Alternator Swap - 180A Highlander and 270A DCPE

Nice, thank you for this answer. Engineer here as well, but I find myself only really caring about capacity/charge on the batteries on a daily basis.

We avoid the cold as a matter of fact, so the self heating bit is of a lower concern for me, but good info to have nonetheless. We run a Dickinson LPG Fireplace to keep the inside warm as well.

You still get data from your dish while you are driving? I heard that SpaceX was cutting service to non-moving plans when the dish was traveling over 10 mph. Supposed to happen back in October IIRC.

 

Yeah, no problems. Not a requirement for me but it's a nice perk.

Yeah, the cold makes this a much harder puzzle to solve. I am running a Propex HS2211 heater.

 

I put the DC power engineering alternator in last night. Great looking product. It can run 3 chargers at idle, and could probably do 4 if I wasn’t losing a few percent in my wire. I am going to have the tuner put the in-gear idle to 850 and that should get me running 4 chargers for a total charge output of 120A. Alternator is likely 130-140A plus whatever the truck is taking, so right around where the chart says it should be at idle with my pulley config.

I’ll post more later for instructions, but this was a breeze compared to swapping with OEM because the mounting style is a bit different. Took about 2 hours to swap, most of that time was battling with getting the old alternator out.

 

Where did you purchase from, out of curiosity?

 

Direct from DC power engineering. They are great to chat with, if you can get in touch with them. Most of my emails and calls went unanswered. Seems like they are slammed. I got Anthony on the phone and he helped answer a few questions I had. Shipping took 2ish weeks to get it out. So all in all, hard to contact but if you’re patient no big deal.

There’s at least one reseller on the market that sells their alternators under another brand, but they were more expensive and aimed at the pro upfitter/commercial/military market. They wouldn’t admit to selling DCPE alternators, even when directly asked. Not sure whose story to believe. I’d bed that DCPE makes these for other outfits based on the level of technical knowledge they seemed to possess. Turns out there are even higher output options too, but the 270A alternator has the highest idle output so it’s the only one DCPE sells on their site (allegedly).

I’m now considering whether a second 24V alternator would be something worth designing for the 3g taco. Just need to fit it and make a bracket.

 

Do you have the write for the DC Power Inc Alternator install? Looking to upgrade OEM alternator just need to make sure that it can bolt on with no extra modifications.

 

its a drop-in, unbolt the old and bolt in the new. The B+ lug is too small for the bigger stud so you have to overcome that, ideally with a big 3