high output alternator upgrade question

[eianm]

Have been considering upgrading my 20 year old standard alternator on my 4JH2 TE. Have seen a lot about Balmar, but they are so expensive. I found this one on Ebay- this raises a number of questions;
1) this states 220amp- the Balmars seem to be 70>100amp?
2) Balmers seem to sell with expensive secondary / backup regulators- the maker of this says no special or additional regulator is needed.
Would appreciate any informed advice on this subject please. I am worried that i could buy a cheap solution and do untold ( expensive) damage!
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/e...60780511921&ssPageName=ADME:X:RTQ:MOTORS:1123

 

[Michael G]

In reviewing the write up on the ebay page, it says that it is a direct replacement with an internal regulator and it has an output of 105 amps not 220 like the picture shows.

 

[Bill Roosa]

Remember the batterise control the charge rate. You will only be able to use a max of 50% of the AH rating on you battery bank and then only for a short time so those high amp alternators don't really live up to the hype unless you have a huge (read 400+ AH) bank. For a 200 AH bank the max you can blast into them even when compleatly discharged is 100 amps. You MIGHT be able to do that for an hour if the batts do not heat up (they will). After that initial high charge rate the rate quickly drops to less than 23 % of the AH rating on the bank. or 50 amps in this case. It then keeps droping till you reach a trickle charge of a few amps.
Now if you never discharg your bank below 50% you are never going to see that high charge rate and, for a 200 AH bank, you don't need much above a 50 amp alternator and can probably get by fine with the stock one.
FWIW you probably do not want to get alternator sizing infromation from a guy that sells alternators for a living. i suspect he has kids to send through college and would like to make a sale.

 

[Maine Sail]

Please be careful with eBay sellers and alternators.

PowerMax-USA/eBay is NOT the same as the real/original Powermax Marine alternators manufactured by Hamilton Ferris out of MA. The Hamilton Ferris Powermax alts are very, very good units and still far less than a Balmar. The Ham Ferris Powermax alts are the REAL marine grade Powermax alternators. The eBay guy is simply pinching the name "PowerMax" and hoping to gain some business off of the legitimacy of the real high quality Powermax alts.

You are not likely going to get a marine specific or marine quality alternator, in terms of build quality or output curve, for $120.00. You will get an automotive alt that is likely ignition protected which can work. If you have a diesel that uses an AC tap for your tach then you'll also need an alt with an AC tap. Some Yanmars use an alt driven tach and some don't.

 

[reraft]

Have been considering upgrading my 20 year old standard alternator on my 4JH2 TE. Have seen a lot about Balmar, but they are so expensive. I found this one on Ebay- this raises a number of questions;
1) this states 220amp- the Balmars seem to be 70>100amp?
2) Balmers seem to sell with expensive secondary / backup regulators- the maker of this says no special or additional regulator is needed.
Would appreciate any informed advice on this subject please. I am worried that i could buy a cheap solution and do untold ( expensive) damage!
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/e...60780511921&ssPageName=ADME:X:RTQ:MOTORS:1123

If you want a high output alternator check out electromaax.com . I have a 376 & have been cruising Mexico since Sept. 2010 & installed a 160 amp alternator from electromaax & it has been working flawlessly since it was installed. Call John at electromaax & talk with him - great product.
Rick
s/v hotel california.blogspot.com
reraft@gmail.com