Rich,

As religious as anchoring. Amen.

It is safer, perhaps, to quote someone else, but not necessarily more conclusive. Powerline sells a High Output Alternator Kit for the Yanmar diesel engine. Both their 100-amp and 120-amp alternators are single 1/2″ belt: http://e-marine-inc.com/products/alternators/catalina.html Seems like they’ve been in business long enough to know whether this is going to be problematic.

I’m the neophyte here, just absorbing all this much appreciated input. It appears that driving a 120-amp alternator with a single 1/2″ belt is, at worst, borderline. If belt breakage becomes an issue the maximum output can be toned down with the regulator, or so I’m told, with the disadvantage of having paid a little more for the bigger alternator up front, but the advantage of then running a cooler unit, which should translate in to greater longevity. Can I get an Amen!

I’m off to see Electric Bob this morning. He’s our local alternator guru. Will let you know if anything remarkable results.

Thanks again,

Tor
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Silver Heels, P-424 #17
http://www.SilverHeels.us
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hi Rich and Tor,

Well, this is an issue that's been bothering me for some time now – As I've mentioned, I have two alternators – one, recently replaced Delco 85 amp and the other original, probably Delco, 65 amp on the other side.

They are hooked up in parallel to the common positive and grounds just like you'd expect alternators to be hooked up. However, when the batteries are low, it seems the 85 amp alternator takes alot of the load – so much so that the belt squeals.

I know this isn't right. What I want to do is figure out how to replace the internal regulators with external ones and balance the loads properly. I don't believe just hooking them up in parallel does the job.

If anyone has information about that or links for that, I'd be much obliged…

Thanks,

Bob

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Bob,

I once talked to my local guru, Electric Bob, about switching an internally regulated alternator to externally smart-regulated. He said he does it all the time. Beyond that, I know nothing. You might ask your local alternator shop mechanic about this.

Tor
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Silver Heels, P-424 #17
http://www.SilverHeels.us
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hi Rich and Tor,

I'll talk to my alternator shop, Tor – that should be easy-peasy.

Rich, you're also correct – the 85 amp alternator isn't heavy duty – but 85 amp alternators work in cars and trucks for dozens of years in all kinds of inclement weather, road salt, dust and other destructive environments where they are almost never given any consideration or maintenance. I am of the humble opinion that these alternators are more than sufficient for my needs. Besides, they are easily replaceable or rebuildable anywhere in the world for reasonable prices ($250 each). Also, my engine compartment is clean, dry, and typically cooler than a normal late model car's.

Marine alternators are specifically designed to not spark. In a gasoline engine's compartment that's a good thing, but in a diesel's not so important.

Since the frames and brackets I have are already installed, I'll stick with what I have and just get a new regulator that I can set up with AGM batteries, which is really the point. I didn't realize you could take a regular alternator and use an external regulator.

As far as splitting them between banks, I have a Xantrex Freedom 2000 that handles all the power and charges the engine battery with a thing called an 'Echo Charger'. My banks are wired so that three 4D's are the house bank and one 4D is the engine starting/emergency battery.

Here's a tip – don't mix battery types. It really doesn't work…

Bob

—
Bob Fine
s/v Pelican
Hull #8

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EPILOGUE

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I’m back from the guru’s shop. He agrees with all of you that a 120-amp alternator will eat a single 1/2″ belt
in no time. When I asked, then, how come Powerline sells their 120-amp alternator for single-belt drive, he
said it’s because Powerline over-rates their alternators. He has bench-tested some Powerline’s and they did
not put out their rated amperage. So maybe a Powerline 120 is in fact closer to 100 in terms of output and
what’s needed to drive it.

So, once again I stand corrected by all you smart guys and thank you for it.

My solution is going to be a compromise. This shop will modify a Delco CS-130 105-amp alternator for me in
this way:

– remove internal regulator
– change pulley to 1/2″ V
– ad tach wire connection
– set field (positive or negative) according to the regulator I buy
– paint inside & out with Rustoleum while disassembled
– all this for right around $200

This Delco matches perfectly the footprint of the 80-amp Yanmar alternator I’m replacing. Looks like it’ll be
a straightforward bolt-on-as-is installation. So I can put the original Yanmar alternator back on quickly and
easily if the need ever arises. I’ll leave the original plug-in harness in place for this eventuality.

The down side is this Delco is not “heavy duty.” According to the guru, there is no HD alternator that’ll just
bolt on. They’ll all require substantial reconfiguration of the mounting bracket, bolt sizes, belt and pulleys
all around. I just don’t want to go there at this time. On the encouraging side, the Delco I’m getting is made
to operate in temperatures up to 400°, so it should withstand the hot high-charge periods better than some
others. It has two cooling fans instead of just one, welded terminals inside instead of soldered, and other
features designed for hot running – a pretty robust little machine. In fact, it’s noticeably smaller than the
80-amp Yanmar unit I’m replacing. Guru says this is because the Yanmar alternator is a 1970’s design they’re
still using. The Delco is a 1990’s design. It shows. Guru has sold these Delco’s to a number of sailors to use
as I will be using it and said none have come back to him so far. For 200-bucks and an instant installation,
I’m happy to give it a shot.

Tor
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Silver Heels, P-424 #17
http://www.SilverHeels.us
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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Original Message

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<.. snip>

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Where’s your third 4d house battery?

On 11/26/08 8:48 AM, Robert Fine wrote :

Hi Rich and Tor,

I’ll talk to my alternator shop, Tor – that should be easy-peasy.

Rich, you’re also correct – the 85 amp alternator isn’t heavy duty – but 85 amp alternators work in cars and trucks for dozens of years in all kinds of inclement weather, road salt, dust and other destructive environments where they are almost never given any consideration or maintenance. I am of the humble opinion that these alternators are more than sufficient for my needs. Besides, they are easily replaceable or rebuildable anywhere in the world for reasonable prices ($250 each). Also, my engine compartment is clean, dry, and typically cooler than a normal late model car’s.

Marine alternators are specifically designed to not spark. In a gasoline engine’s compartment that’s a good thing, but in a diesel’s not so important.

Since the frames and brackets I have are already installed, I’ll stick with what I have and just get a new regulator that I can set up with AGM batteries, which is really the point. I didn’t realize you could take a regular alternator and use an external regulator.

As far as splitting them between banks, I have a Xantrex Freedom 2000 that handles all the power and charges the engine battery with a thing called an ‘Echo Charger’. My banks are wired so that three 4D’s are the house bank and one 4D is the engine starting/emergency battery.

Here’s a tip – don’t mix battery types. It really doesn’t work…

Bob

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One final suggestion, then I’m done. Use high strength fasteners, not stainless steel, for the alternator bolts if you upgrade the alternator. Stainless is just not strong enough, esp. the 5/16″ bolts usually found on the adjustment arm. I use grade 8 steel fasteners after breaking two stainless bolts.
Quent

Will do. Thanks, Quent.

Tor
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Silver Heels, P-424 #17
http://www.SilverHeels.us
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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Original Message

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<.. snip>

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Hi Aaron,

I assume you're asking me where the 3rd battery is – it's in the locker aft of the water heater. There is room for 2 4Ds there, and I expect to replace my group 31 emergency battery with a 4th 4d. More on that later.

Bob

—
Bob Fine
s/v Pelican
Hull #8

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