Dual Alternator Install Questions

[phantomjock]

Greetings All (especially those with Dual Alternators/Under Hood Generator)

I have pulled the trigger on a pair of LiFePO4 batteries and inverter/charger it is also in hand- and I have begun installation. [I completed the removal of the inop. Onan - a fuel leak]

I have laid out my battery box in CAD with a representative chassis, and am midway through installation. They will reside in the "Onan-space," in an insulated container.

For charging, I contacted Nations and got an answer back from Adam right away. But, it left me puzzled, and I noted on their web site they showed a mount kit that went on the driver's side, but the instructions he sent were for a 2013-2019 Chevy Vortec that mounts on the passenger's side. I really have no druthers as to which side - except for ease of install and clearance, but I have a 2008 Chevy Vortec (most likey no difference).

I am considering a Balmar regulator as part of the "kit." The Nations kit includes the 280 Amp alternator, bracket and Balmar. The nice thing about Nations, they do the system integration. [The quote was $1999.95 complete.]

I have looked at DC Alternators (I understand they may build the alternators for Nations), and their bracket and second alternator mount on the driver's side. BUT - they don't sell a regulator. That means, I'd have to do the integration of a Balmar to the GM plug on their alternator. [On the plus side, they have a 370Amp Alternator that with their bracket works out to $1119.90, and I'd need to buy a regulator and do the integration myself. Maybe a headache, but cost savings.]

Mechman also makes hairpin Alternators and has a sturdy kit for the Driver's side:

Option 3: Go with a single 370A alternator, replace the stock, work the integration with a Balmar to charge the house bank, and "drip charge" the starting battery. I have over 35 years of off-shore sailing experience. For much of that time we had only one alternator. When we increased the bank to 1200 Ah, the 1800, we did add a second alternator. BUT - I never had an alternator failure. Starter failure, yes - but not an alternator. If replaced, the "stock" alternator on the RT, it becomes a spare. {Ignoring the adage: One is NONE, Two is One, Three is spare}

But, I have questions:

Is yours on the passenger/driver's side?
If you installed it - how easy was it?
Do you have pictures to share?​

I've been bearing down on this upgrade, so have not yet posted the PHASE-1 install (Dash Goodies), but will soon.

Any pics of your dual alternator install and comments are most welcome. My upgrades pics will be forthcoming.

Thanks, and Cheers, Jim

 

[dicktill]

Greetings All (especially those with Dual Alternators/Under Hood Generator)

I have pulled the trigger on a pair of LiFePO4 batteries and inverter/charger it is also in hand- and I have begun installation. [I completed the removal of the inop. Onan - a fuel leak]

I have laid out my battery box in CAD with a representative chassis, and am midway through installation. They will reside in the "Onan-space," in an insulated container.

For charging, I contacted Nations and got an answer back from Adam right away. But, it left me puzzled, and I noted on their web site they showed a mount kit that went on the driver's side, but the instructions he sent were for a 2013-2019 Chevy Vortec that mounts on the passenger's side. I really have no druthers as to which side - except for ease of install and clearance, but I have a 2008 Chevy Vortec (most likey no difference).

I am considering a Balmar regulator as part of the "kit." The Nations kit includes the 280 Amp alternator, bracket and Balmar. The nice thing about Nations, they do the system integration. [The quote was $1999.95 complete.]

I have looked at DC Alternators (I understand they may build the alternators for Nations), and their bracket and second alternator mount on the driver's side. BUT - they don't sell a regulator. That means, I'd have to do the integration of a Balmar to the GM plug on their alternator. [On the plus side, they have a 370Amp Alternator that with their bracket works out to $1119.90, and I'd need to buy a regulator and do the integration myself. Maybe a headache, but cost savings.]

Mechman also makes hairpin Alternators and has a sturdy kit for the Driver's side:

Option 3: Go with a single 370A alternator, replace the stock, work the integration with a Balmar to charge the house bank, and "drip charge" the starting battery. I have over 35 years of off-shore sailing experience. For much of that time we had only one alternator. When we increased the bank to 1200 Ah, the 1800, we did add a second alternator. BUT - I never had an alternator failure. Starter failure, yes - but not an alternator. If replaced, the "stock" alternator on the RT, it becomes a spare. {Ignoring the adage: One is NONE, Two is One, Three is spare}

But, I have questions:

Is yours on the passenger/driver's side?
If you installed it - how easy was it?
Do you have pictures to share?​

I've been bearing down on this upgrade, so have not yet posted the PHASE-1 install (Dash Goodies), but will soon.

