[HiJackZX1]

I installed a CAR PC into my truck and started to have weird power issues. Constant dimming lights and A/C blower glitches made me think that maybe my setup is to much. Once the PC setup was removed from the alternator, everything was back to normal. I only have the 136 amp alternator and honestly do not see any reason to upgrade it. It will only be used to power the engines and cars electrical as normal, maybe a few additional interior lights, and a 100% digital system that replaces all the cars mirrors with cameras, which is currently still connected and working awesome.

Because of Chrysler's choice to put the regulator with the PCM, I cannot run the alternators together. The PCM will think that the first alternator will produce to much power and try to lower the power for the unit. This can damage the alternator, PCM and other electronics. I decided instead to run separate lines for the two alternators. Only thing they will share is ground points.

The second alternator is 220 amps total, 110 at idle, 220 at 1200 RPM. It will be powering 8 screens, 4 amps, and 4 power supply units which power 7 computers and 30 USB devices. It will also be powering a few cooling fans.

After trying to figure out a way to get this thing in there I kept hitting walls. Alot of other designs in other vehicles seem to be easy. Especially in GM vehicles. Dodge did not leave any room for a second alternator. I decided to go to powerbastards and see what people have done. I can across this picture and everything made sense.

This is perfect. Its very simple and straight forward. Simply take a sheet of metal, cut a whole into the plate, slide the alternator into it and bolt it to the plate. I decided to make the prototype out of MDF. I do not have the tools to work on metal. Now one thing you are wondering is will it get in the way of the hood. Yes it will. I don't care and I am willing to modify the hood to get it to close. I am guessing that it will only need minor adjustments.

I am going with a 2 belt set up. Playing with the serpentine belt is to much for me. Here is the design.

I am going to do this by adding another pulley to the alternator pulley. I already bought a second pulley, it is off of a another durango. I am going to have it welded on with first alternator pulley. I also bought a tension pulley to stretch the belt tight. I also bought another tension pulley but it doesn't have the ribs, its smooth. I do not think I will need it though. If i feel there is to much slack, I will add it to the setup.

Now I have started the bracket. Here are pix. I made the front of the bracket and held it in place the way its going to be.

Here it is with the belt and pulley.

I cut the wood to short, I glued a piece to make it longer and hold the pulley good enough.

Here is the second pulley being held up to the first one.

Here is the bracket finished. All I have to do is take the bracket for someone to make out of metal.

One thing that I noticed is that this could be a way to add up to 3 three alternators. Only thing is I only need 2, but I am sure some of you monster audio people can change this to add another.

Here is where I am having issues. How should I mount this thing. I can easily have it hung in place by the chassis support in the front, but that means the bracket will be stationary. My understanding is that the engine actually has the ability to move and shake. obviously this will cause an issue if it cant. So how should I do this? I have these areas in mind, but I am not sure if they are strong enough.

These are the only places i can see to mount the bars on. Basically I am trying to go as simple as possible. So it will be simple bars that go straight up. Then from the back of the bracket will go straight bars. These two bars will meet to create an L-Bar. It will have a bar which will allow the bracket to move up and down to change the angle for belt alignment. I think it will be solid, but how do you guys think I should do it.

 

[Devil_dog_switc]

it's not too hard the idea would be to find some very sturdy metal to make brackets out of, have them bent and routed to mount points on the motor (such as where your air box mounts, or other bolts) then you may have to get longer screws/bolts for those mounts. just look around the engine to find usable bolts, get slightly longer ones and there ya go.
it'd be easier to show you in person but that's sorta hard for me to do lol

on a side note. you have any pics on your mirror/camera deals? that'd be an interesting setup.

 

[HiJackZX1]

it's not too hard the idea would be to find some very sturdy metal to make brackets out of, have them bent and routed to mount points on the motor (such as where your air box mounts, or other bolts) then you may have to get longer screws/bolts for those mounts. just look around the engine to find usable bolts, get slightly longer ones and there ya go.
it'd be easier to show you in person but that's sorta hard for me to do lol

on a side note. you have any pics on your mirror/camera deals? that'd be an interesting setup.

