DC Power Engineering

[TwinStick]

Just ordered the 270 amp XP High Output Alternator for my truck. They are on sale, $130 off. Anyone else have one & how do you like it ???

Got tired real quick of my lights pulsating at night to the beat of my music on my way home from work. Battery was at 12.1 volts. Should be 12.5 or higher.

[Ducky's Dad]

Don't you have an Odyssey G65 or G31 under the hood?

[TwinStick]

Sears Die hard Platinum Gp65.

http://www.sears.com/diehard-platinum-a ... P?prdNo=37

It is NOT a deep cycle battery. It is NOT a Marine battery.

I am under the impression that ONLY the SDHPlatinum Marine batteries are made by Odyssey ??????????????

[Ducky's Dad]

I guess now I'm not sure. I thought all the DieHard Platinums were rebranded Odysseys. All Odysseys are deep cycle. The Sears website says your battery is AGM, and the case looks like Odyssey, so I dunno. Anyway, I was on the phone again this morning with Odyssey tech support because I just ordered an onboard refrigerator/freezer for the PW and I want to be sure I have my battery stuff in order before I go to Arizona later this summer. I bring this up because Odyssey confirmed that a fully charged Odyssey should show 12.84V or better, and my new 2150 is at 12.82V 22 hours after coming off the three-stage charger and completely disconnected from the PW. They said that was OK and I shouldn't worry, Yeah, right. The other thing that came out of that discussion was that most alternators output about 13.6-13.8V regardless of amperage, and the Odyssey batteries like about 14.2V input or better to optimize their charge. As far as we could determine, there is no adjustment on the stock PW alternator to bump up the voltage, but some aftermarket alternators do have adjustable voltage outputs. So, since you are ordering a new aftermarket alternator and may have one or two Odyssey batteries, you may want to check the availability of higher voltage output on your new alternator. Let me know what you find out because I am thinking of adding a third battery or a bigger alternator to support the new frig. Thx

[06ryan27]

What Amplifier(s) are you running in your truck?

[TwinStick]

http://www.memphiscaraudio.com/products ... 16prx5550/

DDad- I too will have 1 or 2 of the ARB fridge/freezers eventually. I want one dedicated fridge & one dedicated freezer. Either on the truck or my trailer.

[06ryan27]

Of that doesn't solve your problem, you can try running a more efficient amp like a JL HD
900/5 or a JL XD 600/6. I never had drainage issues with them.
I used to run the XD with no drainage problems at all. 75 watts per speaker and 300 on the sub side


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Ducky's Dad]

DDad- I too will have 1 or 2 of the ARB fridge/freezers eventually. I want one dedicated fridge & one dedicated freezer. Either on the truck or my trailer.

I did not buy an ARB because I could never get past the street price of the ARB or Engel frig/freezers. I did just order one of these, at $540, delivered to my door:

http://www.equipt1.com/item/travel-box- ... ge-freezer

I was on the waiting list with Equipt1 and just got an email on Monday that their shipment was stuck in Customs, probably until 2015. So I poked around and found a few in stock at TruckFridge in Kentucky http://www.truckfridge.com/tf51.html. But I did not order from TruckFridge because they charge for shipping. Ordered from Westy Ventures at http://www.westyventures.com/parts.html because he drop ships from TruckFridge and includes shipping in his price. Plus, Karl is a cool guy who does expedition and camper conversions on VW wagons and on Sprinters. Karl at Westy and Paul at Equipt1 are both good guys and very helpful. I'm not sure but TruckFridge may be the U.S. importer for Indel B. Equipt1 may be getting theirs from TruckFridge or may be importing directly. I read a lot of frig reviews on the expedition sites and the Indel B looks like the best bang for the buck. All three of the Indels have the same footprint and get the additional volume by using different midsections that change the height. I measured carefully before ordering, and the TF51 (50 liter) will fit nicely on the steel platform floor in my '05 QC, and still allow me to recline the seat for a nap. If I have to sleep in the cab, I can just move the frig to the other side of the back seat.

[coder]

Just ordered the 270 amp XP High Output Alternator for my truck.

Let us know how it works, I was thinking of upgrading when the time comes.

[TwinStick]

Called em yesterday, as i still have not received an e-mail w/my tracking #. I was advised it has not been built yet, but should be done in a week to week & a half.

