Alternator Voltage Booster

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thehoe92

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so you are running 14 volt batteries and a 16v alternator? or is your alternator just ******?

alternator is not ******
its a DC Power 270sp that does 200 amps at idle
when I first installed it I would idle at 14.6v compared to my stock that idled at 14.1v

then I added the MLA module that I was talking about earlier and that is set at 15.2v
 

Thumper8302

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when get to a stop light or sing it just drops to 9.5v for a matter of like 2 seconds then pops back up to normal... i also notice my rps drop to 300 or so... i honestly think the tranny isnt down shifting right.... but also say the truck is warmed up to N.O.T. and u throw it in drive the idle will again drop as it goes into gear,,, im thinkin my problem isnt alternator related... hell my motor is pushin 230k miles.... so hell i dunno...
 

Eagle

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alternator is not ******
its a DC Power 270sp that does 200 amps at idle
when I first installed it I would idle at 14.6v compared to my stock that idled at 14.1v

then I added the MLA module that I was talking about earlier and that is set at 15.2v

ditch the MLA module then... that is what is ******* it up.
And yes, 15.2-15.6 = ****** UP.

You ar overcharging your battery, not only is it bad for the battery, it can actually be dangerous. Hindenburg, nes pa?
 

thehoe92

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******* what up?
15.2v-15.6v is not ****** up when you have a bank of batteries to charge

it may be bad for the average lead acid battery but not to a kinetik, powermaster, dry cell AGM battery

I've done my research, nothing is messed up electrically with my car so I'm not seeing why you think my setup is "****** up"
 

Eagle

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OK: let's start with some basics as I can see you are VERY confused and have gotten some really really terrible advice from know-nothing 'experts' who swap internet rumour and falsehood as fact.

AGMs are not a "drycell". AGMs use the same chemicals as flooded batteries. AGM means the liquid electrolyte is absorbed into a fiberglass matt material, the benefit being that they are overstuffed with absorber by about 5% so the 'liguid' electrolyte will not leak if the case is cracked. The other benefit is listed below, and i leave it as an exercise for the student.

Voltage is potential energy, not a measure of work. Voltage is like holding a glass of water on a ladder instead of on the floor. The only way in which it is related to work is V = IR or even W=IV

Sadly what you are talking about is trying to charge a battery to 12.6 v faster with 15.2v, and that voltage is well OUTSIDE the specs.


That is incorrect, with multiple discharged batteries (or one larger battery) you need more CURRENT, not more voltage to charge them at the same rate as a smaller battery (if the battery can take it)... Not that charge time should make a big difference, since the vehicle and all devices run off the alternator... not the STARTING/RESERVE battery.



Regarding Deep cycle and flooded acid batteries:
"for a 12v battery, charge voltage is from a low setting of 14V to a high setting of 14.5V, with a target voltage of 14.4v"

Regarding SLA/AGM batteries (almost ALL are actually hawker: dynabatt, stinger, Genesis etc are rebadged)

"The charging voltages are the same as for any standard battery - no need for any special adjustments or problems with incompatible chargers or charge controls. And, since the internal resistance is extremely low, there is almost no heating of the battery even under heavy charge and discharge currents. The Concorde (and most AGM) batteries have no charge or discharge current limits."

excessive voltage merely causes sulfaction of the plates and/or excessive hydrogen gas production, both of which reduce the lifespan of the battery.


Cliffs:
MORE CURRENT CHARGES THE BATTERY FASTER, NOT EXCESSIVE VOLTAGE

When running the vehicle operates off the alternator, not the batteries!

12v batteries OF ANY TYPE do not need a 15volt trickle nor to be charged to 14v...
They are to be charged to 12.6.


IF YOU WANT TO RUN A 16V alternator, You have to buy genuine 14V batteries.

If you want to drop $1500- $2200 PER BATTERY for an esoteric X14, go for it.

Otherwise you shouldn;t be running those AGMs. You should be running Wet cell Deep cycle batteries like those used in Server apps as battery backups. (Ie not meant for automotive use and not sealed)


You maybe screwing up your ecm parameters.
You are overdriving your bulbs by 10% to an early grave
You are overdriving your fuel pump by 10% to an early grave
You are overdriving the other electronic components like coils and O2 heaters by 10%
You may be overheating various electronic components and modules.



Like I said before, the proper reason for those 'adapters' is people who want to use a later model alternator on their drag vehicle, and want to run their MSD box and fuel pump... and are using electronic equipment rated to handle 16v.

