High Output Alternator for Custom Stereo?

[Isaiah Estrada]

Hi all, I'm getting a little ahead of myself as I'm nowhere near the point of installing a custom system into my 68 Chrysler. I would however like to have a good plan for when the time comes! I saw a video on YouTube (I'll attach the link below) of an awesome 1968 Chrysler 300 with a killer custom sound system. They mentioned using a Singer 300A alternator. I have never had luck finding such a high amp alternator for our cars. Do any of you have a custom sound system, and if so what alternator are you running that is powerful enough?

 

[Ross Wooldridge]

There are lots of options out there for high-powered aftermarket alternators to run high power stereos etc. However, you really need to upgrade the wiring in your car to handle it before the installation of such a device, otherwise you stand the chance of burning your car down to the ground.

The weakest link in our car's wiring is the bulkhead connector. The first thing you need to do is eliminate the amp gauge and bypass the connections to the alternator through the bulkhead. It's a really poor design and it's a fire waiting to happen. You may have already been aware of this and have researched here on the site - look up "ammeter bypass" and "bulkhead bypass". If you haven't already, do it and incorporate it into your wiring now. It's a simple and effective upgrade that makes your car safer, regardless of whether you choose to upgrade the alternator.

Others here will be able to chime in on the best way to upgrade your wiring to handle the height current that can be delivered by high-powered aftermarket alternators. Rest assured there will be some upgrades needed and you'll be wise to do them. Again, you don't want your hard work and dreams to go up in smoke and if you don't do it right. It will - I've seen it happen.

 

[Isaiah Estrada]

There are lots of options out there for high-powered aftermarket alternators to run high power stereos etc. However, you really need to upgrade the wiring in your car to handle it before the installation of such a device, otherwise you stand the chance of burning your car down to the ground.

The weakest link in our car's wiring is the bulkhead connector. The first thing you need to do is eliminate the amp gauge and bypass the connections to the alternator through the bulkhead. It's a really poor design and it's a fire waiting to happen. You may have already been aware of this and have researched here on the site - look up "ammeter bypass" and "bulkhead bypass". If you haven't already, do it and incorporate it into your wiring now. It's a simple and effective upgrade that makes your car safer, regardless of whether you choose to upgrade the alternator.

Others here will be able to chime in on the best way to upgrade your wiring to handle the height current that can be delivered by high-powered aftermarket alternators. Rest assured there will be some upgrades needed and you'll be wise to do them. Again, you don't want your hard work and dreams to go up in smoke and if you don't do it right. It will - I've seen it happen.

Very true! I do have an older thread saved somewhere on my phone that details every step of the ammeter bypass. Definitely also going to redo the wiring of the car Thanks so much for the advice

 

[Davea Lux]

Keep in mind your car probably only has a 42-50 amp w/o air or a 65 amp two groove unit with air. That is a long way from the 300 amps that you are proposing for a conversion. In addition to the ammeter by pass, you will need to also resize the hot lead from the alternator to the battery as the 65 amp wiring will toast it self almost instantly with a 300 amp load. If you are going to come any where near a 300 amp load, you will need a 4/0 wire size, that is battery cable sized wiring. If you battery cables are not 4/0, they will need to be upgraded as well. Your stock fuse block and firewall plug will also need to be isolated from the high output alternator. You would probably want to install a high amperage relay, properly protected, to a secondary fuse or breaker system to run the high output stereo. Before doing any of this, you need to settle on the amperage needs of whatever stereo system you intend to install and proceed to size the wiring and alternator to match. Keep in mind you are sizing wiring for the input draw of the system not the stereo output.

Dave

 

[Isaiah Estrada]

Keep in mind your car probably only has a 42-50 amp w/o air or a 65 amp two groove unit with air. That is a long way from the 300 amps that you are proposing for a conversion. In addition to the ammeter by pass, you will need to also resize the hot lead from the alternator to the battery as the 65 amp wiring will toast it self almost instantly with a 300 amp load. If you are going to come any where near a 300 amp load, you will need a 4/0 wire size, that is battery cable sized wiring. If you battery cables are not 4/0, they will need to be upgraded as well. Your stock fuse block and firewall plug will also need to be isolated from the high output alternator. You would probably want to install a high amperage relay, properly protected, to a secondary fuse or breaker system to run the high output stereo. Before doing any of this, you need to settle on the amperage needs of whatever stereo system you intend to install and proceed to size the wiring and alternator to match. Keep in mind you are sizing wiring for the input draw of the system not the stereo output.

Dave

Thanks !

 

[65sporty]

My kid has a Brand X alternator on his 04 Saturn Ion, I don't remember the output. I believe it's 280 amps. 3 runs of 1/0 wire to the batteries in the trunk

 

[Davea Lux]

Multiple runs also work with a smaller wire size, sometimes that is cheaper, sometimes not. I'll bet the Saturn is pretty gutless with that amperage draw.

Dave

 

[65sporty]

Multiple runs also work with a smaller wire size, sometimes that is cheaper, sometimes not. I'll bet the Saturn is pretty gutless with that amperage draw.

Dave

As you know it only puts out what the system requires, normal driving it seems ok. When the system is running full tilt he is usually sitting still with the rpm around 1500-2000

 

[Vmaxer]

Don't forget about the regulator . When I was younger and dumber , ( back in 1986 ), I had a killer stereo with a stock charging system in my '66 300 , ( My friends bugged me about having a $ 6000 stereo in a car that I only paid $ 180 for ) .If I cranked the stereo at a stop light , it would shut the car off .The stereo drew 75 amps , but the alternator only put out about 45. So , I put in a 110 amp alt but still used the stock mechanical regulator ..... one night on the way home ,all of a sudden it went to full charge and my headlights blew like an electronic flash going off . I pulled over and disconnected the alt and ran home on my high beams . It melted my bulkhead connector ,welded the regulator, fried the amp gauge and melted some wires . Afterwards , I put relays on the headlights , ( halogen ), bypassed the amp gauge and put in a volt gauge and replaced a lot of the wiring harness with heavier gauge wires and replaced the bulkhead connector and fusible link and changed to an electronic regulator .

