Rough night -- fried alternator

[bobchris]

It's real hard to do. Difficult to operate a box ratchet wrench in one hand and pull on the alternator with the other real hard. Guess if your a puss and are weak then you might need a pry bar. If you can grab the fan and it doesn't spin then it's tight enough but then again you cann't have wennie arms to perform that test either.

Drag created by the alternator at full load that's interesting since the rotor segment's shaft is support at both ends with bearings pressed fit into the slip ring end and the drive end housings. Modeled a couple cs130's si5's and a few others, me personelly never have designed any of those, I've got my name on a few drawings GM owns and used to buy the parts and build alternator from thou so I might know little about them.

[lukeduke95]

Drag created by the alternator at full load that's interesting since the rotor segment's shaft is support at both ends with bearings pressed fit into the slip ring end and the drive end housings.


So I'm guessing that when my batterys are low, all my lights are on and my stereo is cranked, the alternator will put no drag on the belt? Thanks for the clarification, this whole time I thought the alternator was trying to put out so many amps, (150) that it would almost stop the pulley had the belt not been tight enough to keep contact and continue turning it.(Instead of slipping around the pulley) I guess this problem of mine is originating somewhere else. I will look. THANKS!!

[bobchris]

if the belt is loose it's loose and the EMF will not increase or decrease as depmad goes up or down that's the function of the regulator on how much current to let pass. The rotor and windings always produce max amp once spinning it doesn't really increase or decrease as the RPM changes at least not enought to make a difference. As the demand goes up then the regulator regulates more power going out.

If the tension is correct to start with and you can't spin the pully by applying pressure to the fan on the alternator then it's tight enough. Now if you install a new belt and tighten it correctly and run it for awhile it will stretch and you will have to readjust the belt. With the little waiste of money you are trying to install al that is going to do is over tighten the belt and shorten it's life. You guys have no clue over here half the time and do dumb things.

[Onthewater]

Chris,

Same applies to CCF. Everybody needs help sometimes, if they don't want it or ignore it, let it go, no use generalizing all the users on this site.

[Grant_West]

BoChris: Thank you for your insite. You sound like a Jack A$$. Thanks for your help LOL :grin:

[Grant_West]

The adjustable strut that Luke came up with was to put correct tention on the alternator pully Not over tighten or stretch the belts as someone suguested. I know how to adjust belt tention. I know how tight the belt should be. Some times its just tricky to get it perfict. Not to tight but tight enough to not slip.

This is how I adjust the tention. I would take a pry bar and put it between the alternator and the motor. Put enough tention to keep the belt tight. Then tighten up the alternator. I would try and turn the pully and if the belt slips the the belt is too loose. You want it tight enough that if you try to spin the pully it starts to turn over the motor.

My alternator uses duel 1/2 v belts so IMO the belt's dont need to be as tight as I used to have it with my single 3/8 v belt because the 2 belts have more surface aera than the stock belt.
Infact right now my belts have wore in and my alternator needs to be re-tightend. Lukes set up looks pretty cool. I got it in the mail last week Ill have to wait till my boat gets back to see if its gonna work

[lukeduke95]

Thats the whole idea of my bracket, ease of adjustment. Lots of muscle car folks use them cause they look fancy too. I just needed something that I could do tiny adjustments on easily, instead of constantly untightening, pulling hecka hard and retightening a bolt, then repeat cause its too loose or too tight.

[boatech]

IF THE BEARING IN THE ALT WENT BAD IT WOULD OF FROZE UP THE BELT WOULD SLIP HEAT UP AND MELT/BREAK HAPPENS OFTEN NO SO MUCH ON ALTS THAT ARE UP HIGH THEY DONT GET AS MUCH WATER SPLASHED ON THEM BUT IT DOES HAPPEN. GRAB THE PULLEY WITH BELT OF IT SHOULD SPIN FREELY WITH EASE IF YOU CANT TURN IT ITS TOAST AND YOU NEED REBUILD OR NEW. GOODLUCK