Are you guys running a welder or something?
The factory alternators (and anything else in mass production built for the vehicle) are garbage. Always have been, and always will be. They'd still be garbage if they were putting out 300 amps. Of all the DII complaints out there, it's hard to believe people don't mention this more often.
If you use a winch for utility purposes a higher amp alternator can be a very good thing. The same goes for long-distance use in wet terrain. Pulling yourself out of mud or up some rocks once or twice on weekend trail rides is fine, but if you keep using that winch and lights it'll bite you in the ass eventually.
Cheers,
Kennith
This is the problem I'm having with my Warn winch. I have to rev up the engine to continue to use the winch or it starts to cut out.That was the issue I was having. Any time I put a big load on the winch the truck would want to shut off. The battery voltage was going down faster than the alternator could fill it back up. Since Ive moved to the 150amp I no longer have that issue while winching.
I think you would be better served with a larger battery than a higher output alternator. I've used a winch numerous times and never had it bog down my truck.
Yes and no. Winches pull 3-400 amps for an extended period of time, Most "normal" batteries are never meant to have that kind of load on them for more than just a second while you crank the vehicle. I would expect no issues from a stock alt and high end battery. But you cant expect a regular battery to just have enough juice for that kind of load.Stock or P38 alternator, good battery (Diehard Platinum or O'reilly clone, etc), and a decently efficient winch should simply work without issue.
I specifically asked the eBay seller " eagleautoelectric " those same questions of amp readings at idle and at 2000RPMs for his Land Rover 200A alternators and he stated "don't have the details but it comes with one year exchange."I posted here before about higher output alternators, and someone mentioned - it might be Robert - that there are tradeoffs in higher output alternators, e.g., a higher output alternator might give out more amps than a stock one at 2k rpm, but less than a stock alternator @ idle. I'm no expert, just passing that along, the thread is somewhere here
We used the red top Optimas 12VDC batteries in the Air Force since the 90's and they did suck. We figured out late in the game that you had to trickle charge them to get them to hold a charge but the Optima charging station was a ridiculous cost.Yeah Optimas suck.
I have now destroyed 4 Odyssey batteries in a row.. by either freezing them (in the not-so-cold Piedmont of North Carolina) or by draining them too low via my own alternator woes. They are dead to me now; I'll never buy another one. That said; I am just not impressed with the paper tiger nature of glass matt batteries. The only things they have going for them are a little more amps (due to cell compactness) and "non-spillage".. which has really never been a factor (personally). Just old fashioned wet cells seem to be the most forgiving.Johnson Controls moved Optima manufacturing to Mexico 10 years ago and quality has gone down accordingly. Way down. They used to be made near Denver, in Aurora, Co.
XS Batteries are made somewhere in the murky depths of East Tennessee, are not for anyone looking for cheap batteries ($$$), but look to be the real deal.
Just a 2023 update: these are on sale for ~$350 currently.Anyone else have knowledge of other hi output alternators for the V8?
I found this one but $445 is a bit much. https://www.powerbastards.com/products.asp?cat=124745
I’ve always liked Mechman’s alternators but they cost a pretty penny also.