1990cherokee4x4

i just took out my air conditioning system and want to put 2nd alternator in its place
what will i need to get

this is for a 1990 cherokee

any info will help

5-90

Why do you plan on doing this? I only ask because I want to make sure you're getting what will be the most effective solution for your needs.

That said, you just need to get a "one-wire" alternator (a Delco SI-series or CS-series can be easily converted to a one-wire setup) and fabricate an adapter to mount it in place of the SD505. It will share a ground with the OEM alternator (chassis,) and will want to be run either to its own battery (secondary electrical setup) or split into the main electrical system (for information here, refer to wiring diagrams for later-model Ford F-series with the ambulance package - they run dual alternators from the factory.)

1990cherokee4x4

i plan to be running lots of lights and a winch at some piont soon
and i dont want to have no power wile i run light and winch

1990cherokee4x4

when you say f-series are you talking about the ford encline's they use or something else
thanks

5-90

F-Series is pickups - the vans are E-series. And yes, the F-Series platform was used for ambulances quite extensively. You can probably find wiring diagrams for the ambulance setups at your local library, in the Reference section.

Lighting can probably be made up for with a larger single alternator (unless you're looking to make midnight into noon on a regular basis, with a working lighting radius of a mile or so.)

Winch? Let the anticipated frequency of use (duty cycle) be your guide there. In nearly all cases for the hobbyist/enthusiast, you'll be best served by having a good battery (either a starting battery with plenty of reserve capacity, or a good deep cycle secondary) to feed your winch. A good quality winch is still going to end up drawing something in the neighbourhood of 275-500A with the typical loading for a Jeep (vehicle, pax, gear, stuff stuck on, ...) which means you'd really need three or four alternators to entirely feed the winch without hitting your batteries -and you'd have to hold the engine speed at around 1400-1500rpm to get full current output from your alternators anyhow.

Having a secondary battery system will usually be easier to set up and service than a multiple-alternator setup.

Why do they do dual alternators on ambulances? Think about the electrical loading of the engine, the emergency lighting, the radio setups, and all of the medical gear - and the alternators will give them the extra current capacity without getting into the batteries on a consistent basis - this will increase both mission time and loiter time. (Ambulances generally end up with a bank of deep cycle batteries for "just in case" as well - but the alternators are primarily what they use. The typical setup uses a 180A primary unit and a 160A secondary - giving a total electrical source capacity of 12VDC @ 340A. The engine is usually a Diesel - so the increase power demand of the fuel pump is heavily offest by the lack of a high-energy ignition system (a Diesel will usually require about 1/3 less electrical current than a gasoline engine of similar configuration and displacement.)

The typical demands on the system for a hobbyist or enthusiast will be best served through the addition of a second battery and a single high-output alternator - unless you're going to get absolutely stupid with audio gear, for instance. Else, you'll be fine.

I highly doubt you're going to get into the sort of requirement that will be found in SAR field rigs, emergency response vehicles, or gear like that - so save yourself some trouble and make a simpler system for you to work with (I've done setup for SAR, industrial stuff, and the like as well - so I've got a fair idea what is involved in various applications...)

1990cherokee4x4

i wont be using the lights or winch very often and im only running a small amp for my sub

so what your saying is that if i run 2 batteries to a bigger alternator ill be just fine and it will be much easier

now im thinking i will replace the stock alternator with a dodge dakota (117A) or grand cherokee (136A) one
will that be a high-output enough or not?
thanks youve really helped keep me out of a wiring fiasco

5-90

I'm going to have to assume that you're talking about the 1990 in your moniker - since you didn't say otherwise.

If it's a 1990, then you have a Delco CS-130, and the Nippondenso will not directly work. However, this isn't a large problem

1) If you have your heart set on it, you can adapt in the ND and then wire up an external regulator - but you probably don't want to do that (wiring headache again.)

2) Replace the CS130 you have with one that has been "upwound" - improving the output of the Delco alternators is horribly simple, any competent shop can equal or exceed the output of the later Nippondensos in the the CS130 case - my buddy Rod can put 140A in the CS130 case for $140 + shipping (click the link in my sig, scroll down, click "San Jose Generator." You'd be dealing with Rod directly, I don't "middleman" for him.) Rod won't go past 140A in the CS130 case, they can get unstable past that point.

3) Many people have put a CS144 - larger case - in place of the CS130. I don't have specific information at the moment, but it can probably be found. The CS144 can be readily taken to a higher output level than the CS130, since there's more room for internals.

Since you're saying you "won't be using things very often," the added alternator output is likely not necessary. The deeper battery capacity will be more useful to you - and you can install a secondary battery and isolator later far more easily than figuring out a second alternator wiring & mounting - plus it's easier to troubleshoot and service later.

Make any more sense now? Short-form answers:

1) Don't bother with the second alternator, it can be a bigger headache than you want.
2) Install an upwound Delco - the ND won't work directly.
3) If you don't have a "deep" battery (high reserve capacity,) plan on either replacing the battery with a higher reserve capacity or install a deep cycle on an isolator (NB: Don't install a deep cycle as a primary starting battery - they're not designed to work that way.)
4) If you decide to install the second deep-cycle battery, find one with the highest Ampere-hour capacity you can get and wire the winch & accessories directly to it.

1ATony

welcome to the site. Sounds like a good size project.