[Twinsrdabest]

Wouldn't a audio capacitor work as well?

[Stickman]

A capacitor would work for just the dimming lights/audio issue he's having, but I think he got the alternator in case he wants more lights down the road. Then he wouldn't have to worry about upgrading the alternator. Just my thoughts. Kill 2 birds with 1 stone, eventually.

[TwinStick]

A capacitor would work for just the dimming lights/audio issue he's having, but I think he got the alternator in case he wants more lights down the road. Then he wouldn't have to worry about upgrading the alternator. Just my thoughts. Kill 2 birds with 1 stone, eventually.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^Yup, this. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

I have had my eyes on these: http://www.rigidindustries.com/led-lighting/54411 and these: http://www.quadratec.com/products/97017_180X_PG.htm

But are they expensive. Also some lights for the sides & back, but i want good ones for the front.

[Ducky's Dad]

some lights for the sides & back

I have installed a pair of D2 Duallies into cutouts in the rear bumper of the Tundra, but have not wired them yet. The specs indicate that raw lumens are amazing for their size. I'll post comments when I get them working, but they seem to be a much better solution than the bank of halogen lights I currently have on the back of the PW. They would fit nicely into cutouts in the PW stock bumper for a clean flush mount, but I'd have to break the Hellas to justify new Rigids. Could be arranged, I guess.

[TwinStick]

1568 Raw lumens......not too shabby for a small light. Do you have the flush mounts or the adjustable bolt ons ?

I saw a video of the ARB's....... They almost look too bright ???

http://store.arbusa.com/ARB-Intensity-L ... 22766.aspx


I like an even spread with no hotspots.

[trk4sale]

I have had mine for a while without any issues.
http://www.dodgetalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=327031

[Ducky's Dad]

1568 Raw lumens...

Nope, that's for the regular D-series. Double that for the D2 Dually, 3096 x two lights, equals 6192 lumens of backup lights mounted flush with the bumper surface. Rigid's website is a pain in the ass for finding stuff, but download their PDF catalog and look at the specs on page 30.

http://www.rigidindustries.com/sites/de ... index.html

This is what mine look like:

Also available with a silver finish if you order the marine version. Get a couple of extra gaskets if they are not going onto an absolutely flat surface. Easy hardmount if you are not afraid to cut square holes in expensive bumpers.

[Ducky's Dad]

Just ordered the 270 amp XP High Output Alternator for my truck. They are on sale, $130 off. Anyone else have one & how do you like it ???

I spoke with them today after another long conversation with tech support at Odyssey. It seems that my third battery idea for the fridge is going to require a higher output alternator and or a Dual Pro PS4 marine onboard charger. Odyssey told me that I should get the four-port DualPro unit and run the leads from three of those ports into my 2150 so that I could pump 45 amps into it when I have shore power (15 amps per port). That leaves one of the G34 batteries without its own lead, but still seemed like a good idea until I priced the sucker: $478 from Amazon, plus the cables and connectors I would need to reach the batteries. Makes a new alternator look a little better. Plus, that charger is big and heavy (the PW is running out of room for accessories).

So, back to alternators. Their website shows the 270 at $500, down from $630. Is that the sale price you found?

I described my last fried high amp alternator in the AZ desert with my dual-Optima GMC, and the tech support guy told me that could be a real problem with the Dodge because all Mopars have the voltage regulator built into the ECM and the regulator can't sense the temperature of the alternator. If it can't sense the alt temp, it can't shut it down if it overheats while trying to pump amps into all three batteries. He suggested jumpering the signal wire from the alt to the ECM, to fool the ECM into thinking it is still reading the factory alternator, while installing a regulator into the new alternator that can read alt temp and cycle it if it starts to overheat. I suspect this approach might require a gauge pod to monitor things, but not sure. Are you sticking with the ECM regulator or putting it on the alternator?

Post up here after you receive the new alternator. Thanks.

[05PWrockcrawler]

Interested in a bigger alternator to support my stereo and extra lights. Lights dim when my subs hit plus with bumper lights, two batteries, rock lights, phone charger, flashlight charger, etc. Let me know what you guys find out on the alternator and how it works.

[TwinStick]

Still waiting for mine to be built & delivered.

