# High Output Alternators; Get one!



## FisherVMan (Jan 5, 2010)

I thought I would report in on the installation of a HO Alternator on our F150 truck . It had the standard 130 amp alternator and we have been using it for a few years but noticed that after plowing with it for a few hours at nite with all the lights we have on ; we were most certainly on the down hill side of things with a noticeable loss of speed to the rotating beacon and heater fan and also the speed of the plow in general to the point of big time dimming of the lights etc. 
I really didnt want to launch into the dual battery and dual alternator scenario so looked into the HO alternators to see what they may involve and if it would be an option for us.
After some research I bought one from an outfit out in California that puts out 240 amps at idle [800rpm] engine speed and soposedly much higher as the RPMs come up . A friend that sells Fisher plows told me my plow motor draws over 300 amps when you first hit it, so here is what I can report; after using it some.
The alternator was a simple install with the exception that you had to rig up a #4 stranded cable; to carry the extra current straight over to the battery from the Alternator post as the factory wire will not handle this sorta current. That needed a 250amp fuse inline with it. So we did that; and now after plowing with it; I was amazed how much difference the truck acts with that HO on there! It snaps that plow around with total authority; and is noticably faster; as well as there is NO dimming of lights; or heater fan; and the rotation beacon ;is still at the same speed as when you first start out. Only time will tell; and I am sure there are other ways to accomplish this but at this point I can only say "I should have done it a* LONG *time ago. Sweet setup! If you are experencing any of the same stuff I was; then I highly recomend a HO Alternator; I think you would be very pleased with the results!


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## sweetk30 (Sep 3, 2006)

i got one of these guys 200 amp alts. 120 amp at 800 rpm

and lots of other guys have used them . thay are good people.

http://stores.ebay.com/Alterstart

and yes its still more power AT FIRST with 2 batterys. but when thay are both worn down the stock little alt still has to now catch up BOTH batterys and work even harder.

just do the bigger alt and power wire and be done with it.


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## FisherVMan (Jan 5, 2010)

I am going to add a Optima Red Top battery after reading all the impressive reports on them as my battery is now about 5 years old . They are soposed to accept a charge at a higher rate and recover faster than a regular lead plate battery. I think the combo will work for us. I am guessing that because our battery isnt holding up like new one that will also make a big difference. Since I wont be asking the battery to get into any "deep discharge" situations because the recovery is so fast with the amperage this alternator puts out; I am guessing yellow top battery wouldnt be any advantage; in this application .


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## wastedwages (Feb 9, 2011)

I be cautious about any claim for a high amp alternator. I'm not saying your is not or that they are not available. But I'm a Mod on a diesel site. We did a group buy for a particular Ford high amp alternator. We had over 50 sold and shipped. A few people had them bench tested before they installed them. They were barley puttin out anything more than a stock unit. We shipped the entire lot back. Once the dust cleared the guy admitted he can not produce an alternator to meet the garbage he was spewing out of his mouth. Just sayin it happens.


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## sweetk30 (Sep 3, 2006)

place i posted gives you a dyno print out. and all i can say is my truck has never worked this good for power . 

and i had the local alt store guy tell me the newer fords need some work to put on bigger alts. somthing about computer controls the alt output. i dont know if its true but wouldnt surprise me.


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## forbidden (Dec 22, 2010)

Ohio Generator makes a very good high output alternator. If you are going this route or not, also upgrade the wiring known as the BIG 3 at the same time. The idea is to make the transfer of current as efficient as possible.


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## FisherVMan (Jan 5, 2010)

I still need to add and additional ground wire to complete this installation and even though it seams a bit over the top I had a few guys already recommend #2 Wire for the extra ground strap !!!! Sounds huge but I have one already to bolt on the engine just need to modify the terminal on the negative post to accept the ring terminal and it is done!


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## justme- (Dec 28, 2004)

I would skip Load Boss lots of bad reviews on the web about them. Seems they don't bother to tell you the high amp is from changing the pulley diameter (overdriving it) and you only get a boost in amperage at high rpm which comes at a sacrifice of amps at low rpm - seems disaster for a diesel which is low rpm 90% of the time.


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## sweetk30 (Sep 3, 2006)

mine has stock size pulley on it. been doin just fine for 2 almost 3 years now.


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## FordFisherman (Dec 5, 2007)

Would a 160 Amp unit coupled with an Optima battery(s) achieve similar results? Moderately higher amps with a stronger/shorter recovery time battery.


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## FisherVMan (Jan 5, 2010)

FF; that certainly sounds like it would be close . I think the biggest reason I was having such a drag on mine is that I have sooooooooo many lights and other junk on my truck . As far as the smaller pulley to turn the alternator they did that so they could advertise it as 240 amps at idle or while the truck is only turning 800rpms I think he said the Alt is turning 1100 and guaranteed 240amps but then as the rpms come up so does the output of the alternator and I think he told me that he sees them putting out close to 300amps when they are turning around 1800 rpms . This alternator we have just installed makes my plow seam like its hooked to 24V compared to how it moved with the 130 amp alt and this old battery! I cant comment at all on the Optima battery's and am only going on the very high praise I have heard dozens of times from all the woods operators around here. They all say that they are vastly supieor in really cold weather compared to any other battery they have used. I see them on Amazon for around a hundred and fifty bucks shipped to my door and almost any decent battery today will crack a hundred bucks so I just thought I would try one!


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## 2COR517 (Oct 23, 2008)

Upgrading the ground wire from the battery to the alternator/engine is essential to maximize the performance of the alternator. 

The Yellow top Optima will last much longer on a plow truck than a Red top. The Group 65 is a very large battery, I'd be surprised if you notice much difference between a fresh top quality convential battery and the Optima.


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