Alternator Delete, method 1 & method 2

[mans]

When performing an alternator delete, there are 2 primary ways of doing so.

#1 is to remove the alternator from the vehicle, alternator , pully and belt.

#2 is to leave the alternator in place, pully belt and all and you simply disconnect the wiring from the alternator so it will freewheel and not generate resistance.

My question is, when performing method #2 wil the freewheeling alternator still create substantial enough drag to make #1 the preferred method?

I don't know how much drag is caused by a freewheeling alternator and belt and I'm trying to get an idea.

[Daox]

Not enough to worry at all about. Its got bearings on each end. You can spin an alternator pretty easily by hand, and it'll coast for a while.

[toc]

Is that true of A/C compressors with the clutch as well?

[Daox]

Yeah an AC compressor clutch disengaged is probably even easier to spin. There is less rotational weight.

[ProDarwin]

Originally Posted by toc

Is that true of A/C compressors with the clutch as well?

Probably moreso than the alternator. They have almost no resistance with the clutch disengaged.

[California98Civic]

I run a deep cycle battery and disable my alt (but leave it in place). Much benefit. And I still can have access to it when I go for longer trips than my daily driving. That's the BIG plus.

Originally Posted by toc

Is that true of A/C compressors with the clutch as well?

You could still remove the A/C for weight reduction. I removed mine for that reason. All depends on your taste and tolerance.

[brucepick]

Considering the effort in removing + replacing the belt, I plan on leaving mine assembled. But I'm considering sorting out which of the four small wires in the connector can be severed to disable the alt and then rig a switch and/or relay to control it.

Most Hondas use a unique "ELD" circuit to control the alt; I read something indicating I might need to actually ground one of those wires - but I'm not betting on it.

Anyway, I plan to leave it assembled. For flat-out mpg competition, one might remove the whole thing, but it needs to be fully charged and your range is limited to how much of a charge you can load into your battery.

[oil pan 4]

I plan on doing some tests on my spare delco 95a alternator with no load (with and with out the little stamped sheet metal fan), and power steering pumps to see how much power it takes to turn them.

[kurzer]

almost every alternator seemed to have no magnets in the rotor to generate power. in there are coils. the current for the coils is come fromr the alternator himself.

once, many years ago, i had a voltage gauge and a bad alternator. i guess, one of three diodes for the exiting current was unsoldered. i think so, because some weeks later one diode does a gigant shortcut directly in the alternator.

however, with only 2 diodes the voltage drops down, slightly over the batterie voltage. a little charge remained, as long as no power was needed.

i afraid, in nower days it might be impossibel, to reach and modify the inner parts of a regulator.

but the honda story is verry intersting. i´d like to see some wiring and a list of cars, using this. it´s been arround since 20 years, and european car makers now feeding their comercials with this stuff.

[mans]

Originally Posted by oil pan 4

I plan on doing some tests on my spare delco 95a alternator with no load (with and with out the little stamped sheet metal fan), and power steering pumps to see how much power it takes to turn them.

in your tests if you are using a belt tightened up to equal the tension in the car, you will find out if any power is lost due to the belt.

a belt when it's off the car usually falls to a natural position. when its in the car its tight around the pullys. perhaps that takes up some energy when it turns?

the folks here don't seem too concerned with that, I assume it isn't much.

in your tests you'll find out how much that is. let us know.