fourunnabilly

Hey all-

Just curious if any of you could recommend a place to go in search of an alternator for my new Runner. I'm looking for something around 200 amp. Any input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Billy

midiwall

200 amps??? Are you looking to power a small town?

I dunno how high he goes, but a number of folks here (myself included) have had a great experience with the products from Mr. Alternator (http://www.mralternator.com). Tom's a great guy selling a great product.

Past that, I think that Northwest Off-Road (http://www.northwestoffroad.com/) advertises alternators with capacities that large.

impulsebrklyn

if you find one tell me just curious. I went the smaller route for the stereo if i plan to upgrade i will need a 200amp alt so i wanna see what i would be in for. Chris

fourunnabilly

mpulver-

Nah, just looking to keep up with my stereo so the vehicle can run. Just finished installing 2 10W7's with a 1000 watt XTANT Amp running to each one. Each XTANT draws 120 amp, and my Orion Extreme running my mids and highs draws 60. So I total out at 300 amp, and can barely turn the system on at night. I was hoping to find a 200+ amp alternator, as the factory for the V-8 is only rated at 80 or 90...I think. Anyway, thanks for the reply. I actually am in WA for the next month and will contact the people you told me to. I'll keep you guys posted on what is out there and prices, costs, etc. If anyone else thinks there is anywhere else that I should look, just let me know. Thanks again.

Billy

bryontro

300 amps of current?! Wholey Crap!

fourunnabilly

bryontro-

good chioce on the color of your rig...I'm running the same. yeah, the stereo may be a bit overdone, but I guess it's just something I've always wanted to do. hopefully by the time I'm 40 hearing aids will become cheaper and much more effective...??! Peace.

Billy

Yeah, I only have the gain on the amps set at halfway until I solve the alternator prob...when the bass hits my headlights go completely off at half volume...makes a lot of sense, huh?.......

midiwall

Yeah, I think it's 90amps in the '03's.


I have a suggestion for you... With as much current as you're pulling, I think that you might be better off at starting to look at what the db drag guys are doing - running batteries, and not trying to drive the current straight from the alternator.

You could go a long way with a dedicated pair of Optima Blue Tops sitting in the back and completely isolating your amps such that they're drawing JUST from the batteries. The Blue Tops are marine deep-cycle batteries so you can deplete them to nothing without harm.

You'll want to find a _good_ audio shop (or even a low-rider shop that installs hydraulics) to help you with the wiring. The batteries need to be wired up in parallel, then you want an isolator wired in so that they can pull a charge from the alternator, but not discharge back through the main power lines. Likewise, you don't want the main truck battery to try to be feeding your audio amps.

I'd still run a nice 150amp alternator to be able to _just charge_ all 3 batteries, but not drive the audio system.

This way, you can keep your main truck battery for driving the starter, headlights and normal electrical (probably including your audio head unit), but then your amps (which will be the main current draw) have their own dedicated power source.


Nice setup man. Kudos.

fourunnabilly

mpulver-

Hey man, thanks again for the help. That sounds like a logical solution. I'll look into the batteries. That was an idea in the back of my mind...but I guess I had just gotten fixated on a new alternator. I think you are right, though. Replace the alternator and add the dry cells. Again, thanks for the lengthy reply...much appreciated. Lata.

Billy

midiwall

No probs man... I tend to babble - a lot.


Good luck with what you decide!

Mark

bryontro

Yeah the Gray was about the only way I could live with the plastic. However I must say I got hit about 2 weeks after I bought it and it handled the hit pretty well. And the plastic parts are rather cheap. $95 for the lower front bumber assembly. Not bad I don't think. Cheaper than getting paint work done. Would be easy to get your tree branch scratched 4Runner back to looking new I guess.

snowblind

one very safe way of figuring out the current you need for your amps is to just add up the fuses supplied with the amplifiers by the manufacturer. If they dont have a fuse on the amp, then the documentation will tell you what fuse to use externally. Also, remember that the companies uses a safety margin and then rounds up to the next available fuse-size so if you're amplifier has a 20 amp fuse, then it probably draws somewhere between 15-20 amps at PEAK. You only need to match your alternator output to a bit more than the average current consumption of your system. The other thing to remember, is that alternators dont produce their rated power, and produce even less when they get hot. The absolutely BEST way to get the kind of current you are talking about is a second, bigger alternator. You need a bigger diameter alternator to get more current... if you are going to fab some new brackets for a bigger alternator, might as well just fab them for a dual-alternator setup.

brad

snowblind

also,
deep-cycle batteries are intended for low-current continuous duty and 'starter' batteries are intended for high-current short-duty current draw. a high current stereo system is more likely to need lots of current quickly (hence the addition of capacitors to many systems). if you are drawing a hundred amps you are going to drain a deep cycle very fast and you wont get close to its amp*hour rating (because it is rated at like 1amp draw). imho, it is better to use starter-batteries than deep-cycles in anything other than low-draw applications. A friend of mine has a 100 AmpHour deep cycle and his 600watt microwave drains the battery in like 7 minutes. 100amp*hours should provide 600watts for 2 hours, not 7 minutes! this is because deep-cycles dont provide their rated capacity at high-current draw.

brad

stoutshady

I got my 200 amp alternator from excessiveamperage.com, the gentleman there was very cool and the price was reasonable compared to oher places I checked out. I got it this week but I have not had time to install it yet, probably do it this weekend. I also got myself an Optima Yellowtop battery (deep cycle) because I too am running 1000 watts to each sub. I have a similar setup as yours, two 12" Brahmas which wants lots of power. After installation I will post some pics. Good luck.

snowblind

Does the CSA/excessiveamperage alternator look like it will be a direct replacement? bracket and wiring (especially the plug)?
did you put it 97 4runner?

brad

nrgetic99

Interestingly enough, the Tundra V8's have a 130 amp alternator as cold weather/tow package option.

Not quite 200 amp but probably good for us mere mortals.

I am sure my grand ideas of getting one will cease as soon as I find out Toyota want a grand for it :pat:

David