Dynamo / Alternator

[mattd1984]

Benifits of changing to an Alternator? People experiences?

Cheers

 

[Justin & Muttley]

This is quite high on my list of things to do - better charging, more power available for stereo install, lights, split charge etc.
I think I'm right in saying that an alternator charges from much lower revs than a genny, so better if you're driving around town or in traffic.

 

[Tofufi]

I wouldn't bother changing unless you have a high power / current draw.

A stock dynamo will cope with a stock car just fine... as soon as you start adding heavily used leisure batteries, amplifiers and large sound systems, etc etc, an alternator becomes more useful.

I've got alternators on both mine... but dynamos are cheaper to get parts for as they are the less 'fashionable' technology (and alternators are more efficient).

If you have a dynamo which doesn't work, and happen to have the engine out anyway, then I suppose it would be worth changing over

I'd imagine an original Bosch distributor to be more reliable than some of the cheap alternator kits out there. both mine have OG Bosch alternators - one with an internal regulator, one external. Both can have the regulator changed without removing the alternator, I believe some require the alternator removing (and the fan to be removed) just to change the regulator.

 

[andewilson]

whs. unless you ar eplanning on adding loads a bits the dynamo will do just what it was designed to do.

however a decent split charging system with tv and stereo intall etc. then the more power the better. buy the biggest you can afford and make sure all cables and crimps etc are new. but remember the larger the alternator the larger the draw on the engine. the bigger the lump the easier it will cope with sharing its power around

 

[froggy]

I changed mine over to an alternater when the dynamo decided it had had enough.
Managed to change it in-situ as well although thinking back for the sake of 30 mins i would have dropped the engine.
Alternator charges as soon as the engine is running where as a dynamo wont start until the engine hits a certain rev count

 

[mattd1984]

Well im going to be fitting a leisure battery split charge, a half decent stereo with 4-6 speakers but no sub/amp. No tv's or anything are going to be fitted. Also going to get the 240v hook up sorted. Going around Europe for 2 months in the summer. What you think then the Dynamo will be alright?

Cheers

 

[Araon]

The dynamos fine for that set up and as said generally less hassle....

The thing with going big on the current you go big on the heat too......

 

[pete nice]

You can do a conversion in a couple of hours if you know how.

They give better power & are more reliable.