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Re: Adding alternator to a 4A

To: Russell Messersmith <krus@worldnet.att.net>
Subject: Re: Adding alternator to a 4A
From: "John or Adrienne O'Leary" <aoleary@bw.edu>
Date: Fri, 13 Aug 1999 08:52:22 -0400 (EDT)
Cc: Tony Rhodes <ARhodes@compuserve.com>, Randall Young <ryoung@navcomtech.com>, Triumph List <triumphs@autox.team.net>
Hello--I'm new to the list.How do I find the VTR pages? Thanks.John
O'Leary


On Thu, 12 Aug 1999, Russell Messersmith wrote:

> 
> I have been using a 60 amp GM alterntor in my 1967 TR4A for almost a year. 
> No wiring melt down or any problem.  I used Dan Masters instructions to
> make my conversion.  My ammeter does bury the needle upon first start up
> but very quickly comes back to below 30 amps and eventually to about 1 or 2
> amps under general running conditions.  You can get Dan Masters'
> instructions for this conversion from the VTR pages or contact Dan directly
> on the list.  
> 
> Russ Messersmith
> 1967 TR4A
> 1972 TR6
> 
> ----------
> > From: Tony Rhodes <ARhodes@compuserve.com>
> > To: Randall Young <ryoung@navcomtech.com>; Triumph List
> <triumphs@autox.team.net>
> > Subject: RE: Adding alternator to a 4A
> > Date: Thursday, August 12, 1999 5:35 PM
> > 
> > 
> > Message text written by Randall Young
> > >
> > >If you really want to isolate high charging current from the rest of the
> 
> > >wiring, one way would be to use a high current diode from the alternator
> 
> > >output to the starter solenoid.  It won't conduct until the voltage
> across
> > 
> > >it rises to about 0.7 volts, which isn't enough to harm the wiring, but 
> > >will bypass any excess.
> > >
> > >Or, I can probably brew up a circuit using the old regulator, an
> external 
> > >relay, and a "battery isolator" to bypass the original charging circuit 
> > >when the current gets too high, but it hardly seems worth the effort.<
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > Randall, my idea, poorly expressed, was to brew up the "batttery
> isolator"
> > you
> > describe.  I want to protect the original wiring from the full charging
> > current, but
> > retain the ammeter as is.  Even a shund across the back is OK only if the
> > brown
> > and brown-white wires are big enough, which I thought they were not.
> > 
> > I had not thought that the original wiring was sufficient for 60 or 90
> > amps.  That
> > brown-green wire going to the regulator looks like 12 gauge at the best. 
> > Is it really sufficient
> > to carry that amperage?
> > 
> > A high current diode with a 0.7 voltage drop seems just the ticket!  When
> > the battery is low,
> > it will pass current and bypass the main wiring harness and go directly
> to
> > the battery.  When the
> > battery is charged up fully, it will not draw that kind of current to
> cause
> > a significant voltage drop.
> > 
> > One question though, what kind of current do I have to draw through the
> > original wiring to create
> > more than 0.7 volts drop?  I'd have expected more than 30 amps.....  So,
> > maybe the simple diode
> > is not sufficient to adequately protect the original wiring.
> > 
> > Do you have any more thoughts about "brewing" up a circuit with an old
> > regulator?
> > 
> > -Tony 
> 






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