• Steel Soldiers now has a few new forums, read more about it at: New Munitions Forums!

  • Microsoft MSN, Live, Hotmail, Outlook email users may not be receiving emails. We are working to resolve this issue. Please add support@steelsoldiers.com to your trusted contacts.

Please help with 60A generator upgrade

1fast97gsx

New member
3
1
3
Location
Illinois
New member here, tried searching but didn't have much luck on a clear answer. My truck ( 6.2L 60A generator with 2 v belts ) recently had the generator fail. I'm looking at upgrading it and I am reading that if anything over 60A the wiring harness needs to be modified so power doesn't go through the control box. What exactly needs to be done here as I am a bit confused? Just don't use the factory 24V generator output cable under the hood and just run a new cable straight down to the batteries? Or is there another spot I also need to disconnect it?
 

Mogman

Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
Steel Soldiers Supporter
6,904
9,560
113
Location
Papalote, TX
You will among other things have to run a 14V and 12V heavy charging cable to the battery box, that is the only major wire modification.
When you go to the 200A get a complete NOS 200A install kit, it will not only have all the mounts, bolts, belts, pulley and wiring it will have complete install instructions, and they are not too expensive.
EASY PLEASY....
 

Mogman

Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
Steel Soldiers Supporter
6,904
9,560
113
Location
Papalote, TX

1fast97gsx

New member
3
1
3
Location
Illinois
What if I'm not trying to install a factory 200A unit but a 3rd party aftermarket 160A alternator that is not dual voltage that I've seen a few youtube videos of guys installing? Thanks so much for the responses!
 

Mogman

Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
Steel Soldiers Supporter
6,904
9,560
113
Location
Papalote, TX
What if I'm not trying to install a factory 200A unit but a 3rd party aftermarket 160A alternator that is not dual voltage that I've seen a few youtube videos of guys installing? Thanks so much for the responses!
Well then you are going to have to hope the third party can help you, this question was asked not long ago about the 160A and it seems nobody has done this "conversion" at least nobody owned up to it, maybe they will chime in this time.
in ANY case you cannot run more than 60A through the EESS box so a new cable from the alt to the battery box is still going to be necessary.
And $500 for a reman Delco style alternator is pretty dang high.
 
Last edited:

Mogman

Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
Steel Soldiers Supporter
6,904
9,560
113
Location
Papalote, TX
One would think for $495+70 for a grounding kit they could at least show something that would be representative of the actual product and not an alternator with a serpentine belt, I would be suspect of this conversion, likely has issues like belt alignment etc. and what's up with the $70 grounding kit, all you have to do is provide a good ground to the engine block.
 

Mogman

Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
Steel Soldiers Supporter
6,904
9,560
113
Location
Papalote, TX
You can also just fix the 60A, I am not a big fan of the 60A but usually a set of brushes and a regulator kit will get them going again and certainly less that that civy conversion.
 

1fast97gsx

New member
3
1
3
Location
Illinois
You can also just fix the 60A, I am not a big fan of the 60A but usually a set of brushes and a regulator kit will get them going again and certainly less that that civy conversion.

True, I just figured an extra 100A and more space under the hood / new part vs almost 40 year old part etc made sense. The kit supposedly comes with the proper pulley and new belts as well as needed brackets. I guess what I'm asking is if the control box us just a pass through or if it's actually using the alternator output cable to power the box? In which case, with a larger alternator are you basically required to run the alternator output cable straight to the batteries, and then another cable from the batteries back up to the control box input as well?
 

badger_610889

Active member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
155
226
43
Location
North California, USA
My experience is that 40 year old military parts are sometimes by far better than newer parts. Particularly from unknown parties and sometimes even from the same manufacturers: regulations, supply chain, profitability and other things make it that the 'good old' stuff was good for a reason.

Take the sheet metal on my old Willys. WWII steel - probably polluted like Hell burning huge amounts of coal to melt but the quality is so darn good. Also I replaced the 1943 starter with a high torque starter motor that burned after 2-3 years until I realized that a 6V starter from the late 40's will run on 12V which my Willys runs. I bought it used, installed it 10 years ago and still cranks and starts the Willys 2-3 times a week!

That was a bit long, just to suggest sticking with original parts even in the case of an upgrade ;-)
 

Mogman

Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
Steel Soldiers Supporter
6,904
9,560
113
Location
Papalote, TX
With the 60A it charges through the PCB, all larger alternators charge directly to the batteries, the 200A for example uses the switched lead #5 that used to be the charging line as a exciter for the 200A and the original small 60A "568" exciter wire is capped off.
That aftermarket may or may not be a one wire, the one wire alternator does not need to be excited, because it is draining the batteries a little bit all the time partially exciting the alternator even when not running, not so bad for a daily driver but will ruin batteries on vehicles that sit for a week or more at a time.
 
Top