Highest Output Alternator

[barnakiel]

Originally Posted by cal40john

Check out post #3

Yes. I stand corrected.

Definitely go big then.

b.

[Maine Sail]

Originally Posted by cal40john

Check out post #3

Bingo!!! He wants an alt for LiFePO4 and battery acceptance is simply not an issue but frying an alt certainly is..

The best bet, in a small case alt for LFP, is the AT165 or AT200 with an MC-614 on belt manager level 2-4 depending on your engine room temps. This is on top of an alt temp sensor set as your insurance policy..

There are a LOT of other things to consider for the proper set up for LFP and the alt, serpentine kit and regulator are but a minutia in the process.....

I run a custom built & tweaked 160A Mark Grasser DC Solutions alternator set to run at 120A continuously... I have considered a move to an AT200 set for approx 165A, unless of course Mark can find the time to build the externally rectified alternator I really want.......

[SV THIRD DAY]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

As others have said -- there is no point in an alternator too big for your battery bank. I think about 20% to 25% ratio of nominal alternator power to nominal bank capacity should be about right..

Maybe we missed the fact that he is going to Lithium Ion batteries....all the old alternator to Battery Bank rations get thrown out the door!

I'm in the process of installing a 400AH LiOn battery bank on my boat as well, and will be going with a DC power Soltions alternator. Mark gives great service an a reasoable price without the "white paint pricing" of Balmar or the "drama" of some of the other jokers in the industry, like Electromaax, which I would avoid like the plague.

Originally Posted by Maine Sail

I have considered a move to an AT200 set for approx 165A, unless of course Mark can find the time to build the externally rectified alternator I really want.......

He keeps telling me he's working on it...along with my BMS for my LiOn battery bank!

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by SV THIRD DAY

Maybe we missed the fact that he is going to Lithium Ion batteries....all the old alternator to Battery Bank rations get thrown out the door!

I'm in the process of installing a LiOn battery bank as well, and will be going with a DC power Soltions alternator. Mark gives great service an a reasoable price without the "white paint pricing" of Balmar or the "drama" of some of the other jokers in the industry.



He keeps telling me he's working on it...along with my BMS for my LiOn battery bank!

Yes -- sorry. You're right. I am stuck in a lead-acid mentality!

[colemj]

Originally Posted by SV THIRD DAY

I'm in the process of installing a 400AH LiOn battery bank on my boat as well, and will be going with a DC power Soltions alternator.

Well, I would be very surprised if you didn't… High Output Alternators

Mark

[ColdEH]

High amp alternators, low RPM alternator, performance alternator, vehicle efficiency alternator

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inRZdSzFMAw

Expensive but lots of power .

Note the RPM

Regards

[Fuss]

Originally Posted by typhoon

I direct coupled my 325 A EchoTec alternator to the crank shaft with a love joy connector.

It runs at the generators 1800 RPM and produces around 265 amps at 12 volt at that speed.

I think it takes 9 hp to spin it. Belts on a small engine were not an option as it would probably eat the bearing at the fly wheel from the side force. I guess I could have put a load belt on the opposite side but the "love joy" was a simpler solution.

Regards

Bit of thread drift but anyway....Typhoon started it....
The alternator and LIFEPO4 sizing threads are starting.

As Lifepo4 gets more into the bigger boats the alternator subject will come up more and more.

EchoTec, Electrodyne 7kw alternators with external diodes will become the alternators to replace many of the smaller models that people are using at the moment while they still have FLA.

Even the Leece Neville industrial ones won't cut it unless the output is limited.
300+A at 24v will become much more common.

You can imagine the future.
No gas on board, all electric
Battery bank easily accepting 400amps
20 mins engine run out of the anchorage
20 mins in in the evening

7500w inverter, no generator.

A 250+A per day at 24v energy contribution will run all your systems and enable you to have an all electric galley.

Thats what I would be putting in my 45+ footer if I was making one once Lifepo4 becomes just a bit more mainstream.

[Cheechako]

IF you could get 200 amps, better have some kind of fancy drive system.
I'd love to see someone come out with a toothed kevlar drive belt, the type you see driving the camshafts on cars, but as far as I know, it doesn't exist. Anything over 100 amps need two belts or serpentine etc.

High output alternator can't shove lots of amps into a battery system which won't accept for any number of reasons. Make sure your entire system is "balanced".

I had a switch installed so I could turn off the alternator if I suddenly needed full engine power for some reason. me too, with all the currents etc in the PNW it was a good idea.

