Thread: Alternator Mods
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Old 07-04-2008, 01:10 PM   #15 (permalink)
gascort
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Gascort RIP - '93 Ford Escort Wagon
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Like others have said, reducing accessories reduces the magnetic field and thus resistance within the alternator, raising FE. My friend had a HUGE (like 2000W) stereo in his car; when he turned his amp on, it was like a "slowness switch".
FYI - a car's electrical system (necessary stuff like ecm, ignition, sensors) is typically somewhere around 300-400W without lights, radio, etc. Newer cars are more than older cars I'm sure.

Noone's mentioned using a deep cycle battery and a plug-in charger. This is what I'm planning on doing; running a kill switch on my car and when I'm commuting 15 miles to and from work, running on straight battery when I can. The alternator sees no extra duty and the deep-cycle battery is made to be discharged and recharged with minimal sulfation. Electrical power is more efficiently produced in a power plant than in your car, and with current prices, it's way cheaper too!
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