Any pics of your dual alternator install and comments are most welcome. My upgrades pics will be forthcoming.

Thanks, and Cheers, Jim

Hi Jim,

I installed the Nations dual alternator kit years ago on my RT 09/10C190P, along with Nations passenger side bracket and the Balmar regulator. It has worked well for me, but installing it was a bit of a hassle. I had numerous interferences with hoses/etc., and ended up having to move some a bit (including the dipsticks and the air conditioner "can"). I also did some milling and rewelding of the bracket. Just looked now and it appears that on the driver's side there is more room and less interferences as long as you don't end up against the firewall.

I think Adam would sell you the alternator and regulator without the bracket if you want. I would ask him his opinion of the driver side bracket too.

Be happy to supply photos of mine; contact me at dicktill at hotmail.com.

Regards, Dick

 

[phantomjock]

First: I give a shout out to Dick for sharing his numerous , well documented, modifications to the Nations mount.
Very helpful and complete. THANK YOU!

Second: his observation is; it "might" be easier to use a Driver's Side mount like some of the ones I've seen out there. Most notably the Mechman bracket (posted above) and there are any number of others manufactures with similar approaches. I do note that many of these are listed as GMC/Suburban, Hummer/etc., and not specifically for a Chevy Express Van. But when searching, you get to these solutions (on the web pages) from an Express Van inquiry.

Now, a couple of questions:
Has anyone on the forum installed a Driver's Side Second Alternator?
Can you kindly share your observations?
Thanks in advance.

And yes, I've sent several emails, but assume that Adam is busy, or otherwise engaged.

Cheers - Jim

 

[booster]

First: I give a shout out to Dick for sharing his numerous , well documented, modifications to the Nations mount.
Very helpful and complete. THANK YOU!

Second: his observation is; it "might" be easier to use a Driver's Side mount like some of the ones I've seen out there. Most notably the Mechman bracket (posted above) and there are any number of others manufactures with similar approaches. I do note that many of these are listed as GMC/Suburban, Hummer/etc., and not specifically for a Chevy Express Van. But when searching, you get to these solutions (on the web pages) from an Express Van inquiry.

Now, a couple of questions:
Has anyone on the forum installed a Driver's Side Second Alternator?
Can you kindly share your observations?
Thanks in advance.

And yes, I've sent several emails, but assume that Adam is busy, or otherwise engaged.

Cheers - Jim

I think there is very little possibility of doing a top mount in a van because if they are all like our 07 the alternator is under the cowl. In pickups and Suburban the alternators are in front of the cowl and firewall in the very wide engine compartment so lots more room for the top mount.


Go the sites that sell the top mounts and check the pix and then peer in behind the air cleaner and see how little room there is there.

 

[phantomjock]

Go the sites that sell the top mounts and check the pix and then peer in behind the air cleaner and see how little room there is there.

booster - Thanks for the observation. I poked around there this afternoon - and, yes the engine is well aft and under the body/firewall. And that certainly complicates an install on drivers' side. But, there is a lot of vertical space. In fact I was surprised. I'm going to mock up a few bits, and the main limitation on my 08 could be the steering linkage.

I'll add, I didn't look at the air cleaner, just the overall landscape. Tomorrow - rain permitting - I'll dive in and see what's-what.

I take it your Nations' mount is on the Pax Side. Did you have to make as many mods to the bracket as Dick? Or is yours a different enough engine bay layout? Dick mentioned heater hose issues. We are 3 years "range." Yours 07, mine 08, and then Dick's 09. I'd think that the underhood space/volume differences are small compared to the rest of the vehicle. Maybe a bad assumption. Who knows?

Anybody else?

Cheers - Jim

 

[booster]

booster - Thanks for the observation. I poked around there this afternoon - and, yes the engine is well aft and under the body/firewall. And that certainly complicates an install on drivers' side. But, there is a lot of vertical space. In fact I was surprised. I'm going to mock up a few bits, and the main limitation on my 08 could be the steering linkage.

I'll add, I didn't look at the air cleaner, just the overall landscape. Tomorrow - rain permitting - I'll dive in and see what's-what.

