HOW TO INSTALL DUAL ALTERNATORS

This article is from Car Audio Magazine. It show you how to install dual alternators so that you don't loose power due to the sound system that you have in your trunk.

Article Address: http://www.caraudiomag.com/technical/0206cae_dual_alternator/index.html

Dual Alternator

Pound Harder... Last Longer!!!

By Duane Uyeda

Finding it difficult to find pounding power? Need long lasting stamina? Are you finding it difficult to play as long as you really want to? Don't call your doctor, forget the prescriptions; we have the answer to your vehicle's power starvation problems. (What did you think we were talking about??)

With the complexity of today's vehicle electrical systems and critical engine management computers, the addition of aftermarket accessories which we all find so fun to have brings forth a very strong question; will my alternator and battery be able to handle everything? It is not uncommon to find vehicles with airbag suspensions on board, or pavement pounding audio systems, or both, in many of our rides today. With the amount of power everything requires to operate properly, many factory electrical systems cannot supply the current demand of these aftermarket features. What if you had a separate charging system strictly for the compressors, amplifiers, and all other power-sucking goodies? This would leave your factory electrical system otherwise untouched, completely isolated from everything else, letting it do the important things like make your vehicle run. After all, the last thing anyone wants to do is replace the costly engine computer.

We found this new dual alternator and battery kit from Dave's DC Electric. This kit utilizes either a secondary factory alternator, or if needed, a highly dependable, high output model. Now we're talking... two separate alternators, two separate batteries... let the fun begin! Follow along as we show you the installation of this kit, and see just how simple and factory it looks under the hood. The addition of more power never was better than this!

Quality tools for a quality job! These are the basic tools which will be used to install the dual alternator kit PROPERLY! Even more important than proper tools is the experience of the hands; Dave's DC Electric prides upon many years of experience in the automotive electrical field.	The dual alternator kit from Dave's DC Electric. This kit includes 100% new parts; the 160 amp alternator, necessary brackets, hardware, drive belt, wire harness, and relay circuit. Unlike other companies on the market, Dave's provides very detailed instructions, as well as pre-installation and post-installation checklists to ensure proper operation. Dave's makes it as simple as possible for a moderately skilled mechanic to perform this installation.	The air horn is being removed from the throttle body in order to gain access to the drive belt for the factory alternator. Next, remove the upper plastic engine shroud from the motor. Once the top shroud is removed, the driver's side engine shroud can then be removed for slight modifications later.
Once the spring-loaded tensioner is loosened, the belt is easily removed from the pulleys.		When the belt is removed, the bottom right foot alternator bolt can be removed. This will allow you to rotate the alternator upward to make room for the secondary alternator.
Using the supplied brackets and hardware in the kit, the secondary alternator can now find a new home under the hood! Notice how the bracket ties the two alternators together; the lower mount of the second alternator finds its mount within the factory alternator mount cradle. Rest assured that Dave's kit uses the highest quality materials for the modifications.	Remember that driver's side engine shroud we removed earlier? It's now time to shave off the front mounting tab to allow clearance for the secondary alternator. Losing this tab will not affect integrity of this cover, because not only are the remaining mounting tabs still in tact, but it becomes structurally rigid once the upper engine shroud is replaced and secured to the motor.	Voila! Here is the result of the installation phase. Once the engine shrouds are replaced, and all mounting bolts to the alternators and mounts are tightened, the new belt can be routed on the pulleys. Don't forget to tighten the belt tensioner once everything is in place, and replace the air horn onto the throttle body. When you take a step back to marvel at your labors, this is what you should be looking at.
Don't take too long a break, because it's now time to make room for the secondary battery! This photo shows the location where the battery tray will be installed, just behind the engine coolant reservoir. The curved metal bracket you see attaching the fender to the cowl will be removed, and the battery tray mounts in the pocket area above the inner wheel well next to the fender. The Odyssey battery is retained on the tray with a supplied hold-down bracket.	With the secondary battery in place, the alternator can now be wired to it for charging duties. Wiring the relay seen here will not only activate the alternator once the motor is running, but also isolate the two charging systems. This is critical, because you cannot have two separate alternators sharing charging duties within themselves.	The relay can be mounted in any fashion, but here it is mounted directly to the firewall of the engine compartment. Dave uses 4-gauge power and ground cables to carry current from the secondary alternator to its battery. Notice how he routes and secures all wiring away from critical areas under the hood. Not only is this a good safety measure, it will promote many years of maintenance-free usage of your new charging system.
After double checking all installation points, it is now time to test it all out. Dave is quick to point out that both the primary and secondary batteries must be fully charged before the engine can be started. If not, the charging systems will show inaccurate readings, complicating the final process. With the motor running, a quick check of the digital multimeter shows the output of the secondary alternator at 14.74 volts. Perfecto! Again, a detailed post-installation checklist is provided by Dave's DC to help ensure that your newly installed charging system is working properly. This really takes the guesswork out of the testing phase.