MuNkY

I wasn't sure where to put this, so if it needs to be moved, go ahead and move it!


Has anyone upgraded their alternator in the xB? im looking to upgrade right now before i throw a bunch of stereo equipment. And I was wondering if anyone had done this yet?

Does anyone make any upgraded ones for it yet? if so, could I get some links? Thanks!

Soto

i was trying to find out the same thing

squirrel

There are upgraded alternators from H-O Alternators and Stinger. There is a uni from MSD also, but its only 160 amp and I still haven't figured out which brackets are needed.

Or there other option is to take your OEM alt and have it rewound.

I personally am looking for at least 160 amps also.

trikkonceptz

Ohio Generator makes an upgraded alternator for these purposes, I will be getting one soon, I understand they are like $400.00 though .. GL.

George

Why don't you throw in the stereo equipment first and see if you really need a higher capacity alternator? Might save you a few C-notes!

squirrel

Maybe he's read the other posts and how the OEM alternator does not provide sufficient power, already knows how much power he's going to run and what is required, and he doesn't want to ruin a battery and alternator like I did.

Afterall, depending on when you bought your xB, it could have a 70, 80, or 90 amp alternator in it. And just by adding a 200 watt amp, you are already exceeding the limits of the alternator.

C'mon George, even you know that!

George

Well, I'm dubious, since a "200W" amplifier is very unlikely to be pulling a full load continuously. Most of that capacity is there for transients like drumbeats. I don't really see how it can be exceeding the capability of the alternator unless it is _very_ inefficient. If it is only 50% efficient, a 200W amp will draw 33 amps, still well within the capability of the stock alternator after the car's current needs are taken care of.

OTOH, if he's planning on doing the "thump thump" thing, he might well need an upgrade. It would be easy to tell. Just build up the system, put an ammeter in the power line, and see if the current pulled is more than the current that the alternator can supply. Even if the amp pulls too much for continuous use, he won't do any harm to the existing electrical system in a short test. The only way to do harm is to pull too much current for a long period of time.

Are any of the big-time audio guys using a second seperate electrical system just for the audio? Mount a second alternator, put a big gel-cell battery near the amp, and end all worries about damaging the car's system. I've done this for camper batteries after I realized that alternators were cheaper than current splitters. It's probably be a lot cheaper and more reliable than the modded alternators, too.

George

jct

i thought we had a 120 amp alt. stock?

MuNkY

i'm looking at a little over 4000 watts, trust me, its going to need it. hahaha and a second battery.

Soto

yea i was gettin a 3000 watt amp..

squirrel

Just on the two amps that I have, I have a MX current draw of 202 amps. That doesn't include the 400 watt convetor for the game console, DVD player, multiple screens, eq, HU, and all of the other stuff I have added that needs electricity to work.

Nozerider

Be warned, prepare to take a significant loss in MPG with a bigger alternator.

MuNkY

how significant are we talking here?

and squirrel, did you say you were running all that stuff on your stock alternator? if so, how does it handle it? any problems as of yet?

George

Yow! You'll probably be pulling a significant amount of idle current with an amp that big.

I think that a separate electrical system for the audio gear would be a very good idea. You could beef up the stock alternator, but then you would be fiddling with the car's electrical system, something that has the potential for expensive problems.

A seperate charging system is very easy to engineer with an internal regulator alternator. All you need do is build bracketry to mount the alternator and then run a longer belt to accommmodate the extra pulley. The electrical connections are simple. One heavy gauge wire from the alternator to the second battery, one light-guage voltage sense/idiot light wire back to the alternator. This wire must be switched by a relay attached to the ignition system. Ground goes through the bracket and body to the battery. That's it!

squirrel

I ended up killing my battry to the pint where the core was damaged nd couldn't hold a charge and fried the alternator that was trying to keep up the charge.

That's how I learned about all of this electrical stuff.

squirrel

And the slight loss in MPG is from trying to spin the pulley that has to work against stronger magnets in the alternator.

crazy_kat_matt

best thing to do, because there prolly isnt a real big upgrade, run a capacitor or to, to help regulate the power and save your alternator. only if you gonna use like 1200+ watts. because truthfully, xBs have nippon denso, which by far is the best piece of oem equiptment. so you wont need to big an upgrade, just a nice capacitor.

muzikman

Hey just wanted to give you guys another option. There is a company called Alternatorparts.com that built the one for the 5Axis Xb it runs 429.00 and has an output of 250 Amps. Just as a point of interest it happens to be the same one for a GM vehicle Called a CS-144 . Hope this helps you guys out.

squirrel

Does it bolt right in like direct replacement, or do new mounts have to be fabbed?

I have an OEM core sitting here that just needs to be rewound.

cee_dub2003

I am curious as well. Will that GM one bolt right up. I will be doing my system soon and wil for sure need another alternator. ANy info on alternators would help a lot.