator to produce more current, and a "Battery" like Kinetik or the Xstatic Batcap, which can increase holding capicity and provide energy without the downside of a cap.


This brings us to, "if you don't want to spend money on all that..." Fair enough, you just need a bit more power. The above is still part of the solution, and a cap is still a waste, even then. There are better products than a cap which won't brake the bank. If you are dead set on a cap, get something functional like an XStatic Batcap or a Kinetik Battery. You can add them on as a second battery, or whatever. Both these "Batteries" add holding capacity to your system, both will recharge faster than a regular battery, and both will handle transient responses and supply your system with stored power better, without the weak points of a cap (immediate 100% unloading). Kind of a hybrid between a battery and a cap. Takes the best ideas of both. A cap provides large amounts of energy, but is drained of it extremely quick. A battery provides lots of energy, but is slow to recharge. "Batteries" like Kinetik and Xstatic Batcap are right down the middle. They can provide large amounts of additional current (like a cap) and do so for a relatively long period of time (like a battery, and especially long when compared to a cap). This gives you the best of both worlds, without putting the additional strain on the alternator a cap would (extra strain due to the instantaneous discharge/recharge of a cap, which cases the alternator to work overtime most of the time). Also, notice a lot of pro systems use a Battery like Kinetik or the Xstatic Batcap, no cap. If you want a cap, get one of these instead. As I said, the high end systems use these hybrid batteries, and for good reason. They just work better, and without the downside of a cap. They are a darn site better than a cap, hence the term Cap Killer. A cap is a waste. These are a much better solution than a cap. These "batteries" provide the best of both worlds, and they won't "break the bank" financially either. They aren't terribly expensive.

[Christ]

Just one question tho... if a cap will kill your electrical components, like you say, why don't we all already have this problem w/ our completely stock vehicles? afterall, an ignition coil is nothing more than a cap...

It takes voltage in small doses from the electrical system, builds it up, and releases it as a much higher voltage in a snap... essentially taking this "----------------------" and making it this "\\//" if that makes any sense to you...

I'm not argueing about this, b/c I know that if you're constantly drawing on a cap, it will eventually harm your vehicle... but I can't figure out why the "cap" that's already there, and is CONSTANTLY firing up to 3000 times per second under everyday conditions isn't already doing the damage that caps can do?

[eckoman_pdx]

Originally Posted by Dr0pZ0n3

Just one question tho... if a cap will kill your electrical components, like you say, why don't we all already have this problem w/ our completely stock vehicles? afterall, an ignition coil is nothing more than a cap...

It takes voltage in small doses from the electrical system, builds it up, and releases it as a much higher voltage in a snap... essentially taking this "----------------------" and making it this "\\//" if that makes any sense to you...

I'm not argueing about this, b/c I know that if you're constantly drawing on a cap, it will eventually harm your vehicle... but I can't figure out why the "cap" that's already there, and is CONSTANTLY firing up to 3000 times per second under everyday conditions isn't already doing the damage that caps can do?

Your ignition coil is not drawing 60+ amps worth of current @ god knows how many farads constantly. With the ingnition, it's a lot less. Heck, my swapped civic, with no audio on, now climiate control, now lights....pulls between 9-15 amps off the alternator...thats is...for the WHOLE FRIGGEN motor/ignition coil/distributor/tranny, power steering to drive the car. Cars take less to drive than you might think, especially these cars. Also, it was designed for the car, and the car and it's electrical system was designed to deal with it's minor loads (in comparison to an audio system). That's 9-15 amps for the WHOLE motor and car to run and drive, versus potentially over 60 amps for the audio system!!! That's a hell of a lot more current the audio cap is seeing, 100% of the time!!! An audio cap is pulling what the Amplifiers demand, and they demand high amps (current), and you are using a cap with a high farad storage capacity. They can drain 100% in between musical beats. That means in between EVERY beat, it can be discharging and recharging 100%...pulling out 60 amps (or whatever your amps pull) worth of current, at however many farads the cap is (.5, 1, 1.5, etc). That's a HECK of a lot more current draw than anything else in your car...ignition coil included. Think about that...if your 2 amps have a combined 60 amp fuses...that's 60 amps of current it'll pull max...that's 66% of what your 90 amp alternator will put out MAX!! Due to the way a cap works (can discharge 100% and recharge 100% in between beats), the amount of current that is pulled from an audio cap and the size which it is (.5, 1, 1.5 farads, etc), that is going to put your alternator into overwork mode and fry it out, since it is overworking itself all the time. It's like a loan shark, you're on borrowed time.