Alternator options???

[lateral]

For my 466Ahr house bank I don't see the point of going over 110A alt.
At 50% discharge it only ever charges at >90A's for a few minutes and then slowly decreases as the FLA's wont accept any more. So belt wear is there but
but not for long. Alt stays as cool as a cucumber with the factory cooling.
As the ignition drives the MG ext. regulator all you have to do is switch the ignition on an off to get another hour on "absorb." Motor keeps on running, it just kills the field. Really happy with the Mark grasser "Smart Charge one".
My 55A hitachi used to get way hotter.

25% of capacity works for me.
If I had a bigger bank, or AGM's, I might go for a more amps.

[andyalford]

Originally Posted by SailRedemption

Yes there is.

Mark Grasser DC Power Solutions 250amp large frame alternator on a Yanmar 4JH4-TE 75hp. Made my own adjustment bracket and bought a ss belt tensioner from Amazon.

Attachment 163990Attachment 163991

Please can you post details of the attachment to adapt the J180 alternator to the Yanmar's 3.15" mounting.


Is it a Mark Grasser fitting or a custom spacer?


Thanks! Andy


P.S. And any details on the "Stainless Tensioner from Amazon" please - I have searched and cannot find.

[rgleason]

Originally Posted by andyalford

Please can you post details of the attachment to adapt the J180 alternator to the Yanmar's 3.15" mounting.
Is it a Mark Grasser fitting or a custom spacer?
Thanks! Andy
P.S. And any details on the "Stainless Tensioner from Amazon" please - I have searched and cannot find.

Perhaps this would help?
https://store.alternatorparts.com/a2...g-bracket.aspx


or one of these?
https://store.alternatorparts.com/al...onversion.aspx

[a64pilot]

I believe the stainless tensioner is just a turnbuckle, but it looks like he fabbed a plate it connects to.
It would also seem that is Mark Grasser’s belt kit?

[Pauls]

A good source for high quality high output alternators I'd recommend is Zena. They are made in the US. They have large frame 150A and 200A models. Very heavy duty diode packs. They are frequently used as welding generators. Large external fans. The people there are very good to deal with. I've used their 150A model for welding for about 10 years now with excellent results. Isolated ground. And about half the price of the specialty marine alternators.

[mvweebles]

I recently went down the path of choosing a high output alternator and tried to bypass cost of Balmar. My thinking was there are alternators designed for parade vehicles (hi output at lower rpm) and massive output applications such as bus/coaches. Why spend a huge premium on Balmar?

At one point, I talked to an alternator builder - in Tennessee if I recall correctly - who would happily build me any alternator I wanted. I glazed over on the details, but he said for my application - refilling a large, deeply discharged battery bank, Balmar was the gold standard. I didn't query further - maybe simply buying a Balmar or Sterling regulator would achieve the same. But since he didn't sell Balmar and talked himself out of a sale, I had to respect his opinion. I decided it wasn't a place I wanted to save a few hundred bucks.

[rgleason]

Zena makes an external rectifier too. Zena about choosing an alternator.

https://www.zena.net/htdocs/alternat...inf2.shtml#Top


"...Because waste heat produced by an alternator when supplying severe duty loads increases with the square of the current generated, air cooled 12 volt alternators larger than, say, 200 Amps to 250 Amps become very large in order to cool properly."



"..don't expect a high amp alternator (ours or any other alternator with similar specifications) to be inherently safe to use as a simple "bolt in" replacement for a low amp stock alternator in an automotive, or marine, environment without taking extra care, during the installation process, to insure that you have fully protected yourself and your vehicle, or vessel, from the ability of such a device (even when functioning normally) to produce a powerful arc and/or to melt a piece of thick cable -- when/if conditions are right."



Zena Marine Alternators



It appears that, while the Zena will output high power continuously if installed properly, they do not have as good low rpm performance as Balmar, Electromax, Mark Gasser. Example here

[Pauls]

Yes, that is correct about the Zenas needing higher RPM. I believe that this is an intentional part of the design. Higher RPM for higher amps means higher cooling air flow and the ability to maintain the higher amp output without overheating.

On the Zena website they also have amp output charts for their alternators at both room temp and hot. All alternators output shrinks as they get hotter. It's helpful to see a chart to see what you're going to really get in the real world in a hot engine compartment with the alternator loaded down.

[mvweebles]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

. Or you can just buy a Leece Neville or big frame Delco that is already converted. People have used and proven those for decades.

Good advice. Best I can tell, they are generally bigger than most alternators on small diesels found on recreational boats (and certainly sailboats). But a damn fine alternator.

http://www.prestolite.com/Prestolite - Leece Neville

[rgleason]

How about this statement from Zena, speaking about modern stock alternators:


"The most power that such an alternator can be expected to provide continuously is about 1/2 the maximum rated output power -- possibly as much as 2/3 for a conventional "heavy duty" design."


Special design alternators which can produce their full rated output continuously are available. They are used in eergency veshicles, special utility vehicles, first responder vehicles, etc.


"The ZENA® DC Power Generator is this type of alternator. It is built to a standard of construction that far exceeds that of the standard alternator."


"Alternators made by companies like Leece-Neville and Niehoff are also designed to produce fully output power continuously -- under normal loading conditions."


They are a good source of ready made brackets and accessories
https://www.zena.net/htdocs/welders/acc_inf.shtml#Top


Prices https://www.zena.net/cgi-bin/cart.cg...ry=Alternators


The hot output curve in these tables is probably not a "continuous" rating, but done in accord with SAE J56 as WSmurdoch pointed out.
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ml#post3005877

[ronstory]

Great info... And now subscribed.

[AmberSands]

Try dfjauto.com. They have a wide range of standard and bespoke alternator things. Link is www.dfjauto.com ask for Fran

[SailRedemption]

Originally Posted by andyalford

Please can you post details of the attachment to adapt the J180 alternator to the Yanmar's 3.15" mounting.


Is it a Mark Grasser fitting or a custom spacer?


Thanks! Andy


P.S. And any details on the "Stainless Tensioner from Amazon" please - I have searched and cannot find.

Hey, sorry just seeing this. The kit was from Mark Grasser but the alternator adjustment bracket did not fit correctly. I made the gray bracket and bought the tensioner turnbuckle from Amazon. (I was going to attach a link but the one I got it's not available anymore. Just search 5.5 inch tensioner).

Originally Posted by a64pilot

I believe the stainless tensioner is just a turnbuckle, but it looks like he fabbed a plate it connects to.
It would also seem that is Mark Grasser’s belt kit?

Correct, and yes it's Mark's kit.