Quick Charging Question

[blown240]

Does heat affect the amount an alternator charges?

The alternator in my truck is about a year old. Its a basic stock 3 wire. 63 amp I think? It charges real strong when the truck us cold, but once it warms up, it the voltage gauge is much lower. Its still in the green, but a lot lower. Truck runs at 180 most of the time. Gets up to 210 when its real hot out.

My stereo has multiple amps if that matters....

[luvbowties]

When you 1st start, the battery/system calls for high amps to replace the outrush caused by starter(It pulls heaps of amps!). After charging a bit, the replaced amps cause the battery/system to quit calling for high/fast amps. Voltage reg. varies it as needed. Just the way it works.

May want a bit cooler t'stat to deal with the hotter weather(?) Sounds like you may have a 180-degree now.

Re: heat varying amperage, the hotter a wire, the greater its resistance & the less its amps. Heat difference between 2 different size wires is quite marginal and dis-regardable as long as the smaller wire has adequate size.
Sam

[markeb01]

I had recurring problems with my 63 & 100 amp alternators until I installed a 150 amp unit. I don't have a stereo, but I do have hi amp headlight bulbs and other accessories like an air conditioner. A bigger alternator fixed all that.

[blown240]

Thanks for the replies. I have a 160 thermostat in the truck, also a 16" electric fan, but no shroud. I am either going to make a shroud, or get a Lincoln fan.

The wire harness in the truck is stock, and I wonder if I should run another wire from the alternator to the battery. Like a nice 8 gauge. I have a video clip that I will upload that shows the voltage gauge with the radio turned up...

[blown240]

ok. Here is a video showing what I have going on.

The first part is cold start, and you can see that once its up and running the voltage is great. The second clip is still cold, but with the radio on, and you can see that the volts are only fluctuating a little bit. In the 3rd clip the truck is at about 185 degrees, and the radio is on along with the blinker. The voltage drop is HUGE. You can see the gauge moving not only along with the blinker, but also with the music.

Alternator and battery are both about a year and a half old.

https://youtu.be/MK0vWg4G0ZM

[luvbowties]

Originally Posted by blown240

ok. Here is a video showing what I have going on.

The first part is cold start, and you can see that once its up and running the voltage is great. The second clip is still cold, but with the radio on, and you can see that the volts are only fluctuating a little bit. In the 3rd clip the truck is at about 185 degrees, and the radio is on along with the blinker. The voltage drop is HUGE. You can see the gauge moving not only along with the blinker, but also with the music.

Alternator and battery are both about a year and a half old.

https://youtu.be/MK0vWg4G0ZM

Now, this makes it look like you need to follow markeb01's path to solution(response #3). He's got lots of experience with our model trucks. Definitely looks like too little output for your vehicle. Also, the idea of a big wire from alternator's output terminal has been suggested to us by alternator/starter shops many times.
Sam

[blown240]

Ok perfect! Thanks again for all the help!

[Pappyx3!]

I would suggest that you put a digital volt meter on the back of the alternator to see if the output is really fluctuating at the alternator, as much as the gauge shows it is. If it isn't then go to the gauge and check for the fluctuation with the digital meter... may be just a poor/loose connection.

Let us know what you find.

[blown240]

For right now, I went and ran a 6 gauge wire from the alternator to the battery. I had to unhook the stock wire since the lug on the alternator has buggered threads.

Ill see if this helps at all, and then get a higher amp alternator when I can.

I hate the way this looks, but for now its what I have.