Need more electrical power!

[GroovyNautique]

Anyone ever put in a dual battery setup in a 1993 sn or similar?

When running PP, heater on full, and stereo (all after market), I have a huge drop on volt meter. Everything stays running but it's really working the system over hard.

Perhaps the high end Optima blue top would suffice over a dual battery setup?

Thoughts?

Thanks!

[Quinner]

100amp alternator would be a big improvement, assumming you have a 60 now. 100a and a single Blue top keep up with that same setup for me, at idle you may get an occassional low voltage beep.

[GroovyNautique]

100amp alternator would be a big improvement, assumming you have a 60 now. 100a and a single Blue top keep up with that same setup for me, at idle you may get an occassional low voltage beep.

Awesome! I'll check and see what the alternator is putting out. Thanks!

[TX-Foilhead]

A new alternator may not fix your problem. The factory wiring is undersized and not designed all that well. Adding an additional power and ground wire to the dash helps and so does putting all the daisy chained grounds behind the dash onto a common buss. If you can run all those things now without pissing off the PP you're in pretty good shape, but it doesn't take much to make it all go south. Lots of info on both over at CCF, get the wiring straight first then you can determine if you need the more expensive upgrades.

[DanielC]

I am going to agree with TXFoilhead. Even on the 2003 Correct Craft you had inadequate wire size to many accessories, going to the dash.

[GroovyNautique]

I actually rewired all that daisy chained wiring a few years ago as and did beef up the wire gauge a bit. Could try running additional power and ground though.

[AirTool]

Awesome! I'll check and see what the alternator is putting out. Thanks!

Measuring the actual "output" can be somewhat difficult.

[TRBenj]

The output rating of the alternator should be listed on the alt itself. Do some math and figure out what your worst case current draw is, then determine if your current alt is big enough or not. It may very well be.

As TX mentioned, if youre pulling all of the power for your stereo and heater through the dash connection, then that is ill advised. The dash is fed by a 10awg wire going through a 20A breaker. Larger accessories like the stereo (especially if you have multiple large amps) should be wired directly to the battery, with their own breaker/fuse. The wiring to the dash is marginal when considering the stock normal loads (blower, lights, etc). A low reading on the voltmeter is an indication of low voltage at the dash- but not necessarily of an undersized alt.

[TX-Foilhead]

If you've already cleaned up the wiring, check to see what kind of voltage drop your getting between the battery and the dash, and then from the ignition breaker to the key. That will tell you where the drop is. Mine was initially from the battery to the dash, fixed that and then a few years later had a drop across the dash and I fixed that with the ground buss.

The alternator will help if your using a lot things when running, more batteries are better if your listening to the stereo while sitting. I've done both now, but managed to run all those things with about 1000 watts on the stereo off the stock alternator with one battery, no sitting like that. I upgraded the alternator and the batteries when the stereo grew. I could get away with one or the other, but there are a couple of times a year where I'm out for a few days with no acces to power for the charger. I went a bit overboard, but it's nice not to worry.

[CradGen2]

If you are getting a low voltage beep on the PP, I had the same issue. Turned out I need a new ground wire.