alternator purchase

P

pj the dj

Junior Member
After reading the many comments about alternators yesterday on the barn, I've decided to buy an alternator. Before I do, is there anything else I should buy along with it? Is it a simple installation? Thanks for your help.
 
My recommendation is to purchase your alternator from Becker Antique Auto Electric. Their units come as a complete kit, you need nothing else. They also come to life as soon as the engine is at idle. Their price is unbeatable and their warranty is forever.

Tom Endy
 

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Tom Endy said:
My recommendation is to purchase your alternator from Becker Antique Auto Electric. Their units come as a complete kit, you need nothing else. They also come to life as soon as the engine is at idle. Their price is unbeatable and their warranty is forever.

Tom Endy
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I totally agree. Best price, best product, and best service.
 
Mr. alternator.. i'm looking for a way to quit adjusting the 3rd brush. At about 35mph my amp meter is at +10. When I turn on the lights it goes to -2-3. No matter how I adjust the brush, it won't even go to 0. I'm tired of having a dead battery after driving with the lights on. When I notice my headlights start to go dim, I head for home and always have a dead battery when I get there. I've been told that an alternator is the way to go.
 
Yes it is an option and a solution, my profile has the number and email to contact me directly I can help you with this , I am in Raleigh Nc
 
Al 29Tudor said:
You may want to change the amp-meter to a 30 amp one.
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Or run a second wire around the ammeter to carry some of the current. Your reading will not be correct but as long as you remember that it should work fine and look original. I think you might be able to run this second wire at the junction box but you need to look at your wiring diagram to confirm it.

Charlie Stephens
 
An amp gauge does not measure alternator output it measures the amount of current going into or coming out of the battery.

The advantage of the alternator is the ability to provide an output at idl...e and low rpms (something the generator could not do) to keep the lights bright and the battery fully charged. The total electrical load of the vehicle remains the same as it was before.

the average 6-volt car has an electrical load of about 36 amps with everything turned on.

The total amount of amperage passing thru your dash gauge will be the same or less with the alternator because the alternator is keeping up with the electrical load at all times. With the battery always fully charged at all times no large amounts of current will be flowing into or out of the battery as before.
 
Personally I like generators. A really nice choice is a Kubota Denso mini alternator. 30 amps and very small. We sell one wire versions mostly for race cars.
Perhaps Becker would look into this for you. The Lester number is 12190. 40 amp is a 12198.
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If you do a google image search," nippon denso 12198," you will see the variations and scale. Yes they come with wide pulleys too. John Deere models do I believe.
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Yes that is a nice unit for low amperage demand vehicles like race cars, I am actually working to incorporate these into a generator case for Model T's as there amp demand is still low with accessories added but many model A and v 8 guys add much more accessories and need more amperage, I like the CS units with an alteration that helps them energize at a lower rpm and then have the capacity to cover most any amperage demand up to over 100 , also I like that an alternator of higher amperage design can operate at such a low percentage of it ability , that it will be less stressed if you will and should provide easily a life time of charging
 
Have you read in the instruction book where it says that a discharge with the lights on is normal?, perhaps you need a good battery, i have gone many years with the same battery and never charged the battery other than by driving ---with 50% night driving, and I have quartz halogen bulbs ---I even turn on the light during the day on long trips to prevent overcharging ---modifications instead of proper restoration will not increase reliability ---has the generator been tested , do you have something drawing the battery down while the car sits??, does the battery hold a full charge?

At this time I am using a 12v battery cut in 1/2, it was handy when my 16 year old Optima died, I have to use the lights during day because I don't bother changing the 3rd brush, i have it set at about 14amps, it makes for a +- 1-2 amp with headlights on for the 35 watt halogen bulbs.

If you put the same sized pulley on a generator that an alternator needs to charge at idle the generator would charge at idle also

At -2 amps a good fully charged battery should drive the car all night, and at + 10 amps driven all day charge the battery to drive all night again.

Has the accuracy of the dash ammeter been checked??

If you have problems with the car or battery the alternator won't be the miracle you are hoping for.

Alternator conversions are good for the economy --more belt sales, more modified waterpump sales, more wire and cutoff switch sales ---

With Tom's regulator inside a properly working generator you wouldn't have to worry about adjusting the 3rd brush.
 
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