High output alternator

Does anyone on here know where I can get a high output alternator for my 2004 V208? I am looking to beef up the charging system, but can not find a high output alternator that bolts up to the existing brackets. My boat has the 350 Mercruiser installed if that info is necessary

If you dont mind spending the money go with a Balmar setup, they are worth every penny you spend on them. Everything works the way it should no alternator whine, good voltage, and never seen one fail, or come back. Check out their website:
www.Balmar.net

Holy crap I just saw their address their built right in my back yard literally 15 minutes from my house. Hmm, I'll have to check em out. I've been planning a HO Alt upgrade.

I am pretty sure that the alt that I have will work for your engine - I have a DB electrical 140+ amp alternator for sale if you're interested (I bought it for my system, but ended up selling my tower speaks and PPI amp, so I no longer need an alt with that much power) - email me if you're interested.

/plug

I bought a high output alternator from DB electrical last year and ended up sending it back because it wouldn't bolt up. I spent probably about an hour on the phone with them over the course of a few phone conversations and they couldn't find anything that would work for me. What makes you think it'll fit my application sinko?

Javony, can you get any of the numbers off your current alternator? My company is a stocking distributor for Balmar and I can see if they have anything that will work. Before I check into it too far though and make you crap yourself they are probably $500+. That should tell you how good of quality the db electrical units are. In the business of alternators you really get what you pay for and $150 for a 150amp alternator should tell you something.

Javony, is this what yours looks like.

Brett, How many amps does the Balmar alternators put out? I've heard they were GREAT, but what makes them so much better than all the others out there? I'm running 4 6V batteries for the stereo and a separate battery for starting the boat and running everything else. So I am in desperate need of a HO alternator

It all depends on which one you get. I am running the 210 amp unit on my super air and I get 14.5 volts out of it no problem.Just like Clay said if you want to spend the money to get one they are worth it.

Money isn't a factor (atleast to a certain point). I am not going to go ridiculously overboard, but I am one that believes that you get what you pay for. So you get 14.5 volts out of your Balmar at all times when the boat is running?

Javony, CAR's setup might be the best I have seen for anybody who actually takes it serious. He probably went above and beyond what you want to do because he had to have different custom crank pulleys machined.

CAR, I sell balmar and did you end up with a 94 series? The reason I ask is that I believe this unit is not UL coast gaurd approved and I wouldn't recommend using it in a gasoline application unless something has been modified.

Javony, I was thinking that a 60 series balmar with a 3.15"dual foot might be the one that would work in your application without too much modification. You will probably need to modify your cable/wiring but that may be all. Here is a link to the one I was thinking of.

http://balmar.net/PDF/Alternator%20Drawings/60-seriesdimensionaldrawing.pdf

at what point does balamar reccomend dual pulleys? an alt that big ( 150 amp + ) will take alot to turn.

Javony should have a 6 rib serpentine belt so he should be fine. Balmar has that frame in a 70, 100, 120 and 150 amps. they provide a single belt pulley for the 70 and 100 amp and a dual belt pulley for the 120 and 150 amp units. Just going off that I would say 150 amps is too much for a single V belt unless you really like having an under performing alternator and replacing belts.

Hey Brett: The Balmar 94 Series have the Coast Guard
approval. I think the 85 Series are also Coast Guard Approved or Marine cert alternator's.

When I first started playing with H.O alternators I got a $400 150 amp alternator from a place in FL called Battery Shack. I ran it for like 2 years before finding out that it was NOT a Marine Alternator. It had no spark arrestor ect. When I asked the guys at Battery Shack what's up with the Non Marine alt they said they thought my ski boat had a Diesel???? LOL What a bunch of jack asses.

brett, how much is the Balmar 150? is there some sort of "kit"?

grant, what are you running now? been happy with it?

(Message edited by brucemac on April 07, 2009)

Grant, I just talked to Balmar and he mentioned someone had called him earlier today and he gave them the wrong info but the person never gave his name. The 94 series Alternator is Coast Guard approved Title 33 or something like that which is only approved in Diesel Applications. You may want to have someone modify those to put a screen on to help with ignition protection.

Im running a
Balmar 94-210 alternator
Balmar Digital Duo Charge
Balmar Max Charge regulator

Yea Im super happy with it. Im about to install the same system in Harrolds SAN

Great good new's what a bunch of crap.

okay, wait, i'm confused here. what just happened?

Brett, I am finally home from So Cal and will get the numbers off of my alternator today for you. Is the alternator the only thing that I am going to have to change out or are there going to be other parts that'll need changing out?

I just looked up what the 150 amp Balmar is and it is actually right around $800. What else you change is going to depend on how big of an alternator you get but if you are going to jump up to 150 you are going to have to upgrade/replace your battery cables most likely.

Yea Bruce that was me that called him today. I have talked and worked with Balmar on my and other systems they knew Exactley what motor I had. Im calling BS on the didn't know crap. I called him back and they are running around over there trying to figure out what to do.