[Ducky's Dad]

Talked with DC Power again today. Their website says they ship in seven days. Guy told me it would be more like 3-4 weeks for a new order, so I'm looking at other alternatives.

[Ducky's Dad]

Found a DC Power 270 alternator in stock at their distributor in Missouri, and it's on the way to me. They have more if anybody needs one. Price with shipping was $50 higher than direct from DCP, but that is offset by no sales tax, so net is about the same. I'm going to use the factory ECM voltage regulator for now, and maybe add the external regulator later. Need to make up some 1/0 or 2/0 cables to support the new juice.

[Ducky's Dad]

Big day for the UPS driver. My DC Power 270 alternator came today, plus the new Blue Sea Systems isolator switches. This is turning into an expensive upgrade. Needed a 300 amp inline fuse for the new cable, $50 for holder and spare. Will probably replace the serpentine belt as part of the alternator installation, price TBD. Got two isolator switches, one 300 amp and one 350 amp, because I'm not sure which will fit under the back seat, so there's another $40 +/-. Biggest item other than the alternator itself will be the new cables. The chart that came with the alternator says I will need 4/0 cable for my total run, which I estimate at about 240"+ with the second and third batteries. I can piggy-back on top of the existing factory and aux cabling, probably by running new 2/0 in parallel with the current cable. But I will still need some 4/0 for the new #3 battery or will have to double up the 2/0. Spec sheet says I need 4/0 capacity up to 150F, but underhood temps in the desert will often be above 200F, so maybe I should use 3/0 on top of the existing wiring. And around here I can only buy the cable in spools of 5', 10', 25', 50', 100', and I need some in red and some in black. 2/0 is $7.50/ft and 4/0 is $12.00/ft, plus copper lugs to crimp on, plus any labor I can't handle myself. So, the new alternator could become a $1200 project, plus the new battery box and a new pair of AGM batteries under the cab. Moral of the story: plan ahead, and have extra cash set aside.

[TwinStick]

^^^ DD, that IS quite the project.

I just got my shipping conformation # today, so mine is in transit as we speak. I am gonna stick with what i have already used: 2/0 Ga welding cable. I also have a 300 amp fuse, a spare & holder on order from the same place that installed my stereo.

On a side note: K-Mart has Sears 2 amp trickle chargers/maintainers on sale for $15 & some change. I picked up 2, as I got an additional discount cause my daughter works there, plus i dropped one & broke it & found out last night that they are NOT waterproof, even though it said it was. It did not even survive one little rain storm.

[Ducky's Dad]

I am gonna stick with what i have already used: 2/0 Ga welding cable.

My #2 battery is already wired with 2/0 cable, but the rule of thumb on this stuff seems to be that each "0" on your cable size is good for 100 amps over moderate cable lengths and at moderate temperatures. I think the spec sheet that I looked at on the DC Power 270 showed something like 283 amps at max output, so 2/0 by itself is a bit small, If DC Power makes up the auxiliary cables for your new alt/batt and alt/ground connections, they show 1/0 on their website, which should be fine if piggy backed on top of the factory wiring. Part of my problem is that I have to get adequate capacity to my current solenoid/isolator and to the second and third batteries, plus the run to the new manual isolator to separate battery #2 from #3 when I'm running the fridge in the desert. Also need to remember that amp draw goes up as the temperature increases, goes up as the cable run gets longer, and goes up as battery voltage drops. So, starting the truck when those house batteries are depleted and ambient temps are north of 110F will put a big initial load on the cabling. One other thing that I learned from a conversation with tech support at Blue Sea Systems is that their cable recommendations for their switches (also 4/0 to get 300/350 amp capacity) are based not just on the heavy cable's ability to carry the current, but also on the surface area of the cable for heat dissipation. Fat cables dissipate heat better than skinny cables, but they told me that a pair of 2/0s has about the same capacity as a single 4/0, even though the ratio of the cable cross sections might be 4:1 if you do the math. A pair of 2/0s will have much smaller cross section and less surface area (I think) than a single 4/0, so a pair of 2/0s might be marginal. Also learned from the cable suppliers that the extra $1.50/ft for "battery cable" as opposed to "welding cable" gets you a more flexible cable, no difference in capacity. So, if your runs are fairly straight, use welding cable instead of battery cable and save a few bucks.