Bigger alternator?

Well, normally I agree, but....

Just before my last trek north, I took my car over to my trusted alternator/starter re builder and asked.

He said...hell you are driving on borrowed time.

Sure enough the brushes were down to the nubs...

Glad I did it.

80 watts is about 7 amps at 12 volts, which is not too bad, except if the car is idling for long periods with the lights, rear defogger, fans, etc., running.

BTW, I was probably incorrect with my guess of 30 amp output for the alternator. 60 or 70 is probably correct; and the alternator should put out at least 30 amps under load.

If you are idling for long periods, the alternator puts out less power. If you are parked with the engine idling for long periods, turn off the rear defogger and lights, and turn the blower fan to a lower setting. All that electrical stuff does put a strain on the alternator.

Check for belt slippage and bad electrical connections. My VW alternator put out .3V more at idle after I added a ground wire directly between its case and battery. If none of that helps and your brushes are good, consider a smaller diameter alternator pulley.

A HEPA/charcoal filter won't remove exhaust fumes, at least not for long.

What the heck. A home air purifier?

Even if a car had 0% air leaks and the ventilation control set on recirculate when your driving there is way to much fresh air going in and out of the cabin for that to work. That type air purifier works 24/7 for long periods of time on the same air to do its job. Even a home a/c system would not be able to do handle the load from that much air leaking inside.

Dan

I'm from FL originally, and you could for many years. :)

I believe the wording is securely enclosed, or something like that. Like in the glove compartment? Check your laws.

Wish they'd bring them back.

Took me about a week. :)

I saw one site that said 80 amps, was it Ebay?

I'm not sure if it's the alternator, the old brushes, or the feedback circuit for the EFI. Don't know that much about all that.

The alternator puts out more power at high engine RPM than at idle. If you are idling for a long time with lots of demand, the battery will eventually start to discharge.

Well I got mine along with an electronics course from DeVry. They shipped as I finished a section of the course. Took awhile....

I know, but I had the inverter for my laptop. A toy is a terrible thing to waste...LOL

I did buy a 12 VDC power converter for the laptop, so I'm getting closer...

Now there is a three to one splitter off the cigarette lighter.

That sounds like what's happening. If I put my foot on the gas a little, the air cleaner comes back up and the lighte get brighter again.

I thought of adjusting the idle up a little but a mechanic said you're not supposed to do that with a fuel injected car because there's some kind of feedback circuit.

I built the 19" color TV from Heath directly. Didn't have very good color stabilization circuitry back then though.

Agreed. The cheapest set available now is far superior.

....but how many people can say they built a color set?

Really. :)

I also built the SB-101 and later the SB-102.

You made me have to google!

Neat....

Idle speed is not adjustable, and if you increased it, fuel mileage would go down the tubes.

I used to use it with a 2 element 10-15-20 meter quad on a tower just above the house, and work all over the world with it.

Actually I found an idle speed screw but tried adjusting it and the hex socket part crumbled and it wouldn't tighten down again.

But there MUST be some way to get the idle to compensate for load on the alternator, right?

Otherwise what's the point in having an 80 amp alternator if the engine stalls when you use 30?