220amp Alternator Upgrade for 6.4

[btsbarton]

Just wanted to post this here for any future forum goers searching for info.

Stock/base alternator on the 6.4 hemi is 180amp.
I think 4th gen power wagons you could order with the 220amp single alternator upgrade or the dual alternator upgrade (220 primary + 160amp secondary)
5th/4.5th Gen PW come with the 180amp as base or the duals as an option. I don’t believe the 220amp single is available in 2019+.

Why do you want more amps? Winching has high amp draw at low rpm, so a more powerful alternator will help keep the battery voltage up during long, heavy pulls, and recharge it quicker in between pulls (the Warn zeon 12-s can draw up to 469amps under full load). Other electronic accessories add electrical draw to the battery... lighting, sound system, air compressor, and Plows(though plows are not officially supported for power wagons, worth noting the 220amp alternator is included on regular 2500’s when they get a plow prep package)

Anyways, my 2019 4.5th Gen only has the 180amp. The 220amp NipponDenso unit is a superior alternator. Its max output is 40amps higher, but it is has “hairpin” conductors (cross section is rectangular like a hairpin) and is wound different... it is a more efficient design and produces more amps at a lower rpm.
Mechman and PowerBastards offer aftermarket alternators based off this design in the 300+amp range and should be plug and play as well. I went OEM since I’m still under warranty, and the cost was lower.

Installation is plug and play, no programming required. Straightforward if you can turn a wrench. Just dc the battery, remove engine cover, remove serpentine belt, dc connector and main lead. Remove the 2 bolts holding it on, and then loosen the bolts on the face of the alternator to get it to come off the bracket(the main bolts activate have press-in sleeves that clamp to the bracket, loosening the face bolts allow you to remove the 180amp alternator.) Install new one and put it so back together.

The 220amp is p/n 56029644AB. The back of the alternator is black. The 180amp unit has a black band around the center but the back of the case is silver color aluminum

[TankerZak]

I keep eyeing the Mechman 370A as it's the one upgrade I didn't get on the truck that I should have. But I just haven't ever needed it. But of course soon as I do... or the stock dies I'll do it.

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[btsbarton]

One concern / consideration I had about going with a very high Output aftermarket alternator is whether the stock wiring can handle it

[TankerZak]

Yeah, I'd thought about that. I know when I did the research that going to dual alternators changed a pretty major wiring harness and wasn't plug and play. It was fairly extensive. So the wires from the alternator to the battery would have to be verified for guage.

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[RustyPW]

I installed a 270 amp alternator from DC Power last summer. I also up graded my wiring. The cable from the alternator to the fuse block and the ground wire to 1/0 cable.