Full Answer
How many amps does a stock alternator put?
Most factory alternators are rated at 65 to 100 amps and are capable of handling your vehicle's basic necessities, such as headlights, gauges, fuel pumps, A/C, etc. These alternators also typically come with a 10 to 15 percent reserve to handle additional accessories.
What amps do I need from alternator?
The size of an alternator will most likely increase the set amperage, too. High output alternators (often found on larger vehicles) can use between 200 to 350 amps. Smaller cars by comparison, such as a Ford Mustang, will only use about 100 amps with batteries that run at about 12 volts.
Is a bigger amp alternator better?
If you're worried about a high amp alternator providing too much power to your ECU, or any other component in your electrical system, you don't need to. The amperage rating on an alternator is basically just the amount of current that the unit is capable of putting out, not the amount it always puts out.
How much does it cost to replace an alternator in a Cadillac Escalade?
The average cost for a Cadillac Escalade alternator replacement is between $430 and $622. Labor costs are estimated between $64 and $81 while parts are priced between $366 and $542.
How do I check my alternator amperage?
Alternator amp output test.Clamp the ammeter around the positive output wire on the alternator.Connect the carbon pile to the battery.Zero out the ammeter (connect as above and perform the test with the vehicle off).Start the vehicle and hold the engine at around 1,500 rpm.More items...
How do I find out the size of my alternator?
As a rule of thumb, 12-volt alternators use one horsepower for every 25 amps of output, or to put it another way, their ratio of output to horsepower load is 25:1. So, when selecting a new alternator, you need to size it for the limits of the capacity of its drive belt.
Is a 250 amp alternator good?
A 250 or 300 ampere aftermarket high output alternator should provide enough power for all your car's systems and your high-powered stereo too.
Can you overload an alternator?
An alternator can be damaged by improperly jumping a car (such as having the wires crossed), which can overload and fry circuits. Also, if the connection from the alternator to the battery is severed while the engine is running, the alternator can become overloaded and damaged.
Is a 160 amp alternator good?
The 160 amp is known to be used on emergency vehicles that are at a standstill and still running lots of 12v power thru said appliances.
How long should an alternator last?
around 7-10 yearsHow Long Does an Alternator Last? An alternator should last between 80,000 to 150,000 miles, which usually means around 7-10 years. However, if your vehicle is driven hard around Venice or Bradenton, your alternator may need to be replaced sooner.
Can I replace an alternator myself?
In general, it will take about two hours for you to replace an alternator on your own, though this could vary somewhat depending on your knowledge of car mechanics. If you take your car into a shop in order to have the alternator replaced, timing may vary somewhat, and you may have to leave the car for the day.
Can AutoZone replace alternator?
You can bring the vehicle to AutoZone and have the alternator tested on the vehicle to ensure the charging system is performing correctly. Some of these steps may vary slightly depending on your exact year, make, model, and engine.
What size alternator do I need for 1000 watt amp?
If you've read this far and are starting to rethink 150's, hair tricks, and broken windshields, you can still enjoy considerable bass with a single high output alternator in your car or truck. As a general rule, you need about 100 amps of current for every 1000 watts of power generated.
What size alternator do I need for 2000 watt amp?
To figure out how much capacity or amperage the alternator must deliver, determine how much extra power the audio system demands on top of the current system. For example, if you installed a 2,000-watt amp, assuming a nominal voltage of 13.5V, you'd add roughly 150 amps of demand to the electrical system.
How many amps do you need to charge a car battery?
A basic charger usually charges at around 2 amps - and so needs 24 hours to deliver the 48 amps needed to fully charge a flat, 48 amp hour battery. But there is a wide range of chargers with different charge rates on the market - from 2 to 10 amps. The higher the charge output, the faster a flat battery is recharged.
What size alternator do I need for 3000 watts?
3000 watt / 12V is equal to 250A. A 250A alternator is needed to keep up with it. Since your engine would have to work just as hard as any portable 3KW generator to keep up with the amplifier, you would need a large fuel tank.
Nikolai
Getting ready to start planning my stereo set up, and I need to know how many amps they make. I assume they're at least 120A, but I just want to make sure they're not less.
BodybyFisher
According to Rockauto, they sell 138, 140 and 150 amp alternators for your year. The 150 is an AC Delco with (KG4) in brackets which might represent an option like heated windshield or heated seats. Mike
MIke D
Are you going to gut the whole thing and run all aftermarket? If you do gut it, I'm running a memphis 500d 4 channel for inside and the 1000d for the subs. I got an alumapro 5 farad cap to help out. The only time I have problems is with the a/c on full blast and the radio above 75%. Definitely change out to an optima or comparable battery.
BMWburner
I remember reading somewhere that caddy alternators are actually three phase gererators. Any truth to that? I've never needed to mess around with an alternator. Knock on wood.....
MIke D
Hosed.. no pun intended..... Stealerships are bad.. twist the wrench your self...
SQPL Seville
Hello,I have an aftermarket 300amp alternator in my car.Its pretty much bullet proof.I always recommend the guy who makes the alt to all my fellow competitors.You can contact him @Dominick Iraggi <[email protected]>.Also,he has started to sell on Ebay I belive his name is trafficjamz.Just do a search of cadillac alternator and his name will surely pop up.