[steffen707]

Originally Posted by AndrewJ

Don't jinx it!

I've actually got a pretty good feeling about this tank. The odometer seems to confirm it....


Anyway, I just got off the phone with a guy who owns a golf-cart dealership in town. He said that on Thursday he's getting a load of 12 "used" deep cycle batteries from a ZAP electric car, and he'll sell me a few of them for whatever the core price is.

So, looks like I'll be using Darin's battery testing method and looking for a cheap 12v charger.

While I had the ECU pulled out trying to hook up my SuperMID, I also spliced into my "Alternator Control" wire.
And for all you curious folks with civics/integras/preludes, here's an ECU pinout so you can find it too. It's pin 16A (white/green wire)

Here's a nice article about Honda's alternator control circuitry.


Turns out that by grounding the Alt control wire, the alt shuts off. I tested it all out with my DMM and it looks to be true. 14.4v before, and 12.5ish when the alt control wire is grounded, and there's a noticeable difference in the sound of the engine at idle when doing this.

Here's a little list of things I'm trying to collect within the next few weeks:
-two 6v or 12v deep cycle batteries
-small digital voltmeter (to mount on the dash)
-interuptor switch (to ground the alt control wire)
-4awg jumper cables, welding cable or amplifier wiring kit.
-12v battery charger (around 15 amps)

I wonder how quickly the battery will be depleated without the alternator, I also wonder how fast the alternator can charge the battery back up to full power.

My thought was that on a long road trip, you could disable the alternator for an hour, and then let it run for an hour.

Sure it wouldn't be as big of a gain as no alternator at all, but if what I read about increasing MPG by 10% with alternator delete is true, then perhaps 50% alternator use would gain 5%? Might be worth it without as much hassle as the deep cycle battery and having to charge the car up every night.