Otherwise it is ****** up, and you need to unfuck it.
 

thehoe92

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hmm...
truck is still running, my battery is still perfect as the day I got it, and the biggest part of it all MY SYSTEM IS STILL SLAMMING HARD, maybe I left that part out that I'm not doing it for what the OP is doing it for I'm doing it for more power out of my amps

I understand what a dry cell is I wasn't trying to get in an argument about what one is made of

I understand voltage charging limits and where it should be charged

if you want to argue about overcharging batteries write an email to MLA or PowerMaster and tell them that they are ******* everyone over and killing there batteries, they don't make thousands of dollars on their products for nothing

+1
 

Eagle

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why would I complain to Powermaster or MLA?
Powermaster sells 14.4v alternators. Maybe you don't understand yet. Powermaster's 14-20v voltage regulator is meant to be installed ONLY to drive the ________ (accessory) circuit... not the entire vehicle. They are not dumbasses.

mla's product has an "OFF" switch so you can turn it off when not in the SPL lanes.

the ghetto product above has neither. If someone wants to shoot themselves in the foot, that isn't Colt's fault.


When someone insists that every auto manufacturer in the world for 50 years hasn't a clue as to what the best charge voltage is, so go buy this overpriced resistor... that is when I have an issue.


And as I suspected, you got the 1/2 baked Idea for this from SMD... I couldn't even FIND MLA's website, but SMD + MLA and it shows up like a flaming turd on the doorstep.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jABj9_rYUts

If he used his brain, he could have only installed it on 3 alternator's dedicated only to the stereo batteries which would run all stereo equipment and nothing BUT stereo equipment. That would leave the 4th safe for the rest of the computer controlled Vehicle and the starting battery.
His system may be set up that way, but from the bragging in his video, I don't know. 4 irragis may simply sound 'mo baller-ific' than 3 irragis for audio and one for the vehicle.

It serves no increased 'output' purpose unless you are running unregulated or loosely regulated power supply amps and have more than ample current to trade for higher voltage. W = V x A...think old school orions etc, 'more volts = more watts output at same amperage', as opposed to say PPI Arts 'more volts = less amps drawn for the same output'.


the problem with most people doing this is:
1; they don't understand DC voltage. if your system's voltage is 'sagging' then obviously you need more voltage , right?
.... A: Wrong- you need more current supplied or less current demand. the voltage drops because of lack of amperage. more voltage doesn't make up for this.
Most off the shelf amps today are moderately or tightly regulated supplies that will pull MORE Amperage as voltage drops (from lack of amperage!) instead of merely reducing output.
for most people with problems this means turn your amps down out of clipping by turning down your super-bass-boost + loudness + max eq + gain which can EASILY increase current demand by 900% or more. 3db = twice as loud = 4x the power
SPL competitors are willing to blow amps and subs in search of .1 db.

2: notice he has to leave his truck on a trickle charge all the time? why do you think that is?

a: his 6 batteries are constantly discharging each other, which causes premature failure and b: a 12v battery will fall back to 12.6v quickly. They will not stay charged to 14v. fi he had left his truck unplugged for one hour, he would have gotten around 12.6 instead of 13.2 at the stat of the video. 6 batteries in parallel is ONE 12.6 v battery. it isn;t some magical 13.5v battery now.

like i said, all this is OLD tech, stuff we used to do 10 or 15 years ago when SPL was in it's infancy and amps were built like sodding tanks... There are at least 3 good reasons practically no one messes around with it anymore.


Anyway, you do what you want, it is your car.
But the only valid reason for doing it is not a reason that you have given, so you are IMO just fanboy-ing product ignorantly.

sorry for being so harsh on you man, but this could cost someone a lot of money or even, god forbid, their life.


/Eagle out
 
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thehoe92

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the ghetto product above has neither. If someone wants to shoot themselves in the foot, that isn't Colt's fault.

/Eagle out
you can stop there thats all I needed to prove

hence why I said in the beginning if you want to do it right spend the money and get an MLA or PowerMaster VCM and MLA has a website

http://www.missinglinkaudio.com/index.html

you don't need to try and teach me a lesson I know exactly what I am doing hence why my battery is still working
 

Mr45

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you can stop there thats all I needed to prove

hence why I said in the beginning if you want to do it right spend the money and get an MLA or PowerMaster VCM and MLA has a website

http://www.missinglinkaudio.com/index.html

you don't need to try and teach me a lesson I know exactly what I am doing hence why my battery is still working

Obviously you don't. 15.2VDC is too much for the vehicle.
Run your accessories at what you want, but the PCM is not designed for 15.2VDC, nor is the battery designed to be charged at that voltage.
 

TnTahoe

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with all that being said how does one go about using lets say 2 alternators, 1 strictly for the vehicle and the other strictly for accessories and such?
 

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