Alternator input

[GaryGoFast]

Have a few questions re: alternators, lets assume 16 volts batteries

1. Effects between using alt. or not.

2. Aprox. how much HP ( E.T.) does an alt take away. Heard more than 1 story as too alt. seizing up , throwing belt and guy picks up a ton next pass..

3. Heard that the batteries dont get enough charging hit off a pass but having an alt. obvoiusly helps maintain voltage thruout the pass.

3. Is there a big dif between a good opened up stock style alt vs a Shogun, East Coast etc.

4. And last do you use one or not.

Many have 1 battery & Alt while others have 2 batteries and no alt,
I personally have a set of Rock Batteries and an opened up GM alt.

[63corvette]

I have used an alt. for years.

I use a GM style single wire and 2, 12 volt batteries. 2 batteries more for weight than anything else. Pulley the alt. not to turn more than 12,000 RPM as that is all the GM alt. is supposed to be good for. I have had 3 on different cars and never hurt one yet.
I have friends who tried the small shogun's and they did not seem to last long. Others with east coast and no problems there except the price.

I can not tell that any ET is lost whether using it or not. Single wire so it is easy to unplug.
If you bracket it good and align it right you won't have any belt problems. I carry an extra belt but I have not had to use it yet and hope I don't.

The biggest advantage is very little charging is ever needed even after cooling down on hot days. This is a big advantage when you get to the later rounds on a hot day.

To me it is the only way to go.

My 2 Cents

[Chris Williams]

We run one too. Have one 12v battery and an East Coast alternator. This past winter (last year), I messed up and the alternator wasn't charging the battery. Made it a mess, gotta be on the charger the second you get back, gotta worry about it, and if you go rounds you are in trouble. Fixed that asap. Sure, we toss it on the charger when we have to sit for a while, but it's not necessary, and we never worry about it.

IMHO, anything that makes you worry takes your mind off the real problem: hitting the tree and the tuneup. Taking away that worry is worth whatever HP it costs...

[Tom Goldman]

Gary, I would not race without one..........Different applications yeild different results........My SG car will slow up after 2 runs without the alternator, the data recorder shows the battery voltage dropping significantly during the run , even with charging between runs. ....The recovery for the battery is just not quick enough. .......The Stocker is just the opposite, it will run .02 to.03 quicker with the alternator off,as long as the battery is up. ......... of course the rules in Stock require an alternator,so I run an East Coast ultra mini, which is the smallest one I've ever seen. .......Tom

[SGSST109E]

Gary the alternator uses a few hp. In a super class car who cares. I have used one for 12 years and have never had a belt problem. I run an optima yellow top battery with a single wire 140 amp. alternator. The 140amp not only maintains full voltage during the run to the igntion and the rest of the electronics but it also charges the battery anytime its running including down the track. Anything smaller really only keeps the electronics happy but not the battery. I can race a full weekend with cool down and rarely have to charge the bartery. If you get an optima use a battery tender charger. The Optima is sensetive to charging voltage.

[Ted Barnes]

I ran 2 batteries and a GM 100 amp single wire alternator for years and never had a problem. I could run two classes in the same day and cool down with no problem.

Recently I had trouble with voltage drop in my main battery cables...likely due to age...and replaced everything...including the batteries. Now I have an Optima red top and a conventional deep cycle battery. Anyone have any experience with this set up?