Has anyone installed a larger amp alternator on there boat

[tjonas1]

Has anyone installed a larger amp alternator on there boat? With running a two amps and other high amp electronics, i was thinking of installing a larger amp alternator. I know the little 55amp that came stock just isn't cutting the job.

[Salty87]

i did. found one on ebay and have never had a problem. it takes up a little more room than the stock one from 87 did but the oem mount even worked.

wish i had a link or something but this was years ago.

[jasonba1]

I put a 95 amp on mine

[tjonas1]

Do you think 140 amps would be to much? I am running two amps,two batterys, getting ready to put tower lights. looking at a way to keep the batterys fully charged.

[Bilotto11301]

man i just hooked up my basstube it has a built in amp wonder if that is going to kill my batter.. i may need a bigger alternator too, i would hate to get stuck on the water w/ a dead battery.. i need to put cables in the boat, for certain..

[tjonas1]

I feel the same way man. I can turn the off and sit for 20 mins with the stereo on and my batterys are to dead to start the boat. Can't have that happen with a boat load of poeple, talking about feeling small..

[Bilotto11301]

yeah.. well i think im going to get another battery, they make this switch you can hook to both of them and control which one you want to pull power from, or it will let you us both batteries at the same time.... my buddy was saying he had to do it to his boat and he didnt even have any bass.. just highs and mids..

[saltare inverts]

I am running two Optima batterys. I wired them in series and have had zero problems. I am pushing three amps over 1800 hundred watts RMS 4600 watts peak aprox, true watts not cheap amps. I want to install higher amp alternator also but havnt needed to. I have run stereo at about 1/3 volume for over 2 hours and boat started right up. I also carry a portable battery charger pack just in case. It has come in handy several times for other boats that have died.

[michael hunter]

I have two batteries 1 cranking for the boat and 1 deep cycle for the stereo only they are connected to an isolator so they both charge when running but the deep cycle is the only
one discharged when engine is off and stereo is on.

[wotan2525]

yeah.. well i think im going to get another battery, they make this switch you can hook to both of them and control which one you want to pull power from, or it will let you us both batteries at the same time.... my buddy was saying he had to do it to his boat and he didnt even have any bass.. just highs and mids..

Blue-Sea add-a-battery is an awesome kit. Comes with the switch and an isolator/combiner. Works great.

I've got around 3400 watts in the current setup. 2 big wal-mart deep cycles and a big wal-mart starting battery. 160amp alternator and 0-gauge to (almost) everything. Blue-Sea Add-A-Battery combiner/isolator. I've also got a ProMarine 3-bank onboard charger to keep everything topped off (it hits the starting battery first and then maintains the deep cycles.) I had battery/electrical issues a few years back and went a little nuts on everything to make sure I never had a problem again. I can rock-out on the islands until the system is dead and still have a full starting battery. I love it. Typically I can get ~4-5 hours of play time before I'm dead.

Back to the original question, though.... I bought a DB Alternator on eBay. Email them your current alternator model number and they'll get you a match. It was pretty cheap and works well. I went with a single wire version and it bolted right up. You'll also have to upgrade your circuit breaker or it will blow every time the alternator puts out more power than what the breaker is rated.

[tjonas1]

wotan2525, Will it hurt to remove the circuit breaker. I cant find one anywere local. What size breaker are you use with your 160amp alt? I have a 140amp that i an going to replace the old one with.

[Engine Nut]

If you go to a larger aternator you MUST also increase the size of the wire that runs from the alternator to the battery (orange wire) as well as the alternator ground wire if there is one. The wires on the engine are sized for the alternator the engine was built with. You should not have to change the 50A breaker because the orange wire from the alternator runs directly to the large stud on the starter solenoid then to the battery and does not go through the breaker. That breaker is designed to protect the engine and the boat harness and you should not be taking your accessory voltage from that circuit. If you PM me with your e-mail address, I can send you a wiring diagram that shows the alternator and breaker.

[wotan2525]

If you go to a larger aternator you MUST also increase the size of the wire that runs from the alternator to the battery (orange wire) as well as the alternator ground wire if there is one. The wires on the engine are sized for the alternator the engine was built with. You should not have to change the 50A breaker because the orange wire from the alternator runs directly to the large stud on the starter solenoid then to the battery and does not go through the breaker. That breaker is designed to protect the engine and the boat harness and you should not be taking your accessory voltage from that circuit. If you PM me with your e-mail address, I can send you a wiring diagram that shows the alternator and breaker.

Interesting... I might have to revisit this. I believe my alternator is running directly to the large stud on the starter and then from the starter to the breaker. Maybe I'm wrong. I upgraded to a larger breaker but maybe should rethink that.

I wouldn't run it without a breaker.... it's there for a safety reason. I've PM'd you Engine Nut.