One Wire Alternator

[Shorthorse]

An alternator while racing keeps the voltage up for critical things like ignition systems. But the short duration of running and the possible shut down and restart in the staging lanes doesn't mean the battery is getting fully recharged. Look for an alternator that has a high rate of charge at idle. Or if you get an externally regulated alternator, get a constant on regulator.

 

[Endangered Species]

That's what I was thinking Shorthorse. I don't live far from where New Castle (Turbo Start Battery used to be built... I happen to be talking to the tech there one day and he said the same thing. The Alternator on a drag car doesn't run long enough to excite the battery. The only thing we are doing is slowing the rate of discharge... which equates to less time to full charge or in the case of hot lapping, you can go a couple of rounds between having to charge.

 

[493roadrunner]

It's not looking like I'm going to have the car ready for Norwalk... so I'm going to make all the changes I've been wanting to do for years. One thing I'm going to do is put an alternator on the car.
What is the best one wire alternator out there for the money?
What Amps should I go with? 55 - 85 or 120+?


Thanks!

I run a single wire East Coast on mine. Just ran the lead to the starter lug. Still will throw the charger on it during down time,but having almost 15v for the electrical is better than just battery voltage.

 

[Charrlie_S]

I use a 110 amp Nipondenso alternator from a Dodge truck, and a standard Mopar regulator. I have a micro switch on the carb, that opens the field circuit between the reg and alt, at wide open throttle. The charging system works normally all the time, except at WOT. At WOT the alternator is just acting as a idler pulley, and has no electrical drag on the engine. I have MSD ign, twin electric fuel pumps, electric fan and water pump, plus lights for night racing. No longer need to use a charger between rounds.

PS: Also have a solid state timer on the fan and water pump. I don't wind up with a dead battery, if I forget to turn them off.

 

[383man]

The 100 amp Power Master we put on my sons Dart seems to have the internal regulator set to 14.5 at all temps and does not seem to be temp sensitive as stock regulators are. In this hot weather the factory external regulator was running about 13.8 but the new alt holds 14.5 all the time even on cooler days. We love it as it charges a lot at idle as it was putting out over 50 amps at idle because the battery was a bit low and we had the lights on. That's all it took at idle to maintain the 14.5 with the low battery and lights on until it started coming down as the battery was getting to full charge. With battery charged it puts out about 10 amps at idle with nothing turned on to keep the 14.5 setting. My son paid $160. for it and we like it since it looks like a stock alt. Ron

 

[440ronnie67]

It's not looking like I'm going to have the car ready for Norwalk... so I'm going to make all the changes I've been wanting to do for years. One thing I'm going to do is put an alternator on the car.
What is the best one wire alternator out there for the money?
What Amps should I go with? 55 - 85 or 120+?


Thanks!

Cs130 gm 100 bucks mine is 160amp. Runs a1000 pump, 2 fans, 6al, ect. I took the fitech off, but ran that too. I used the 440 source mounting brackets with their serpentine belt kit

 

[440ronnie67]

Ebay special, I've had it for 2 years after changing out many Chrysler alternators, did the 70s style upgrade much frustration throughput the years. One wire now all is good!

 

[Mike Gaines]

Separate from Alternator choices I bought a 5" pulley from Summit to reduce the HP needed to run the Alternator. The 5" pulley had a much deeper grove also which eliminated any possible belt flipping off. I also ditched the stock steel crank pulley and replaced it with a deeper grove billet pulley.
My volt meter still showed 14 volts at idle.
This setup was on my Coronet that I recently sold.

 

[dvw]

I was told by East Coast to run th rd alternator at 20,000 rpm. That being said the crank pulley needs to be nearly 3 times the diameter of the alternator pulley.
Doug

 

[Mike Gaines]

wow, I guess I am really old school. I presumed that slowing down the alternator sucked less HP off the motor.
With this setup my batteries (red top Optimas) did stay charged although I did charge them between rounds when I had time.