These are all great comments that should be heeded. I cant imagine you have too big a battery bank if your engine was only 16 hp your boat must not be very big. You can only "pound " in the amps for a short time. My boats to 47 feet had up to 100 amp alternators. On my boat with 6 golf cart batteries, I could put in at about 80-85 amp rate for about 20 minutes, then the charge rate started to back off quickly.

[David M]

I had a local shop which rebuilds alternators and starter motors rebuild my existing alternator so that it outputs much more than it originally did. This was much less expensive than buying a new Balmar.

When you do get an alternator with a higher output you need to check with the engine manufacturer to see is the serpentine belt and the bearings can handle the additional load.

[ColdEH]

Originally Posted by Fuss

Bit of thread drift but anyway....Typhoon started it....
The alternator and LIFEPO4 sizing threads are starting.

As Lifepo4 gets more into the bigger boats the alternator subject will come up more and more.

EchoTec, Electrodyne 7kw alternators with external diodes will become the alternators to replace many of the smaller models that people are using at the moment while they still have FLA.

Even the Leece Neville industrial ones won't cut it unless the output is limited.
300+A at 24v will become much more common.

You can imagine the future.
No gas on board, all electric
Battery bank easily accepting 400amps
20 mins engine run out of the anchorage
20 mins in in the evening

7500w inverter, no generator.

A 250+A per day at 24v energy contribution will run all your systems and enable you to have an all electric galley.

Thats what I would be putting in my 45+ footer if I was making one once Lifepo4 becomes just a bit more mainstream.

Yes , LifePo4 has opened up all sorts of new idea's and possibilities, the future looks bright .

Regards

[ColdEH]

Wow the price has come down on the Echo-Techs , Just found one for $1682.00 they use to be over 3 grand

https://www.dwenginecomponents.com/P...temClassNo=166

Regards

[Stu Jackson]

Originally Posted by Jd1

1. In other words the alternator can pump out 90 amps or possibly more but it's difficult to tell because the system adjusts slowly to changing loads and I have not had a reason to run my microwave for longer than about a minute.

2. In addition you get into voltage drops (no sense line directly to battery yet, limited cable gauge) etc etc which throws things off so basically I don't expect to see more output as it sits now.

1 doesn't work because of 2.


Important Reminder:

Once you do ... these changes (AO to house bank), make sure that the BATTERY SENSE wire from your regulator goes to your house bank. The instructions with external regulators gives you an option to connect it to the back of the alternator. This will NOT work, since it will be reading almost if not more than a volt LESS than if it was properly placed at your house bank.

I see this all the time on our boat (100A alternator, MC-612 regulator, Link 2000). When the microwave turns on, the charging output goes right up BECAUSE of the battery sense wiring, which is NECESSARY to make the SYSTEM work properly.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Fuss

Bit of thread drift but anyway....Typhoon started it....
The alternator and LIFEPO4 sizing threads are starting.

As Lifepo4 gets more into the bigger boats the alternator subject will come up more and more.

EchoTec, Electrodyne 7kw alternators with external diodes will become the alternators to replace many of the smaller models that people are using at the moment while they still have FLA.

Even the Leece Neville industrial ones won't cut it unless the output is limited.
300+A at 24v will become much more common.

You can imagine the future.
No gas on board, all electric
Battery bank easily accepting 400amps
20 mins engine run out of the anchorage
20 mins in in the evening

7500w inverter, no generator.

A 250+A per day at 24v energy contribution will run all your systems and enable you to have an all electric galley.

Thats what I would be putting in my 45+ footer if I was making one once Lifepo4 becomes just a bit more mainstream.

A very exciting vision!

Another great benefit not mentioned is that 12 - 15 horsepower will be a perfectly acceptable load to even a larger main engine, so no problem at all running the main engine for an hour or so at anchor to charge up.

Indeed, this really makes a separate generator unnecessary if the battery bank is big enough. How cool is that.

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by SV THIRD DAY

along with my BMS for my LiOn battery bank!

When a good turn key BMS comes into existence, I think then I'd be ready to ditch lead too, but I'm waiting on a BMS

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

When a good turn key BMS comes into existence, I think then I'd be ready to ditch lead too, but I'm waiting on a BMS

+1

Ditto.

As exciting as this technology is, I am waiting for a properly developed, a fully developed, extensively tested and debugged plug and play solution. I do NOT want to be a beta tester, much less an alpha tester, much much less an engineer/inventor!!!