Archive for the ‘alternators’ Category

 New Delco 90 amp.  One year warranty.  Solid 2 1/2 inch pulley for high output at low engine speed and low heat transfer to the front bearing.   Two inch “foot” with adjusting ear 180 away from foot,  fits most Perkins.  Includes built in voltage regulator or set up for use with external voltage regulator (please specify).  Note: your wire harness may not fit the terminals, and therfore might require that different wire terminals be placed on your original wire harness  $135   BUY NOW

80 Amp Alternator

When there isn’t enough wind or sun to keep up with your energy needs, if you don’t have a gen-set, then finally the engine has to be started to charge the batteries.  My take on the small 12 volt generators – I already have a small engine on my boat; the one that drives it though the water.  I don’t need to add another.  It seems to me that I would have to run the engine a long time to make up for the savings in fuel, compared to a stand-alone, small diesel 12 volt generator.  Yes, it is possible to damage a diesel engine if you operate it under a very light load for extended periods of time, so it should be run under a load (like in gear, or charging at a high rate).  So, if you don’t have wind or solar, and have enough electrical loads to warrant it, then it makes sense to use a gen-set.  Also, if you are heading to the Bahamas for a few months (or even “cruising” for a few months every year) then a Honda 2000 may be all you need.  Note:  If you will be using air conditioning, you will need a gen-set.

Eventually, even with wind and solar power, you will need to charge the batteries with fossil fuel.  If you do not have a generator, the engine driven alternator is your last choice.  The largest alternator that can be used with a single belt is about 100 amps.  Even then, you will have increased belt wear and will need to be careful about maintenance.  Yanmar says the warranty is void if you use larger than 80 amps, due to increased strain on the front main crankshaft bearing.  You will also be putting more load on the waterpump bearings as well.  I hope I haven’t talked you out of a high output alternator, because I do believe they are worthwhile. (“Compromises must be made.”)

We have in stock new, 80 amp ($135) or 105 amp ($199) alternators that are a bolt-on replacement for the original alternator on most  Japanese engines.  Also 90 amp rebuilt “Delco” style alternators for Perkins and others with one inch or 2 inch mounting foot ($135).   No core charge.  These are not marinized, where a screen is placed over the cooling vents, meaning that they cannot be used with gasoline engines. 

GO TO  80 AMP YANMAR ALTERNATOR                                                                                                                                                        

 GO TO 90 AMP PERKINS ALTERNATOR                                                                                                                                                          

GO TO 105 AMP YANMAR ALTERNATOR

If you add a “smart” voltage regulator, the batteries can be charged more rapidly and the charging regimen can be taylored to fit your battery type, helping the batteries to last longer.  The smart regulator also allows you to add a battery temperature sensor or an alternator temperature sensor.  If you have a large battery bank of flooded batteries or gel or AGM batteries, you should consider an alternator temperature sensor, because the alternator will be working very hard and might overheat or have its life shortened by operating at high temperature.  If you have a small battery bank, or if the batteries are in the engine compartment, you should consider a battery temperature sensor, so that the charging voltage can be optimized for the relatively high temperature that the batteries might encounter.

105 Amp Alternator

Your high output alternator will be working really hard.  If you have a smart voltage regulator, you can add a temperature sensor to the alternator that will cause it to reduce output to prevent overheating.  If you have gel or AGM batteries, they will accept more amps and add even more to the overheating potential.  The advantage the smart voltage regulator offers with gel and AGM batteries is being able to taylor the voltages to the batteries.  Your expensive batteries will last longer if you charge them at the correct voltage.  The advantage with flooded batteries (the kind you have to add water to) is that they can be forced to take more charge when the process first starts, reducing charging time with a smart regulator.