 

[FURYGT]

Keep in mind your car probably only has a 42-50 amp w/o air or a 65 amp two groove unit with air. That is a long way from the 300 amps that you are proposing for a conversion. In addition to the ammeter by pass, you will need to also resize the hot lead from the alternator to the battery as the 65 amp wiring will toast it self almost instantly with a 300 amp load. If you are going to come any where near a 300 amp load, you will need a 4/0 wire size, that is battery cable sized wiring. If you battery cables are not 4/0, they will need to be upgraded as well. Your stock fuse block and firewall plug will also need to be isolated from the high output alternator. You would probably want to install a high amperage relay, properly protected, to a secondary fuse or breaker system to run the high output stereo. Before doing any of this, you need to settle on the amperage needs of whatever stereo system you intend to install and proceed to size the wiring and alternator to match. Keep in mind you are sizing wiring for the input draw of the system not the stereo output.

Dave

In my experience, the '68 non A/C C Bodies had 37 amp alternators and the A/C cars had 45 amp alternators.

 

[FURYGT]

Hi all, I'm getting a little ahead of myself as I'm nowhere near the point of installing a custom system into my 68 Chrysler. I would however like to have a good plan for when the time comes! I saw a video on YouTube (I'll attach the link below) of an awesome 1968 Chrysler 300 with a killer custom sound system. They mentioned using a Singer 300A alternator. I have never had luck finding such a high amp alternator for our cars. Do any of you have a custom sound system, and if so what alternator are you running that is powerful enough?

300 amps is awful high amount. My 2021 Ram 3500 has the optional high output alternator and I think that is a 380 amp alternator and my truck has multiple computers, cameras, a good sized screen etc...

One option is to install a second RV/Marine type battery and a battery isolator and have your audio equipment run off the second battery. This set up would keep your starting battery charged and separated from your audio system's power draw and once the starting battery was fully charged the isolator would then charge the second battery. This is how most motor-homes are set up and this type of system has been used for several decades. Just an outside of the box alternative way of dealing with your goal.

 

[Ross Wooldridge]

I think @FURYGT 's suggestion is a really good one, and the safest.

 

[badvs3vil]

My 73 Newport has 2 12's in the trunk with a 500watt amp and a cap. I installed a 90 amp alternator to handle it and the other electronics I installed, like a 10.1 android tablet that runs my sounds.

 

[Isaiah Estrada]

300 amps is awful high amount. My 2021 Ram 3500 has the optional high output alternator and I think that is a 380 amp alternator and my truck has multiple computers, cameras, a good sized screen etc...

One option is to install a second RV/Marine type battery and a battery isolator and have your audio equipment run off the second battery. This set up would keep your starting battery charged and separated from your audio system's power draw and once the starting battery was fully charged the isolator would then charge the second battery. This is how most motor-homes are set up and this type of system has been used for several decades. Just an outside of the box alternative way of dealing with your goal.

Very good idea, thanks!

 

[Isaiah Estrada]

My 73 Newport has 2 12's in the trunk with a 500watt amp and a cap. I installed a 90 amp alternator to handle it and the other electronics I installed, like a 10.1 android tablet that runs my sounds.

Sounds legit! I am only asking, because I plan to run a nice system but also power interior LED lighting and to power an old 1960s Sony Micro TV retrofitted as an onboard smart computer to play old movies and such. I do have an audio shop in mind also so I'm sure they can help me figure this all out. What brand alternator you using?

 

[badvs3vil]

Sounds legit! I am only asking, because I plan to run a nice system but also power interior LED lighting and to power an old 1960s Sony Micro TV retrofitted as an onboard smart computer to play old movies and such. I do have an audio shop in mind also so I'm sure they can help me figure this all out. What brand alternator you using?

Yeah I use my android tablet for movies, music videos and such. I also have a raspberry pi for weird side projects while out driving.

Here is the Alt that I got - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000PDIBX0/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[Isaiah Estrada]

Yeah I use my android tablet for movies, music videos and such. I also have a raspberry pi for weird side projects while out driving.

Here is the Alt that I got - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000PDIBX0/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

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Nice! I actually was going to put a Raspberry PI into my car also! My brother is an IT Tech. I love late 1960s Kustom Cars and 70s lowriders so this project was going to be a bit of both. The Micro TV was a cool accessory and some people would mount them under the dash or build a custom center console and mount the TV there! I plan to do the same for my ride with a cool center console that matches the style of the dashboard to look stock. We'd program the Raspberry Pi and use the tv as a display.

 

[badvs3vil]

Nice! I actually was going to put a Raspberry PI into my car also! My brother is an IT Tech. I love late 1960s Kustom Cars and 70s lowriders so this project was going to be a bit of both. The Micro TV was a cool accessory and some people would mount them under the dash or build a custom center console and mount the TV there! I plan to do the same for my ride with a cool center console that matches the style of the dashboard to look stock. We'd program the Raspberry Pi and use the tv as a display.

Yeah I am actually an IT guy and a gamer myself. So anytime I do anything, I have to bring in some of my passion into it. I think mine is a little to much though, if I get a chance today, Ill take a quick video and my sounds in action. LOL

 

[70bigblockdodge]

My Kraco stereo jams pretty good!
Sorry could not resist.
Good advice in here, your a smart young man to ask questions and listen to all of us old guys around here. Carry on.