Need an Alternator upgrade for this Setup?

[Bru9]

I have a 2000 NM petrol and I'm reading about high amp ratings for basic systems & how you don't get the full rated amps. Out of curiosity & for future planning, is the stock alternator up to the job for the following setup at night time?

A/C running, at least two HID spotties, some large led light bar, a 60L fridge, plus an aux battery with redarc isolator.

Is it an issue with an alternator upgrade like with voltages in my case?

thanks

[Smiderman]

Not real sure but think it's a matter of adding up the watts used by all items and apply amps= watts/volts or ampsxvolts =watts and so on and if total amps exceeds that your alternator is capable of then reduce consumption or increase out put.

[mrbitchi]

I have a 2000 NM petrol and I'm reading about high amp ratings for basic systems & how you don't get the full rated amps. Out of curiosity & for future planning, is the stock alternator up to the job for the following setup at night time?

A/C running, at least two HID spotties, some large led light bar, a 60L fridge, plus an aux battery with redarc isolator.

Is it an issue with an alternator upgrade like with voltages in my case?

thanks

With a light bar don't go by what the seller tells you. Every one I've measured actually draws much less than advertised, which means you're not actually getting what you pay for. Eg I've got a 120w bar that draws 7amps, which means it's max output is about 90watts. Another one my brother has is a 240watt bar that draws about 9 amps, about 110 watts. Light bars would be one of the biggest rip offs around.

[Bru9]

Not real sure but think it's a matter of adding up the watts used by all items and apply amps= watts/volts or ampsxvolts =watts and so on and if total amps exceeds that your alternator is capable of then reduce consumption or increase out put.

I think you can only use like 70-80% of the rated output & the stock systems already use a large portion so my reading suggests.

With a light bar don't go by what the seller tells you. Every one I've measured actually draws much less than advertised, which means you're not actually getting what you pay for. Eg I've got a 120w bar that draws 7amps, which means it's max output is about 90watts. Another one my brother has is a 240watt bar that draws about 9 amps, about 110 watts. Light bars would be one of the biggest rip offs around.

Interesting. Rip offs. anyway I judge the bar by its light output with my eyes. And the brand names in aus cost so much, now I will avoid them even more.

[Easykill1978]

depends

if your car is a diesel, than it wont use much from the alternator (no spark plugs) and it would be easy enough to fit 110amp alternator, or run that on the std alternator, i had no troubles for 3 weeks trip with the stock alternator running all my gizmos and charging my battery i went too 13.4volts with all my stuff on .

you also gen dont drive hundreds of kms at night anyways.

also you cant compare apples with apples when it comes to light bars, you would have to measure luminosity and brightness.

i would allways expect LED light bars to draw less amps than conventional spoties and produce simila/greater levels of light.

its allways best to state if your driving a diesel or petrol (and litre size for petrols) in your signature, saves us guessing.

[Bru9]

depends

if your car is a diesel, than it wont use much from the alternator (no spark plugs) and it would be easy enough to fit 110amp alternator, or run that on the std alternator, i had no troubles for 3 weeks trip with the stock alternator running all my gizmos and charging my battery i went too 13.4volts with all my stuff on .

you also gen dont drive hundreds of kms at night anyways.

also you cant compare apples with apples when it comes to light bars, you would have to measure luminosity and brightness.

i would allways expect LED light bars to draw less amps than conventional spoties and produce simila/greater levels of light.

its allways best to state if your driving a diesel or petrol (and litre size for petrols) in your signature, saves us guessing.

Going by the numbers of their electrical systems from some members my petrol would be using alot of the 100amps my alternator can dish out at night. There is no way the left overs could run a few spotties & one large lightbar. Plus a demanding fridge at night. Or two comp units.

I can easily do alot of night driving for what ever reasons. It now seems obvious I will have to get an upgrade eventually.

[Rainmann]

With a light bar don't go by what the seller tells you. Every one I've measured actually draws much less than advertised, which means you're not actually getting what you pay for. Eg I've got a 120w bar that draws 7amps, which means it's max output is about 90watts. Another one my brother has is a 240watt bar that draws about 9 amps, about 110 watts. Light bars would be one of the biggest rip offs around.

Mr Bitchi, 120 watt and 7 amp load would require 17volts (which is what your light bar is rated for) , 12 volts with a 7 amp load will only produce 85 watts. And 90watts with 7amp load needs 12.8 volts so your lightbar is spot on.
Output watts of a lightbat is the maximum it can produce if you want to know what you are able to get it's (watts ÷ amps = volts required ) and you only produce 12.8 volts.

[Shopping Trolley]

Going by the numbers of their electrical systems from some members my petrol would be using alot of the 100amps my alternator can dish out at night. There is no way the left overs could run a few spotties & one large lightbar. Plus a demanding fridge at night. Or two comp units.

I can easily do alot of night driving for what ever reasons. It now seems obvious I will have to get an upgrade eventually.

Keep in mind that the fridge will not be drawing much at night. My 40L engel draws 4 amps when running but only runs about 1 minute in 10 at night.

I think you will have no issues with the standard alternator.

[Dicko1]

I have a 2000 NM petrol and I'm reading about high amp ratings for basic systems & how you don't get the full rated amps. Out of curiosity & for future planning, is the stock alternator up to the job for the following setup at night time?

A/C running, at least two HID spotties, some large led light bar, a 60L fridge, plus an aux battery with redarc isolator.

Is it an issue with an alternator upgrade like with voltages in my case?

thanks

Your worrying over nothing. Your fridge will run off the aux. I doubt very much you will continuously have 2 spotties and lightbar running with traffic and built up areas. A decent lightbar almost negates the use of HID anyway.

Your car will cope fine.