Posted by Merrill Fish on August 19, 2000 at 19:21:59:
In Reply to: Alternator question. posted by Steve Elliot on August 19, 2000 at 18:10:09:
Hey, Steve,
Glad to hear that the conversion worked out well. Yes, generally speaking, if the alternator is working correctly you can disconnect and remove the battery and not have any effect on the basic running of the whole truck, unless you were to try to use a device that would put a very heavy draw on the electrical system, such as an electric winch; an alternator would have hard time keeping up with a draw of more than its rated amps, which may be from about 37amps for an older GM, to 70 or 80amps for a newer style from a more recent vehicle. Of course, there are the super alternators that can put out much more, but they are a less common find, usually an aftermarket proposition.
As to the brightening of your headlights, it is possible, but I would be interrested in finding out the voltage range that the alternator is putting out from idle to normal road engine speed. The regulated output on these thing is usually fairly tight interms of range, going from about 14 volts at idle to about 15 volts at max regulation, and it does not seem to me that that amount of variation should be noticeable in a light bulb. The regulator you are using may have a wider range, and there is nothing wrong with that at all as long as it does not overcharge the battery, or start blowing out electric equipment due to excessively high voltage. If, with the battery hooked up, the full charging voltage goes above 15volts for too long of a time, I would say you need to check out the regulator, and perhaps replace it.
As to the pulley size, at the speeds the stock 230 operates, it should not have be any problem; with the larger pulley, it is running the alternator faster for any given engine speed, but then that alternator was designed to be used on an engine that normally operates at a much higher speed than the poor ol' 230.
Ask almost any electrician about jewelry and work. some, myself included, can tell some real horror stories. I'm lucky to have survived forty years in the trade intact; well, mostly anyway.
And don't' those W500s just give you a shot of testosterone? Always have for me.
M