Well only issue with that is that those mounts for the air box are plastic, one violent shake and they will break. my idea was to use two main bolts from the first alternator and two bolts from the A/C compressor. Then have a bar thats long to connect the two side together and make one sturdy structure. The bar would then connect the bracket and its arm to it. Kinda like the big truck with the 13 alternators. In theses pix, I marked the areas. I should have high lighted them in the otehr pix.

Here is a close up of the bar bracket for this truck.

I think the picture is from a monster truck, so if I can find more I can see how they did it.

 

[Devil_dog_switc]

ya basically, when i said the air box mount i was just saying in general find spots that are already being used and just add to them. you got the idea. try to find at least one location under it to help keep it from bouncing, there will be some downward pull so you want to reinforce it on the bottom some too.

 

[HiJackZX1]

Also as far as the camera system, I just bought a new screen for it. Here is how it looked before.

Basically I saw the rear as the background image, then the two small blue boxes are the left and right sides. I have not installed those cameras because I have not found anyone that is willing to chop my mirrors and only have the cameras there. I bought a new screen though because the left and right views were hard to see. This is the new screen.

This new one, as you can see, is able to split the images up equally. That was something I really needed.

 

[HiJackZX1]

ya basically, when i said the air box mount i was just saying in general find spots that are already being used and just add to them. you got the idea. try to find at least one location under it to help keep it from bouncing, there will be some downward pull so you want to reinforce it on the bottom some too.

I was just thinking of that. At the front of the engine is a large screw that sticks out. I think maybe its for when lifting the engine out of the truck. I am going add a piece that connects it to the bracket which will secure it at the bottom then. I hope this all works out.

 

[Devil_dog_switc]

have you considered just getting a kinetis battery and mounting it in the back of the truck, and running an accesory battery line. the kinetics batteries are insane.. deep cycle, clean power, fast charge, you won't need anything after that unless you run insanely high currents

 

[HiJackZX1]

have you considered just getting a kinetis battery and mounting it in the back of the truck, and running an accesory battery line. the kinetics batteries are insane.. deep cycle, clean power, fast charge, you won't need anything after that unless you run insanely high currents

It will have a second battery, but my whole issue is that I am worried the setup will kill the battery fast. Id ratehr have it so a big beefy alternator charges the additional setup and charges its own battery. If anything goes wrong, then my cars original system is unaffected.

 

[Devil_dog_switc]

got ya. well seeing as how you already have the alternator.. lol let us know how it goes, most likely you're gonna have to find a good custom fab shop and have them make your brackets to fit the new mount for the 2nd alternator.

 

[project_dog]

sweet

 

[HiJackZX1]

Here are more pictures. I went and bought the correct bolts to secure the alternator to the bracket. I also bought some metal and did some crude metal arms. I know it isnt perfect, but remember this is a model for me to take to a professional to make better. I went to start on the motor mounts but then it started to get dark and I had to give my puppies a bath. They actually look forward to them, so they gave me the sad puppy dog look. Also the motor mounts just seem so complicated. Why Dodge makes this f*%ked up hole positions is beyond me. I can see why others dont do this. Anyways here are more pix.

Here it is sitting in the engine..... for some reason it feels alot higher now!?

Here it is with the hood closed.... These is going to have to be a pretty big bump put on the hood.

I probably wont be able to work on more till the next weekend. My work schedule is nasty :-(.

 

[Devil_dog_switc]

get a cowl hood and you'll be good

 

[Dennis F]

I would take out the mechanical fan and install a 16" electric one.

By doing that you would create a lot of space under the hood and you could mount the new alternator down low and just flip it so the pulley's are facing each other. You could also save some coin by not getting a 14" cowl hood.

You should also expect to go through alternators pretty quick if you weld on that new pulley. Your going to put some serious lateral stress on the bearings by driving 2 belts.

I would take serious consideration into using 1 belt