Alternator Upgrade
JeffP
Senior Jeeper
- Posts
- 536
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- Location
- Peoria, AZ
- Vehicle(s)
- '75 CJ5, 304, T18, D20, D44s w/3.73 1974 CJ5, 304, 4 spd., Dana axles 3.73 gears. 1973 CJ5, 258 I6, T18, Dana 20, Dana axles 4.27 gears. 1972 CJ5, 304, 4 Spd, Dana 20, 4.27 gears. 1976 CJ5, 304, T150. 1976 CJ5, 304, T150, J20 w/4.10 gears. 69 CJ5 Hurricane 4 cyl, 4spd all original! ‘53/‘54 M38a1 100% original but also 100% apart! Low 3 digit Vin! One of the very first m38a1s!
Some haven’t considered a battery / alternator upgrade after installing an electric winch. Perhaps they should.
The duty cycle on nearly all electric winches is about the same... up to one minute pull, 10 minutes cooling & battery recharge.
Two main things kill winches, heat and low voltage/current.
We can’t do much for cooling but wait. We can however make a difference in battery capacity. I used Interstate brand, group 27 batteries for decades, often with two connected in parallel successfully.
Just over a decade ago I switched to single Optima batteries in the group 24 size. Performance is equal or better.
In both setups I switched from the Autolite / Motorcraft alternator to the Delco - internal regulator, 100 amp minimum.
There were several reasons. Higher amperage = faster recovery time, lower cost and of course the speed and ease to rebuild one out on a trail somewhere. Rather than carry a bulky spare, I can just carry a regulator / diode board in my toolbox along with the spare belts / hoses etc..
I’m not walking if I can help it!
Some may feel the investment simply isn’t worth it. In reality I’ve saved quite a bit with the “upgrade”.
The duty cycle on nearly all electric winches is about the same... up to one minute pull, 10 minutes cooling & battery recharge.
Two main things kill winches, heat and low voltage/current.
We can’t do much for cooling but wait. We can however make a difference in battery capacity. I used Interstate brand, group 27 batteries for decades, often with two connected in parallel successfully.
Just over a decade ago I switched to single Optima batteries in the group 24 size. Performance is equal or better.
In both setups I switched from the Autolite / Motorcraft alternator to the Delco - internal regulator, 100 amp minimum.
There were several reasons. Higher amperage = faster recovery time, lower cost and of course the speed and ease to rebuild one out on a trail somewhere. Rather than carry a bulky spare, I can just carry a regulator / diode board in my toolbox along with the spare belts / hoses etc..
I’m not walking if I can help it!
Some may feel the investment simply isn’t worth it. In reality I’ve saved quite a bit with the “upgrade”.