1 wire alternators

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Why do mopar alternators have low out put compared to most others (cheve, ford, ect)?

I have a standard wire alternator powermaster 75amp alternator and i see the one wire hookups are about 140amps.

How would you hook up a one wire alternator and why does it only need one wire?
 
They are internally regulated.

I have a factory mopar alternator that is 90amps, and a spare that is 120amps. Paid $15/ea at the junkyard...

P1000012.jpg
 
Because they sense voltage at their output and not elsewhere in the system. Why didn't the factory use 1-wire alternators? Because they suck. A great gimmick for the sort of mullet-headed Camaro driving knuckle dragger who thinks chrome valve covers make you go faster.

Why the hell would anybody want a 140 amp alternator? Trying to set a speed record for melting down your battery or wiring harness? Running a 9000# winch?

First, check the RPM needed to generate than output, you may find your regular 60 amp puts out more at the RPMs you typically drive at. Second, more output means more horsepower sucked up by the alternator. Why do a lot of racers shut off their alternators once they stage (which you can't do with a 1-wire)?
 
Why the hell would anybody want a 140 amp alternator? Trying to set a speed record for melting down your battery or wiring harness? Running a 9000# winch?

NO... You need it to power the 12 sub woofers in the trunk!
 
C130 Chief said:
First, check the RPM needed to generate than output, you may find your regular 60 amp puts out more at the RPMs you typically drive at. Second, more output means more horsepower sucked up by the alternator. Why do a lot of racers shut off their alternators once they stage (which you can't do with a 1-wire)?
Click to expand...

hmmm good point
 
TheDemonator said:
Why the hell would anybody want a 140 amp alternator? Trying to set a speed record for melting down your battery or wiring harness? Running a 9000# winch?

NO... You need it to power the 12 sub woofers in the trunk!
Click to expand...

Bwahahahaa, the only reason you need 12 subwoofers is to here them over the engine...i'm sensing a canceling effect...lol.
 
Wether or not you use a high amp alt should depend on your application. Electric fans can draw up to 50 amps or more: http://store.summitracing.com/partd...924500+4294839058+4294838842+115&autoview=sku

Then add in the following:

Headlights/tailights/turn signals
Electric fuel pump
Electric water pump
Defog/heater blower motor/Air conditioning
Ignition


You can see someone could get into trouble fast on a hot foggy evening driving home from a car show/road trip and I'm not even adding in power windows, power seats, big stereo, etc. If we're talking trucks, then we have off-road lights, winches, trailer electrical load, etc.

A race car or original resto is another matter altogether. A big alt isn't needed or required, but you would still need to add all of your draws together and make sure your whatever alt you use is adequate, or end up looking like the nimrods on Pinks screaming for a jump.

Keep in mind that a one wire alt needs the rpm blipped up to about 1500 rpm or so to switch on, and they also sense voltage at the alt vs. the harness or switched power lug at the fuse box like you can wire an externally regulated alt to do.

A high amp alt can melt a harness if the 10 ga. wire from the alternator is not changed out for a wire of sufficient current handling capacity and the current draw exceeds the capability of that wire. Oh yeah, don't even think of running a high amp alt through the stock ammeter, get a voltmeter.
 
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