Alternators specs

There are a couple of Trackhawks routinely running 12.50s in Edmonton so the fall air is starting to come in! I will likely try there.

CaptnCrash said:

1st, if you show 13+ volts while driving you're charging. You might see more when it's cool because charging is temperature compensated. The system charges at a higher voltage as the temp goes down. You might see voltages slightly over 14 which is also fine.

Holding a battery at float when the truck is sitting will greatly extend it's life, that's just a simple fact -- google it. You have to remember that as opposed to the "old days" [ yep I'm old too ] cars today have some fairly significant battery drain even when they are off. In the old days, off was off. You might have had an electric clock that used so few ma that the battery would go dead from just sitting before that drain would kill it. You still needed to keep them at float.

My suggestion is get a good AGM, get a 1.5a Battery Tender and keep it plugged in when ever it's at home. The 6a charging difference isn't going to make any difference since the required output isn't going to be anywhere near full capacity. I live in FL where it's really hot much of the time and playing the tunes, AC wide open, lights on never have issues even at idle. I've had to swap out batteries that got old enough they began to swell on the sides and top. Still worked good but that's a sign of imminent death.

Good luck!

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I’m in Florida also ,, the original factory battery went out on me years ago .. the top of the case cracked .. luckily I was at a mall that had a sears .. replaced it with a diehard .. I bought batteries from advanced auto , auto zone and Walmart .. none lasted ...
I understand 6 amps is not a lot ,,, but the question is .... is the factory alternator set up to boarderline the accessories needs .. I don’t know ! I know if the reading is putting out over 12 volts on the battery that it’s charging .. I believe the recommended is 13.8 to 14.2 for proper charging .... my truck was fine until recently when I checked the voltage it read good until I turned on all the lights , radio etc and the voltage at the battery dropped to ,, I think it was 13.54 ,, by then the truck had warmed up and I turned off the accessories and the reading stayed at 13.54 ... yes it is still charging but not to specs as I understand them to be .. that’s what makes me think the alternator is boarderline output from the factory or it may be getting old and weaker . Again I don’t know for sure ... all this is at idle .. even reving the engine didn’t raise the voltage much if at all from the 13.54 ..
I looked into the age batteries a while ago and could justify getting one .. maybe next time lol... I also read dodge pcm controls the regulation with a build in voltage regulator .

CaptnCrash said:

1st, if you show 13+ volts while driving you're charging. You might see more when it's cool because charging is temperature compensated. The system charges at a higher voltage as the temp goes down. You might see voltages slightly over 14 which is also fine.

Holding a battery at float when the truck is sitting will greatly extend it's life, that's just a simple fact -- google it. You have to remember that as opposed to the "old days" [ yep I'm old too ] cars today have some fairly significant battery drain even when they are off. In the old days, off was off. You might have had an electric clock that used so few ma that the battery would go dead from just sitting before that drain would kill it. You still needed to keep them at float.

My suggestion is get a good AGM, get a 1.5a Battery Tender and keep it plugged in when ever it's at home. The 6a charging difference isn't going to make any difference since the required output isn't going to be anywhere near full capacity. I live in FL where it's really hot much of the time and playing the tunes, AC wide open, lights on never have issues even at idle. I've had to swap out batteries that got old enough they began to swell on the sides and top. Still worked good but that's a sign of imminent death.

Good luck!

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Your not in the direct projected path of this hurricane are you ... I’m near Tampa and my tracker shows hurricane Dorian hitting the east coast around Vero Beach as a cat 4 ... then cutting across the state towards Tampa as a cat 1 .....

Good Luck down there!!!

rottenronnie said:

Good Luck down there!!!

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Thanks Ronnie .... great place to drag race with a tail wind .
I’m prepared mostly with supplies ... but the east coast side needs to get out of dodge imo ... cat 4 would make even a diehard like me evacuate... cat 3 is where I won’t take chances ..

VIPR PWR said:

Your not in the direct projected path of this hurricane are you ... I’m near Tampa and my tracker shows hurricane Dorian hitting the east coast around Vero Beach as a cat 4 ... then cutting across the state towards Tampa as a cat 1 .....

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Nope. Near Tampa. Looks like at this point it's doing an imitation of hurricane Mathew and it's just going to cruise up the east coast. Lets hope it remains on that track or even more to the east.

CaptnCrash said:

Nope. Near Tampa. Looks like at this point it's doing an imitation of hurricane Mathew and it's just going to cruise up the east coast. Lets hope it remains on that track or even more to the east.

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That’s what I’m seeing also .. that’s a worst case scenario if it skirt the coastline ,, being as it will be a stronger hurricane cat.
It’s still according to the tracker I use 643 miles away so who knows what it will do .. my guess lol is more north and pulling away from land a bit more ... but as we Floridians know they can do donuts fast than our trucks ...

VIPR PWR said:

Any idea if there is a rebuild kit for alternators out there .. would prefer to rebuild my own ... yes I’ve searched for alternators all over the Internet .. just not sure about the 130 amp versus the 136 factory amp ... 6 amps doesn’t sound like a lot .. but if the 136 s a boarderline amperage for the vehicle ,, I sure don’t want to lower the amps ... would prefer even more amps 145 or 160 amp alternator..

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You might have to pay a visit to your local alternator rebuild shop they will point you in the right direction.

VIPR PWR said:

That’s what I’m seeing also .. that’s a worst case scenario if it skirt the coastline ,, being as it will be a stronger hurricane cat.
It’s still according to the tracker I use 643 miles away so who knows what it will do .. my guess lol is more north and pulling away from land a bit more ... but as we Floridians know they can do donuts fast than our trucks ...

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You are in our prayers that this storm passes away from your state.

beastmode1 said:

You are in our prayers that this storm passes away from your state.

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Thanks .... it appears but you never know where these hurricanes want to go ... seems at the moment Florida my be spared from a direct hit ... time to worry about further up the coast .. South Carolina ,, North Carolina are being stated as the target now ...

beastmode1 said:

You are in our prayers that this storm passes away from your state.

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Might call them to see if they have rebuild kits. As I’m a fix it myself type of guy .... I always hated the parts changing gurus even from years ago ... try this try that part changers ... all to make a buck .. when i realized the shops were doing that years ago I got out of auto mechanics.. they were ripping people off. And still do it today ... it no wonder they took the NA off of NIASE CERTIFIED Mechanics ... I was a NIASE ONE LOL... now I’m just an old honest fart with more ailments than carter has liver pills lol.

I’ll,continue to fix things till I can’t ...
I did notice the other day that ,, with the wipers,headlights , fog lights, radio and A/C on that the truck voltage meter dropped right about on the edge of 12 volts ... turned off the wiper and back up it came to around 13.8 ... again making me think the alternator is boarder lined and or weak especially with accessories running ... again putting a lessor amp alternator would make it worse ... I wish I New how many amps each accessory was using .. it might just be my alternator has lost juice with age or that the factory ones are boarderline at 136 amps ... one day maybe I’ll take the time to find out the actual power used by each accessory and the exact put out of the alternator.. I still would prefer a larger amp alternator to guarantee the alternator will have enough and not weaken over time .. plus in case I decide to add some other juice eating device ...
Also my 4 door speaks are not working ,, possibly the factory amp blown behind the glove compartment.. that’s telling me that the radio is not using more it’s using less from the alternator... making me think the alternator is even weaker ..
time will tell I guess .... lol

Here is a good read about what I have been trying to say ...

https://www.onallcylinders.com/2012/10/17/how-to-choose-an-alternator/