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ALTERNATOR/ Battery

1K views 6 replies 3 participants last post by  dsktim 
#1 ·
Well I am deployed to middle east.... Truck is at home with wife dead.... We have two vehicles........

2009 GMC Sierra 1500 4-DR C/C, V8, 5.3L, RWD

Just before I left, I installed x2 Red Top Optima Batteries, PAC Brand Dual-B Isolator. Now truck= No Power! WTH?

In order for the Isolator to allow two batteries to be running, the (Signal/Remote) wire (to the PAC Brand Dual Battery Isolator) has to be supplied 12v. Therefore only the (Start) Battery should be enabled, so its not till you start truck, that (Signal/Remote) wire would get 12v, therefore allowing the Alternator to access both Batteries simultaneously (topping off both batteries) If the vehicle wasn't running, the (Auxiliary Battery) should have not being activated via the PAC Brand Dual- Battery Isolator.

So the Batteries should not have killed themselves trying to battle with each other over lower cell voltage.....

I wonder which Alternator was on my truck, maybe rollin' for the six weeks before I left; keeping two batteries charged was too much for a 3.5 year old truck.......?

I heard rumor of two alternators used, one lower amp output, and one higher amp output.....

What are you all's thoughts?
 
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#2 ·
I would ditch the isolator and just run them in parallel. As for dual alts pointless if you are not running a large stereo or some other power drawing device. Dc power alternators makes a dual alt kit for our trucks and the cost is about $300 plus the cost of a second alt. If you need a little more alt power talk to Nate at excessive amperage about a 200 amp alt guessing about $300ish. Also when you replace a battery in a vehicle always charge it first a drained battery will kill a alt faster then any other use.
 
#3 ·
Running x2 12" Subs ea. Own Amp
x4 Door Speakers with own 4-Channel Amp
I removed back seat mounted x3 Ampflifiers to Back Wall, replaced rear seats, the Sub Box is under the rear seat

Installed a 6 Channel Output Converter in the Cubby under the Front Seat (Middle)

 
#5 ·
You will have to figure you max amp draw then figure what size alt you would need.
Example
1000 watts of amp power divided by 14.4 ideal voltage equals 70 amps of alternator.
Our truck comes with a 165 amp alt I think and max draw from the truck is probably 70 to 80 percent of that.
 
#6 ·
No, unfortunately she does not even know what any of my FOUR multi-meters look like! I added a pic of the PAC Brand Dual Battery Isolator, I am trying to dig through my Hard Drive to find pics of the 3 Amps/ Door Speaker/ And x2 12" Box/ 6 Channel Line Output Converter, I did an incredible clean install, I seen from my pic of the PAC Isolator. (Being deployed sux balls...!)

I knew I took a pic of this before i left for a reason! Can someone tell me which Amp Alternator that came on my truck?

 
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