Ford E350 alternator upgrade?

[Surj]

Hello everyone, as I was doing a quick search through the forums I didn't find too much info on this topic. Wanted to get people's opinions.

Am I correct in reasoning that upgrading from the stock high output (~100amp unit) alternator to a 250-370amp alternator like these these would be beneficial for my charging my battery system more efficiently?

Are there are potential downsides? I guess if it fails, it would be harder to find at a normal auto parts store. I've also heard we would need to size up the wire gauges.

The most appealing thing would just be that I am getting more efficient charging off of driving. Currently I have a 300ah system that I'm probably going to add to over time, possibly going up to 500-600ah. I don't want to have to rely on solar when I can just charge faster directly from the engine.

Thoughts or opinions?

[1der]

300ah battery bank- what type? AGM, Lithium, or ?
Any DC to DC charger(s) in the system?

What is the primary use scenario pointing towards 500-600Ah bank?

Your stock alternator - age? Check the specs, if high output it should be well above 100. Likely in the 155 range possibly higher.

Lastly, what engine do you have?

lots of threads, try this search link via google:

https://www.google.com/search?q=site...&client=safari

or search parameters (copy inside quotes and enter in your search bar):
"site:SportsmobileForum.com alternator upgrade"

[Surj]

I'm using Lithium batteries, and yup there's a renogy DC/DC charger installed. Primary use for a large battery bank system is to not be limited by power and be able to stay off grid for longer. I have a gas stove but I want to be able to charge appliances and recharge batteries and stay off grid longer. I only have space for a 200w solar panel on top of my van, and I may get a foldable portable panel, but I wanted to squeeze as much juice out of the alternator since that will be primarily the form of charging. Van is 2009 EB Ford e350 V10 engine. Not necessarily looking for suggestions for upgrades, but more so the pros/cons of upgrading to a higher output alternator (250+amps) and if the juice is worth the squeeze.

[1der]

Thxs.
Which Renogy DC to DC charger?

The charge rating for that DC to DC will be the max charge from your alternator to the Lith bank. You can add additional DC to DC chargers in parallel to increase the charging current that gets passed from alternator to the Lith bank.

There is more to consider than just an alternator change and wire gauge upgrade.

[dhally]

I'm considering doing this as well, or adding a SECOND alternator dedicated to charging the house system. There are some considerations.
- Charging would be limited by the size of the dc to dc charger. They are typically 30 or 60 amps.
- The dc to dc charger may overheat if run at max rate.
- With a dedicated 2nd alternator a protector is needed to protect the alternator when the battery gets full and the charger disconnects the alternator.

You asked about efficiency of charging. I haven't seen this addressed here, or by the mfg. But I suspect it's not as efficient as a Honda generator or the oem alternator.

[Scalf77]

If installing a second alternator, you can look into dedicated controllers that turn the alternator into a proper charger. There are the Balmar maxcharge controller or Wakespeed controller. This is really the most efficient way to get power to the house battery.

I am currently running a second alternator on my Transit with a Wakespeed controller. I am easily putting out 140 to 150 amps when I have charger enabled.

While not a necessity, my battery communicates with the wakespeed controller over the BMS Canbus connection.

[dokaman]

I am running this alternator in my 2001 E350 7.3L It has been working great over the last 40K miles and three years. I am running a similar electrical system but using Victron DC to DC components.

I do have fully upgraded/upsized charge/grounds cables as well.

https://www.xtremediesel.com/xdp-dir...ternator-xd361