I take it your Nations' mount is on the Pax Side. Did you have to make as many mods to the bracket as Dick? Or is yours a different enough engine bay layout? Dick mentioned heater hose issues. We are 3 years "range." Yours 07, mine 08, and then Dick's 09. I'd think that the underhood space/volume differences are small compared to the rest of the vehicle. Maybe a bad assumption. Who knows?

Anybody else?

Cheers - Jim

I don't recall much for modifications to the bracket, but I did have move the big wiring harness a bit to do it. I think I did bend the AC cannister and a bit out of the way, though and I bent the dip sticks out of the way a bit.



There was change in that area the likely came after ours. I think it entailed the elimination of the heater shutoff solenoid valve on the heater line that is in that area. Without the valve, the hoses would likely be run differently.

 

[phantomjock]

Configuration changes - that is why Dick had to mod the bracket. His were pretty significant. Thanks for the update.
Cheers - Jim

 

[rowiebowie]

Greetings - Jim here ("08RT170P")

Rather than annoy everybody with a several questions, that would only be applicable to a few, I've picked you from the "survey" that developed a while back. I'd like to review some specific information, and expand on that effort. It will also help shape my personnal decision making.

Each of you have at least 200Ah of Lithium batteries in your house bank. Each of you also have only a Single Alternator. The Capacity of these are all around 200-250Amps.

My questions:
1. Are you "Concerned" about an alternator failure?
No, I'm not concerned about alternator failure any more that any other mechanical issue I might encounter.
2. Do you carry a "spare-alternator?"
No. For reason stated above.
3. Do you consider the messaging about alternator failure is just "hype?"
Not hype, but just not a concern if you don't over-tax or stress your alternator. I do this by only pulling 40Amps of the engine alternator to charge my 200Ah lithium coach batteries (which are capable of taking 100 charging amps if I didn't limit with a 40A DC to DC charger). But my situation is not the same as someone with a very large battery bank that they desire to charge rapidly. Those cases usually require an upgraded or even a second alternator and perhaps some additional regulation to provide such power and not burn out the engine alternator.
4. Is your Single Alternator in the "stock position? [Please include the year/make/model of your Class B]
Single stock alternator on a 2011 Chevy Express 6.0L V-8. My class b is a rare 2012 Airstream Avenue but closely resembles Roadtrek 190's of the same period.
5. What is the output of your alternator?
160A output. What "Brand?"
Stock Delco.
6. Do you use an External Regulator? If so, what Brand? I use a 40A Renogy DC to DC inverter that I installed in 2019.
7. If not, are you still on the factory wiring/regulator?
I am using the same 6ga wire the factory installed when it had two lead-acid batteries.
8. Did you up-size/upgrade the wiring from the Alternator to the Battery Bank?
I did not upgrade the standard wiring from the engine alternator to my DC to DC charger because I believe 40 amps to be roughly the same as the lead-acid coach batteries were drawing prior to my upgrade to lithiums.
9. Do you give me permission to include your user name in any posting I create from this information?
Sure, Roy (rowiebowie)

Kindly respond, and either send to me her at the forum mail, or use my email address; roadracer@joshwho.net

Many thanks in advance.

Regards, Jim

See my responses above. And I'd like to mention that I installed an off/on switch between my engine ignition wire and coach DC to DC charger so I can control when the coach batteries are being charged. I generally start driving and give the engine battery time to fully charge and alternator to warm up and turning on the DC to DC charger when I'm doing mostly highway driving. This lessens initial alternator demand, makes sure it's getting lots of air flow for cooling, and the engine is turning sufficient rpms. I have noticed on rare occassions that if I'm charging the coach batteries while in stop & go traffic at idle and running the dash air conditioning, that the voltate will sometimes drop to just under 12 volts until I resume driving. I assume this means the alternator is not able to always keep up in these circumstances, so even while they are temporary, I can avoid them by highway charging.

 

[rowiebowie]

Just a personal note to forum members:

I've barely posted in the last few years, but for good reason I guess. The main reason is I've had very few problems that this forum and it's knowledgeable members haven't already taught me to handle. The wife and I take a couple of big trips each Spring & Fall to escape the South Texas heat and I've kept busy with other things as well.

Much appreciation and wishes for good health to all.

Thanks, Roy (rowiebowie)