Can you recommend a High Power alternator for Hella Lights?

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Oct 30, 2014 | 06:40 AM

#11

drowssap

Baja

Joined: Feb 2011

Posts: 9,298

Likes: 318

From: Boston Strong

150 amp range rover is a direct replacement for your 120amp

Oct 30, 2014 | 09:13 AM

#12

Babymog

Overlanding

Joined: Oct 2014

Posts: 16

Likes: 1

From: NE Indiana

6 100w bulbs = 600w = ~50a @ 12vdc.
If you're not running the A/C, heated glass, bun warmers, and other high-draw stuff you'll be fine with the lights even at low RPM (alternators are not rated at idle).

Regardless of the size of your battery/batteries, you need to have enough charging to be able to carry all normal loads (not necessarily intermittent, like starter and winch) plus a little left over for charging or you will deplete the batteries.

Oct 30, 2014 | 01:10 PM

#13

cobbcj7

Thread Starter

Rock Crawling

Joined: Jan 2009

Posts: 414

Likes: 2

From: Charlotte NC

Quote:

Originally Posted by OffroadFrance

More to the point will your battery and overall wiring system stand the extra power requirements. Lights are a major power soak if they aren't LED's. The alternator charges the battery and tops it up and everything operates from the battery therefore the alternator merely ensures the battery is as fully charged as possible. More draw requires more storage or in other words a larger capacity battery. You can buy larger capacity batteries and alternators bearing in mind the more power you draw the heavier the fuel consumption when drawing down the additional power. The analogy is a portable generator, when there's no load power drawdown the engine ticks over comfortably when it's on max power drawdown the engine works far harder using more fuel and indeed sounds like it is working hard.

I would check your facts on the purpose of an alternator.. When you have a bad alternator, to test it you can start your engine and the pull the power cable off the battery, and if the engine dies immediately, you know your alternator has failed.. Therefore, your car basically runs off the alternator and the battery is simply there to start the engine..