Alternative Theory

Installing a Powermaster Motorsports High Output Alternator.

Story and photos by

Andy Cohen

In a perfect world I wouldn’t have to worry about such things as my alternator output, or lack thereof, however I don’t live in a perfect world so I do.  Fortunately I don’t have to worry alone, the folks over at Powermaster Motorsports worry right along with me.

As a matter of fact at this years SEMA show in Las Vegas our Ford Excursion dubbed Operation MOUT was parked just an external regulators throw from the Powermaster Motorsports booth.  I have to admit in the twenty-four days we had to build our project vehicle I never gave the alternator a second thought.  In retrospect I cant believe that I overlooked such an important part of our four hundred thousand dollar concept vehicle.

Lets start from the front of the Excursion and work our way back shall we?  

1. 12,000 LB Ramsey winch
2. 2 high output Catz-Fet lights
3. 6 very high output Federal Signal Emergency strobes
4. Federal Signal 52” light bar with 8 halogen takedown lights, 2 halogen alley lights, 4 rotating halogen lights and 2 rear facing halogen flashers
5. 2 “A” pillar mounted spot lights
6. 1000 watt Kenwood Excelon Stereo
7. 2 Ruggedized Itronix laptops
8. Kenwood 2 way radio w/ 2 external sirens
9. Cobra CB radio
10. Nokia phone cradle/charger
11. 2 10” flat panel touch monitors
12. 1 flat screen monitor
13. Raytheon Thermal Imaging/Night vision Roof mounted unit
14. Numerous surveillance cameras
15. Independent computer for touch panels and monitors
16. Rear Mounted Rugged computer
17. Rear mounted Hewlett Packard printer

When you lay it out on paper it looks a lot worse than in your head, when the Powermaster people came over and poked their heads in they started shaking nervously.  It didn’t take long to see the point they were making.

The stock Ford alternator is rated at 130 amps, barely enough to power the Kenwood stereo when you crank it up, something had to be done.  Powermaster to the rescue, within a few days they sent me a 230-amp replacement and it didn’t stop there, they weren’t satisfied until I understood how alternators were rated and how they were tested.

Did you know that an alternator is rated at speed?  In my case this was not good, a police car sits at idle while all the lights are going, radio on, computer in overdrive and if its hot outside the air conditioning is on too while performing the mundane task of issuing a citation or cautioning traffic to an accident.  Can you see where all this is going?

Now I realize that most of you don’t own a patrol car but a great many of you have stereos, and a bunch more of you have in car entertainment systems, a very similar current draw.  Now you have the same problem I had.

The Powermaster replacement is an easy upgrade and after the truck cooled down I was able to swap it out in about 45 minutes, so follow along as I give a boost to Operation MOUT’s electrical system.

The Powermaster unit is a direct bolt in, as you can see the pulley is a bit smaller, that gets the alternator turning at a slightly higher rate.

This may look a bit odd to you V-10 owners out there; our vehicle is outfitted with an AuraGen under hood generator that produces 5000 watts, that’s why the alternator is off to the passenger side of the engine compartment.

After disconnecting the battery, unplug the wires leading to the alternator.  Still simple.

What you are looking at here is the coolant overflow bottle that must be unbolted and moved to the side so you can get at the belt tensioner.  I found the factory lug wrench fit perfectly over the end of a 3/8^ths breaker bar giving just the right amount of persuasion to get the belt off the pulley.

You must also loosen this side of the fan shroud to get at the belt tensioner.  Remove the bolt and lift up the shroud a bit to get your 3/8ths breaker bar/ratchet in the hole.  Without this step is almost impossible to reach between the shroud and pulley.

As you can see here, there are bolts both front and rear of the alternator that must come off before you can get this little gem out.  (Note, the replacement alternator you get may not have the rear bolt hole, do not panic.  I asked about this and was assured it was not entirely necessary)

This unit also has no single female plug for the stator sense like the factory unit.  Powermaster has built it in to the replacement alternator so the 3^rd wire just needs to be taped up and out of the way.

Voila!  This is what your completed install should look like, with the exception of the AuraGen.  Everything goes back together in the reverse order; make sure you connect all the alternator wires before connecting the battery so you don’t spark anything.  Now you can enjoy MORE POWER! Grunt Grunt.  I’m sorry, I couldn’t help myself.

At idle, the gauge points in the middle, before it sat just a bit lower.  The sound in my Kenwood stereo is much crisper now and I can now power everything without fear of draining the battery.  Very Cool.

For more information on this or any other of Powermaster Motorsports products feel free to call or visit them on the web at www.powermastermotorsports.com , tell ‘em the guy with the big black Excursion sent ya!

Powermaster

2401 Dutch Valley Dr.

Knoxville, TN.  37918

432-281-9844