Fusible Link w 135A Alternator

[Kevin Doe]

Hey all,

I'm thinking of upgrading to the alterstart 135A alternator. I know I'm able to get a new 100A fusible link, in place of my stock 80A one. But that still won't be big enough.

What are you 135A alternator guys using for a fusible link??

Thanks,
Kevin

 

[Defiant]

The fusible link isn't really where you want the difference. You want it leading out to whatever new harness you're setting up for the high-draw devices you intend to power. The fusible link is sized to fit the rest of the wiring loom's sizes and loads.

 

[Kevin Doe]

Well, I am upgrading all of the alternator wiring both to and from the fusible link. If the alternator puts out 135A, I will need a bigger fusible link too, otherwise it will be blow all the time.

Kevin

 

[Defiant]

If the alternator puts out 135A, I will need a bigger fusible link too, otherwise it will be blow all the time.

It'd blow if the load on it is high enough for long enough. The alternator will put out whatever the regulator tells it the system needs. Without a welder hooked into the cigarette lighter, it'll never put out half that. You can run a high-output alternator with no changes to the wiring system- each circuit is already fused to a magnitude greater than it's supposed to carry in the normal running of a car. The highest fused circuit living in a DSM is the ABS at 60A (probably more for over-engineering than requirements), followed by the headlights at 40A, and the heater, condensor fan and rear window defogger at 30A. The fusible links that feed those shared circuits are for the instances when you have more than one device loading the wiring at one time.
A high-zoop amplifier may want a higher-rated circuit, but I am very suspicious about whether it truly needs it or not. The over-building is to eliminate electrical artifacts which design flaws in the audio system might allow as unwanted variances in the sound output.

 

[Kevin Doe]

I think I'll stick with my 100A fusible link then. I'll also keep a spare one with me just in case. My amp recommends a 125A fuse, so I guess at full tilt it 'could' pull that much. Its only a 880 Watt amp though.

Thanks for the informative reply.

Kevin

 

[justin0469]

How do you like your AlterStart alternator? Have any issues running a 100A fuse?

 

[Kevin Doe]

The alterstart 135A works great. No problems with it. I'm running a redundant 4ga to the battery from it, w/o a fuseible link in it.

 

[justin0469]

So you kept the factory wire and added your own 4 gauge wire but don't have an inline fuse or anything for that? Is that ok? And where did you get a 100A fusible link?