broknindarkagain
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So I did a 12 volt conversion on my M1009. I know it is generally frowned upon, but I was backed into a corner and didn't have a choice. My starter blew up and I couldn't source a 24v replacement fast enough or cheap enough. I purchased a Duralast starter with a lifetime warranty for $80 (they price matched Amazon).
So in the eyes of a lot of people. I've already screwed up twice lol. I will say that the Duralast starters aren't the junk that a lot of people claim. They are manufactured my Remy......just like our OE starters are. Also with a lifetime warranty, you can't really go wrong. A 12 volt system is probably going to suit me better for what I'm going to be using anyways (lots of aftermarket LED lights, an amber strobe light bar on top, front and rear winches, CB, HAM, scanner, laptop on inverter, spotlights, etc)
Anyways, I did the Rosscom method. My two batteries wired parallel and being charged by the passanger side alternator only (two Duralast Platinum H8-AGM @ 900CCA and 95 amp hours). The drivers side alternator is completely disconnected but still on the truck. The glow plugs obviously had to be converted to 12 volts. I used the guide on this site to do that.
My questions are :
1 - If I keep the drivers side alternator installed and do an independent system from it (isolated from any of the trucks electricals) running its own dedicated battery, would it suffice as a welder?
2 - My voltage gauge does not work now (I expected this). What steps do I need to take to make this work again? I'm sure I would have to replace the resistor behind it....but what would I replace it with? Also, what wiring that got disconnected in teh Rosscom conversion method (#2 on their PDF file) that turned off the gauge? How can I identify what wire it is and where would I connect it (positive bus bar that is now 12v maybe?) Would I be better off buying an aftermarket gauge and just ditching the OE gauge all together?
3 - A 24v system requires wires half the size to transfer power. Will the existing starter power cable suffice after I've converted to 12 volt? Or did GM use cabled that are "too big" when they built the truck and I don't need to worry about it? My starter has retained the factory wiring (power cable to the bus bar) and my positive battery lead is connected to the same port on the bus bar.
4 - My ground lead from the batteries is connected to the ground bus bar and I have a small ground cable from the front battery ground to the core support just above the headlight. There is a large ground cable from the bus bar to the engine, and now a ground cable from the passenger side alternator to the same spot on the ground buss that the engine ground is hooked up to. Would I benefit from adding more grounds to the system? To me it just doesn't seem like there are enough grounds in the system....but then again I'm also use to modern computerized vehicles. I was thinking about adding a ground from the ground bus bar to the chassis with 4 gauge cable. Is this a waste of time or will it help things out a little?
Please don't tell me how Autozone parts are bad or how I should stay with a 24 volt system. I did what I had to do and it will probably work out for the better in my situation anyways.
Thank you ahead of time for any pointers.
So in the eyes of a lot of people. I've already screwed up twice lol. I will say that the Duralast starters aren't the junk that a lot of people claim. They are manufactured my Remy......just like our OE starters are. Also with a lifetime warranty, you can't really go wrong. A 12 volt system is probably going to suit me better for what I'm going to be using anyways (lots of aftermarket LED lights, an amber strobe light bar on top, front and rear winches, CB, HAM, scanner, laptop on inverter, spotlights, etc)
Anyways, I did the Rosscom method. My two batteries wired parallel and being charged by the passanger side alternator only (two Duralast Platinum H8-AGM @ 900CCA and 95 amp hours). The drivers side alternator is completely disconnected but still on the truck. The glow plugs obviously had to be converted to 12 volts. I used the guide on this site to do that.
My questions are :
1 - If I keep the drivers side alternator installed and do an independent system from it (isolated from any of the trucks electricals) running its own dedicated battery, would it suffice as a welder?
2 - My voltage gauge does not work now (I expected this). What steps do I need to take to make this work again? I'm sure I would have to replace the resistor behind it....but what would I replace it with? Also, what wiring that got disconnected in teh Rosscom conversion method (#2 on their PDF file) that turned off the gauge? How can I identify what wire it is and where would I connect it (positive bus bar that is now 12v maybe?) Would I be better off buying an aftermarket gauge and just ditching the OE gauge all together?
3 - A 24v system requires wires half the size to transfer power. Will the existing starter power cable suffice after I've converted to 12 volt? Or did GM use cabled that are "too big" when they built the truck and I don't need to worry about it? My starter has retained the factory wiring (power cable to the bus bar) and my positive battery lead is connected to the same port on the bus bar.
4 - My ground lead from the batteries is connected to the ground bus bar and I have a small ground cable from the front battery ground to the core support just above the headlight. There is a large ground cable from the bus bar to the engine, and now a ground cable from the passenger side alternator to the same spot on the ground buss that the engine ground is hooked up to. Would I benefit from adding more grounds to the system? To me it just doesn't seem like there are enough grounds in the system....but then again I'm also use to modern computerized vehicles. I was thinking about adding a ground from the ground bus bar to the chassis with 4 gauge cable. Is this a waste of time or will it help things out a little?
Please don't tell me how Autozone parts are bad or how I should stay with a 24 volt system. I did what I had to do and it will probably work out for the better in my situation anyways.
Thank you ahead of time for any pointers.
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