altinator (how do you spell that ?) problem

[Bahney]

i have recently fitted ice to my car (i will post pics next week after they are developed) and i am worried about a flat battery, i do around 10 miles a day to work and back and average 80-100 miles a week which is a lot of town driving, stopping and starting etc, i was reading the owners handbook last night (as you do) and i noticed there was a power output section and it listed the altinators power output for the various models, i noticed that my 1.4S was pretty crap compared to the 2.0,20V so my question is could i swop my altinator for a hgt altinator and would it make a lot of diffrence ?

i also intend to upgrade my battery shortly, i still have a standard one, lol

my MOT is due in oct and assumeing it all sails through (it is a fiat so i doubt it) i will get a new battery, i was just curious if you guys think a better altinator will be worth the hassle.

thanks in advance

 

[Alan]

They claim it takes something like 20mins driving to put the energy back in the battery that is taki=ed out from starting, so as long as your driving more than that i would think your ok. I don't know the details of the two cars but i would think there may be other knock on effects from changing the altanator.

 

[Tom]

Re: Re: altinator (how do you spell that ?) problem

There is a finite limit to how fast you can charge a battery, even if you have a 1000amp alternator it would not charge any faster.

How much ice are you running?

 

[Bahney]

Re: Re: Re: altinator (how do you spell that ?) problem

not running anything extravagante just a 300W amp, which is powering a soundbord consisting of 12inch sub and 2 16cm 3-ways, i am just a little paranoid about it, in my old astra mk3 i had to charge the battery once every 2 months to put the charge back into it, i was forever running out and i do the same journies i do now, and in my astra it was 100% standard, so that is what is makeing me worried, my battery went flat a few weeks ago just before i installed the ice, i could do with a meeter or something i could just check the level with, do they exist ? i am sure i have seen in some cars where they have a power meter from the battery or something.

by the way when i said i still have a standard abttery i meant the original, and it looks completly nackered, on it's last legs to say the least, kinda makes a liquid sound when u move it and doesent look to healthy, so i was going to buy a new one anyway.

so what do you reckon tom ? will i be ok with just a new battery or new altinator needed as well ?

 

[Tom]

Re: Re: Re: Re: altinator (how do you spell that ?) problem

Batteries last about 5 years so you could be due for a new one anyway.

That amp won't put any undue stress on the system and a new alternator would be arseache. The HGT one won't be a quick swap.

Get a good battery, ie not some no-name one and all should be fine.

 

[Bahney]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: altinator (how do you spell that ?) problem

cheers mate, got its mot at the end of the month so if all goes well then i will pop out and get on stright away, thanks for the help as always tom.

 

[matt]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: altinator (how do you spell that ?) problem

i fitted a colour changing volt meter into the dash on the passanger side, and i digitaly calibrated it.

i also have a playstation and 7.5 inc screen in my car with 2 sets of 160w componets and a 1000w vibe sub with d class amp.

with all that running the voltage drops about 0.4volts to 13.6volts when the car is running

my car gives out about 14 volts so your car should be fine. oh my car is a 1.8

 

[evo~paul]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: altinator (how do you spell that ?) problem

matt,

Have you got an upgraded battery at all ?
Where did you get the voltmeter from ?

 

[Alan]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: altinator (how do you spell that ?) problem

maplins sell a little 10led volt meter circuit designed for 12v systems. would be easy to knock up.

 

[Ian (Geforce)]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: altinator (how do you spell that ?) problem

I used to have a 300W (4 X75) Phoenix Gold amp, 15" 650W Phoenix Gold Sub and some Magnat 130W speakers and I could run the sound system on full for 20 minutes without any problems when coming to start it. (And mine's a diesel, ie. needs more power to turn over)
..Oddly enough the system has blown three times now (twice the sub and once the amp) The report came back the 3rd time saying "Check the Alternator output" but yet it would run all day long without any glitches.

Personally I think my Alternator is screwed, not that it matters beacuse I'm getting a new car.

Anyone any ideas?