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bright headlights
Hi,
I've been reading the forums for a while now, this is my first post. I've never been happy with the 14.4 volts my 96 camry. I thought about improving the grounding but I decided that only helps the used electrons so I decided it would be better to go to the source.
So last week I pulled my alternator and took a bus to the alternator shop. I told him I wanted a bigger alternator and he started asking if my 'ree had AC and what type of engine it has (its got the 6 cylinder)..
I answered all his questions and explained that I have a PPI 1600 watt amp and the headlights dim and I wanted the biggest alternator I could get.
He brought out this alternator from a Sienna. He said that this one was done up for an IASCA competitor and it would put out 180 amps at 14.4v. I asked him how to get it to 16v and he said that it wasnt possible. So we got to talking for a whiel and I told him I have unregulated amps in my system and it could make more power and hit harder if it had a 16v input, and I explained him to him how the headlights werent bright enough and it bugged me that they dimmed when the beat hits. At first he was against the whole thing but after a while I got him hooked. He started talking about silver connecting wires and higher wrap ratios and shimming the bearings and pretty soon he's taking the monster sienna alt apart!
3 hours later he gets it back together with a hopped up fan and polished windings, with 171 windings instide instead of the 153 the stock sienna one has. then he put in a special G11 regulator he says they only use in australlia and he said it would get me 15.5 volts.
I dont know if they run 15.5 volts in australia or if it was an aftermarkte part, but it's trick. It's got big lugs he welded to the stator and it's got huge brush magnets.. impressive.
When he was done we put that sucker on his load tester (sort of like a dyno for alternators). It makes 15.5 volts from 3000 alternator RPM up, and at 18000 alternator RPM it maintains 15.5 volts @ 185 amps! The only problem is the regualtor increases to 17v if you dont put a load on it.
Anyhow, he warned me that I probably want to put a diode inline with the computer so it only sees 14.4 volts, and especially make sure that the diode can dissipate the heat when I wind the motor up. He estimated that the computer probably takes 4-5 amps@14.4 including the injectors, and he said I should put this inline with the computer, but the 14.4v zener diode he had would only handle 15 watts which he said was fine for 15.5v, but no good for 17v. he said that if I rev the engine without enough load on the distributor it will start putting out 17v and it might damage the diode and end up shorting out the computer.
We also talked about at what RPM i need it to make 15.5 volts, and I said I'd like it to at idle so he sold me a new high ratio alternator pulley, but he said that he uses the highest qualify bearings available, but the bearings in that alternator can only take 18,000 RPM, so if I spin my engine past 5650 then it's goign to start wearing the bearings. he said that I could probably help it out if I used whale oil lubricant but he didnt have any. he said I coudl get some from a scientific supply store.
Anyhow, 4 hours and $650 later I'm back on the bus on my way home to install the new alternator.
I get home and put the diode in the computer and I put the alternator in and start it up. it works great! All the lights are noticably brighter than before. For once I actually have to turn down the dash gauges because they'rea little TOO bright.
When I hit the beat it works great, except the lights still dim if I let the engine idle. I have to wind it up to 2000 to make the lights stay solid.
I have two questions:
#1) If I ever get on it and forget to turn the stereo on I'd hate to ruin my computer, so can anybody suggest where I can get a higher power 14.4v zener diode?
#2) When I turn off the engine the lights dim a lot (because its a long way from 16v to 12.8v). I think thats kind of ghetto. Can I put a capacitor in the system or something so that the lights sorta dim slowly? that would be pimp.
Thanks,
Camryfoo
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