# Recommended size alt for plowing



## jimmysnowbasher (Sep 2, 2014)

Hey im new to the site and was curious, when im plowing snow with the jimmy its fine for about 15 mins, the blade works nice up and down side to side with the heater running and stuff. However after that i notice that the blade wont go up all the way and when i try to move the blade my heater starts to cut out, Im running duel batteries and the alt that was in when i bought the truck. Is this an issue with the alt not keeping up with the hydraulics and other stuff running while plowing snow? Any advice is welcomed thx very much. 

The current alt in there is i believe an 80 amp


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## dieselss (Jan 3, 2008)

Yea that's a tad small. Try getting a bigger one. And adding bigger cables and extra gnds. Also don't run you heater on high and limit unnecessary plow movements. I would also load test your batts as well


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## Wilnip (Oct 4, 2011)

What kind of plow? Today's plows should work fine with stock charging systems as long and everything is working properly. Load test each battery separately and test the alternator. If it's an old plow, like a cable style Western, they use a lot more amps so an upgraded alt may be needed. Or the plow motor may be going and drawing excessive amps. But start with testing what you have first.


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## 1olddogtwo (Aug 6, 2007)

Today's plow will pull 160+ amps when ya hit that little button.

When was the last year the Jimmy produced?


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## dieselss (Jan 3, 2008)

The s10 one or full size


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## maxwellp (Feb 16, 2013)

I say the bigger the better. I have replaced all my truck alternators with the largest I can find. 250 amp. 
You will need to rewire to handle the extra power. Check you batteries. Check grounds. 
An Alternator like this 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/CHROME-HIGH...81|Make:Chevrolet&hash=item43c080be90&vxp=mtr

This may not be right but close


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## jimmysnowbasher (Sep 2, 2014)

My Jimmy is an 81 fullsize, and the plow is quite old i would say around 10 years it uses a monarch hydraulic setup under the hood mounted on the wheel well with the lines run through the grill. Not sure what type of plow it is ill have to take a couple pics and see if anyone here could identify the unit.


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## dieselss (Jan 3, 2008)

Nomad or monarch? Northman even


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## jimmysnowbasher (Sep 2, 2014)

says Monarch on the pump and no stickers or identifier on the plow the controller is a whiteish colored box with two toggles for the up down and left right and then one other switch for the lights


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## dieselss (Jan 3, 2008)

K I was just guessing. Pics are worth the words


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## jimmysnowbasher (Sep 2, 2014)

here are a few pics i took a couple mins ago not sure if this helps.


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## 1olddogtwo (Aug 6, 2007)

Well the plow is not the electronic problem as far as amps anyways


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## dieselss (Jan 3, 2008)

That actually looks like a western plow 
As far as alt, again Ck each battery separately. Load test the alt as well. But upgrading to a bigger alt will help. What fluid are you running in it?


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## leolkfrm (Mar 11, 2010)

are both batteries the same age and size?


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## basher (Nov 13, 2004)

1olddogtwo;1826107 said:


> Today's plow will pull 160+ amps when ya hit that little button.


???? maybe for a split sec at start up and then when it deadheads but I see 80/90 amps regularly (100/110 not uncommon,) if you are pulling 160 amps constantly from the get go I'd check things out.


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## basher (Nov 13, 2004)

dieselss;1826143 said:


> That actually looks like a western plow


Old conventional Western with an aftermarket pump.

Check everything power side, could be crap alternator, beat batteries, heavily corroded power and ground cables, a poor ground (or two,) A worn or dirty(internally corroded) motor, pump bind, clogged filters, molasses substituting for fluid.

First thing upgrade alternator(80 amps isn't going to make it,) check batteries, clean power cables and grounds. Some electric motor cleaner wouldn't hurt neither.


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## jimmysnowbasher (Sep 2, 2014)

*the work continues*

Well ive upgraded the alternator, the batteries were brand new just this spring and they are both checking out good, Ive gone over every ground cable i can find and pulled them out wire wheeled the connections and reconnected. The plow is working good and the heater and stuff working great but my headlights still seem dim to me. Ive got the four seperate headlights and during the summer i like to use those instead but only the top two light up .. lol the bottom ones wont do anything and if i hit the high low foot switch it just turns the top ones off. Ive replaced that switch but still the same. omg i hate electrical stuff.. im a plumber by trade.


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## dieselss (Jan 3, 2008)

Well lights diming are kinda normal for plowing. Just remember, low heat and unnecessary electrical draw


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## jimmysnowbasher (Sep 2, 2014)

lol ok... i live in northern saskatchewan and regularly gets down to -45 so low heat doesnt cut it. But this headlight issue is on even without the plow working, would just having the electrical hooked up to the pump during the summer dim the lights that much?


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## dieselss (Jan 3, 2008)

If the plow isn't working i.e. up left or right how do you know you have dimming lights


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## jimmysnowbasher (Sep 2, 2014)

when i turn on my headlights and walk in front of the truck they arent as bright as they should be, they dont shine very far out in front of the truck.


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## basher (Nov 13, 2004)

jimmysnowbasher;1830745 said:


> when i turn on my headlights and walk in front of the truck they arent as bright as they should be, they dont shine very far out in front of the truck.


Dirty connectors, corroded wiring (internally) improper install, there are a few things could be the culprit. Old school cut and splice headlight harness???

If it's a cut and splice I'd look for heavily corroded butt connectors or (shudder) quick taps at the harness.


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## dieselss (Jan 3, 2008)

Water in the lights as well


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## theplowmeister (Nov 14, 2006)

Most dimm headlights are due to bad grounds.


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## gasjr4wd (Feb 14, 2010)

Yes, do "the big three" first, and then a big alternator. Maybe it's time for new headlights?


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