Grant, I am not trying to bad mouth Balmar on any of this as they make great products but I really don't see anything in print on their website or talking to them that leads me to believe that the 94 series is 100% safe in a gasoline application. I would rather you know about it before anything happens. Chances are it won't, but I like to error on the side of caution.

Grant, was that you that called them this morning?

Crap, well I hope I didn't piss them off too bad since we work with them but it is probably better that everybody found out this way then if something bad happened. That would cost them a crap load more and I don't even want to think about someone getting hurt or worse.

The 94 series has a title 33 rating.
Now does a title 33 work for Gas and Diesel or Deisel only?

A JL-1171 is a Gas motor title. The question of the day is just because it dosen't say it has a Jl-1171 rating does that mean it can't work or shouldn't be used in a gas motor? Is it coverd by a title 33 cert. Does anyone know?

uh oh. well, looks like balmer's going to have a couple refurb 9 series for sale very soon. that sucks man, get that thing out of there. glass half full, you found out the easy way.

Grant, the other thing that could be possible is that these units are built to the marine coast guard specs but just have not been approved. It costs a lot to have something approved and a lot of the time they have to be an OEM to warrant the costs. That is another thing to take into account. So it may be safe just not approved.

From my understanding Title 33 just covers Diesel applications. I believe you can just use about anything in a diesel application. Gasoline is much more prone to spark.

i tried to google grant and came up empty handed. the 6 and 7 list 3 certs, but the 9 lists only the 33.

They are running around and trying to figure out what a Title 33 covers and then get back with me.
Yea it will be intresting to see how this works out. The covers that I have seen installed on regular alternators that makes them or turns them into Marine alternators dosent seem like that big of a deal. I hope Idont have another project on my hand's

Grant- I purchased the same alternator from the Battery Shack in FL back in the day. If I remember correctly, I purchased it due to a recomendation from you or a thread you were on. Same thing happened to me, sent me the wrong alternator, it was for a diesel!

This is great. Let the blame game begin. Balmar got back with me today and said that the Title 33 does not cover gas motors. So the 3 systems I know about with this alternator have a problem! What to do now?

Suposedly alternators that have the brushes in the back of the alternator coverd with a screen will pass the UL-1171 title. So does this mean If I retrofit a cover that has a screen at the back that covers the brushes this would make the alternator safer?

As of right now Balmar has no answer to my question. How do I make this alternator safe for a gas motor?

help me understand how the cover with a screen makes a alternator UL-1171 approved. What is the screen doing? Stopping fumes form entering the alternator or stopping parts of the brushes from flying off the back of the alternator and becoming a source for ignition?

Here are some picks of a marine Delco style alternator. The front of the alternator has a screen as well as the back. This gold color screen on the back is a bolt on item. What I have seen in the past is a regular alternator with these 2 add on items and all of a sudden it's a marine alternator.

Grant, the screen is used to contain the spark within the alternator. I am not going to go as far as saying that with the screens it would be 100% safe but in my opinion it would be safer.

Those screens are 3 layers of SS mesh. Basically what you want to do is cover up any holes and as you know your balmar has plenty of holes to cover up. It looks like you have the idea because you would need to put the screens on the drive end housing as well. If you can see if you can find just that back screen for the one wire Delco so you can see how the screen is attached and how it is setup.

I am not 100% sure there is even clearance to be able to fit the screens in but I know you are super handy and if there is a way you will be able to do it.

Good luck.

(Message edited by polarbill on April 08, 2009)

Yea Im guessing the mesh would have to go on the outside in some places and on the inside on other's
what a Joke this is this is one of the last things I wanna do to my alternator and then the 3 others as well.

I would try and get it on the inside as much as possible.

It dosen't look like there is much to cover up.
looks like a piece in the back and a piece in the front might work. The alternator will have to come apart.

Yeah Grant. Pull the 2 housings off and see if you can bend/mold some SS mesh to fit in there and maybe tack weld it or something to the inside of each housing. You are going to wan to cover up the 6 big holes plus the smaller ones around the outer area of the rear housing.

Good New's Drama deverted. The 94 Series are safe to use in gas motors. No mod's needed. Rick at Balmar gave us both wrong information at diffrent times. My call made alarms go off @ Balmar. The person I orginally spoke with and help me set up my system and other's is not their anymore. He could have cleard up all the confusion with one call.
so back to the normal H.O thread

good news, but why on earth would they not list that on their site?! a little confusing for sure.

SAE JL-1171 one Test
Title 33 is a diffrent test
and there is a 3rd testing method sorry I forgot the name of it.
The SAE JL 1171 test is a test most insurance companys/people look for. If they bother to check cost guard is looking for the title 33 cert. The title 33 is a Cost Guard cet and covers all 94 series alternators and is safe for gas motors

Well I guess it is good that we all know the correct answer now.