posted
It tells you to do that during calibration, but we do not actually do the calibration ourselves...I believe corporate sends someone out to us. But Ill see If I can contact the company that makes it and get a copy of it for you.
-------------------- 02 Ford Explorer 2 Colossus Amps 2 RE MT 15s
2 DD3515s for when I blow the dustcaps off my MT's Posts: 253 | From: Fayetteville Tennessee | Registered: Nov 2003
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Most new cars alternators are controlled by the engine management computer, primarily anything OBD2, varying voltage readings are normal. Most OBD2 cars have a pulse width modulated alternator and voltage will increase or decrease depending on demand sensed by the ECM. Typically you will see 13.5-14.6 VDC. The ECM does this by varying the field duty cycle. Some vehicles will even shut off the alt at idle. This is all done in the name of fuel conservation and emmissions. The only way to get around this is to use an external, user controlled, regulator. However, a check engine light may follow. Most ECM's can be modified by reputable programmers like JET Performance. As for testing an alternators capability, put a DVOM on the batt. terminals and an AMP clamp on the recharge cable comming off the alternator. Turn on your system and hit it at full tilt for a burp or play a test tone until you see the max output from the alt. Your other choice is to test it with a load tester like a VATS40 or Bear Arbst.
Posts: 208 | From: streetsboro,oh | Registered: Jun 2005
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Ok,I would like to comment on load testing a battery,alt. I am a State Auto tech,have been licensed for 10 year's. I have used most all brand's of tester's. Now MOST auto part's store's are still useing older testers(ARBS brand or BEAR brand are the most common) . To load test a battery the + goes to + and the - goes to -. The inductive amp probe(polarity sentive, it has a arrow that has to point tward path current is flowing ) would be clamped around the load testers + cable. This way when the tester "load's"the battery (most have a dial to control amp draw)it can monitor how much current is being passsed/pulled by the tester.Rember the tester is creating a controled short. Now to test a starter for curent draw(can also be used to check how much power you audio amp's are pulling) you would leave the + and - the same...move the inductive pick up to the + battery cable that run's to the starter(or your amp),crank the car over and take reading's wile cranking(or with system at high volume). There is no need to use the "load function" of the tester for test.Now to test the alt you would leave to + and - the same as before,move the inductive pick up to the main wire off the back of alt(if more than 1 alt,test where all alt lead's come together) load test the alt to the specifed amp's OR till the battery(s) drop's below 12.6 volts(battery is 6 cell's at 2.1 volts each) this is the way MOST all load tester's were ment to be used. Now the controled short in the tester is a carbon pile restior that is varible. The problem is with high amp battery's is that the tester may not be able to pull enough current to fully "load" a battery.Also repeted test should not be done as the testers heat up VERY fast and can burn out the restior.
-------------------- Super Street No Wall -----TeamTjsAudio-------- Posts: 933 | From: Allegan Michigan | Registered: Jan 2007
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I also would like to make a remark on "building" HO alt's. I have been to 2 diffrent "rebuild" shop's and have alt's "cranked" as they were called. This was done through diffrent magnet's,armiture(????)winding's(more and heavey wire) and diffrent regulatior's. I do not know any more as to how it worked inside but the change can be huge. I have also had the voltage incressed to aid in output. These were small(ish) shop's that had been around for year's. Both didn't normaly do "car" alt's as they did tractors(semi) and off road equipment as well as truck's with HO A/C converter's. I have had a few done,my best was 200 amps at 15.5 volt's. But beware when you take a "stock" possable 100 amp alt and double it the life span is greatly shortened....the biger you go the short it last's as it will produce MUCH more heat and fail because of this. Most newer car's have some sort of cooling system buit in to help with the heat,some even have small air intake's to "cool" better. I'm not a expert, just passing on what I have learned and been taught.
-------------------- Super Street No Wall -----TeamTjsAudio-------- Posts: 933 | From: Allegan Michigan | Registered: Jan 2007
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quote:Originally posted by trafficjamz: The clamp needs to go around all wires coming off the alternator inorder to check the output of the alternator.
Dom
That's right IF your talking about on the B+ termail. If your refering to the plug on the alt that shouldn't be in the clamp,power is going to the alt(voltage,VERY little amprage) not out from it. But in most case's there would only be one heavy wire off the alt and it would run to battery/batterys.
-------------------- Super Street No Wall -----TeamTjsAudio-------- Posts: 933 | From: Allegan Michigan | Registered: Jan 2007
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So, you can test it with the car running at various RPM's...and take a clamp current meter and simply clamp it around the alternators wire going to the battery and it'll read correctly?
-------------------- Creator-Ohio Bass Society
Sub and sub amp: 18" Fi BTL fully loaded, fed by a SoundStream XXX10000 Handmade custom bracket replacing AC with 250 amp alt Soon - 205 amp alternator in stock location Batteries: Trunk-(2) XS Power D3100's 4 power+4 ground 0-gauge runs to rear Posts: 544 | From: OH | Registered: Apr 2007
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I would like to know that also. I just had a diode and brush replaced on my 300amp iraggi alt and the guy at the shop said that the alt looked totally stock inside and that there was nothing special about my alt besides being in a bigger case. he tested it to do 190amps at 2000 and 118at 800 at 14.8volts. how can i check it myself?? or can i?
posted
i know he probably didnt test it right because he did not have any load on it besides the vehicle being on with the lights and revving the engine.
posted
When I had my 2 powermasters on my silverado I was having charging problems and at the time didn't own a DC clamp meter...so I took it to autozone...
the guy told me running 2 alts would cancel each other out...i told him real fast to unhook his stuff and get away from my vehicle
Best bet is to spend the cash on a dc clamp meter and do it yourself!
-------------------- Posts: 6157 | From: Russellville AL | Registered: Nov 2002
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^wow. I would do the same, I couldnt even think of a response to that...I would be speechless for quite some time, people are stupid...what a rediculous statement.
Should be getting my 205 amp soon to swap with my stocker...should be fun im pretty excited
Does anyone know of any other dual-alt saturns? Or am i the only one?...all alone ..
And back to the clamp-meter...putting a load on it and simply clamping around the run to the battery from the alt will give an accurate reading, correct?
Sub and sub amp: 18" Fi BTL fully loaded, fed by a SoundStream XXX10000 Handmade custom bracket replacing AC with 250 amp alt Soon - 205 amp alternator in stock location Batteries: Trunk-(2) XS Power D3100's 4 power+4 ground 0-gauge runs to rear Posts: 544 | From: OH | Registered: Apr 2007
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posted
Not to bash everyone working for AutoZone or places like it, but they aren't exactly certified mechanics, they know a little about a bunch of things, but not everything. When I took my 200 amp alt to AutoZone the guy told me their tester would only tell me if it worked or not, but would tell me what the output was. The rebuild shop I took it to told me my output at idle was too low, but he also said his equipment wasn't designed to test alts that run up to 200 amps. He said I'd need to get a clamp meter and test it myself.
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