Alternator and loading question

[TNRGreene]

Just asking,
Has anybody tried to "disconnect" the alternator @ WOT to see if reducing that load would help with reduced hp loss at the belt? I know the alt loaded down, is a drag....but how much?

 

[Catpower]

Alternator question?



The load on the alt is how much current it is producing at that time. 12 Volts x ??? amps = Watts.

1 HP = 746 Watts so 746/12= 62 Amps

You will producing current to recharge that batteries and to run you glow plugs and intake heater. The AC takes a fair amount of power from the engine turn it on some time and listen to the engine loadup. Then the heat from the air conditioner has to be disapated into the rad so the ?? viscous fan then kicks in and that draws extra heat from the radiator causing more drag on the engine! That is something that I dont' use very often. Driving with a front hood ??? thing on and roof and side windows they all add to the drag on the truck. The hood and roof ones drop mileage down ?? about 1 mpg or so I read years ago. Hope this helps.

 

[TNRGreene]

I'm asking if eliminating the alternator will result in more hp if bypassed @ WOT? Sounds as if it may help & was wondering if anybody tried it

 

[minisub]

These guys have tried it and claim an increase of 6 HP on a Peugot:

http://www.bestservis.com/digerurunler/alterpower/alterpower_eng.htm

Not sure it would be worth it on these engines as the alt. load is proportionately much lower.

I do make sure everything, including DRLs is shut off, although running a light or two hasn't seemed to have hurt Tony Burkhart

 

[chevy_dmax]

The way I look at it, the effective resistance/drag caused by the alternator is directly proportional to the current we need to run electronics/charging system on truck. Does anybody know how much juice the electronics pull at idle/wot? Turning off all possible electrical draws (drl, headlights, cab light, hvac heated heats…etc) and making sure your batterie(s) are fully charged would make the draw minimal as possible.

If this proved effective, someone could try a way to use an electric clutch, like on the a/c compressor, and install them on the alternator(s), then wire a switch/button to disengage clutch…isn’t that how gm fixed the alternator belt squeak?

Also, If you were able to "un-excite" the field winding of the alternator you could also effective remove the electrical charge drag, but you would still be rotating the shaft of alternator and to my knowledge, most current production alternators are self-exiting.

Either way would be neat experiment. However I personally feel it’s not worth that much power with respect to how much these trucks are capable of when mildly tuned.


$.02

Bill.

 

[Turbo Buick 6]

We have tried this on gassers a few times and didnt like doing it. It leaves less voltage for the ignition system, and I would assume you could say the same for our trucks with the injectors and other related electronics.

IMO the negligable gain would not be worth the risk of having a voltage drop and screwing up your electronics or even worse if it made the elctronics act funny and blew the motor...again JMO

 

[Leadfoot]

although running a light or two hasn't seemed to have hurt Tony Burkhart

I don't care who you are, that's funny.


I have no experience with trying it on a DMax, but I do have a serpentine conversion on my 80 gasser and have a switch that disables the exciter wire for pulling.

There is no "seat of the pants" difference, but at the end of the pull when I finally let off the throttle (wheels are spinning out but no forward motion), I get a nasty squeal from the belt if the wire is excited, but hardly a peep if it's switched off (so there is a difference.....how much I have no idea.....probably negligable with the tq/hp we make). Although it would be cool to have a dyno spit out two numbers and compare before and after.