alternator upgrade question (ebay)

[loudog_jon]

i have a large stereo system, and get a lot of dimming when at full blast. i want to upgrade to a 200 amp alternator and i have been pricing them out since yesterday.

the average price from most stores is around $400, but ebay has loads of them for around $150. has anyone purchased one of these before, if not, what questions should i ask the sellers before i purchase?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/e...d=1,1&item=7989747016&sspagename=STRK:MEWA:IT

thanks for the help

 

[DropTopPony]

i bought my 200a powermaster from steeda. It was @400...buyer beware...you get what you pay for. sometimes ebay is a steal, but most is BS. If your into stereo's and electronics you should know that the cheap stuff that makes big power claims is usually just that....cheap!

 

[AmBo]

Do you REALLY need 200amps? Maybe a 140 is good enough for ya?

I think stock is 90? Am I totally wrong here?

 

[DropTopPony]

Do you REALLY need 200amps? Maybe a 140 is good enough for ya?

I think stock is 90? Am I totally wrong here?

stock is 130, it depends on how much power that stereo is pulling. Mine with @ 800wts rms lasted 5 yrs on the stock alt...with a 1fd cap. I just decided since i needed a new one better upgrade some just incase.

 

[AmBo]

Understandable. Mine is @ 800watts max. Probably around 400watts rms. My alternator so far hasnt crapped on me. Been a year. My battery light though has been flashing since I installed teh amp. I messed SOMETHING up when I did it. My alternator meter doesnt move EVER and my battery is a brand new optima red top. NO ONE knows what it could be. LOL!

 

[hognutz]

ebay is not alwasy a rip off. you can find brand name stuff on there for half price sometimes. now on the alternators I think you will just have to search around.

I mean if you just take the you get what you pay for my memphis belle amp would have been $1000 at the Local shop. I got it on ebay for $600 shipped with waranty off ebay.

There are a couple places I see on there that offer a 2year waranty. at that price you would have to burn up two of them to every one of a powermaster to be out any money.

I would just really ask them about waranty. preferable more than 1 year.

If my alternator died I would proably try one of these. then if it died get it warantied. sell the warrantied alt back on ebay and buy a more expensive one.

 

[Q's Stang]

how large of a stereo system is it? JL is awesome by the way

 

[UhadMEatGT]

Usually you can get the same exact things on ebay at a much less expensive cost. Many people just pay way to much for the same part because of their own unfounded skepticisms and want to justify their waste of money. I am not defending those alternators because I know nothing about them, but I can guarantee I wouldnt dish out $400 for any alternator.......period. I am sure you can find a good alternative. A police alternator should be more than enough. I have run so many things off of them for long periods of time with no ill affect. How do you know for sure that your alternator is 130. I believe the Police have the heavy duty and is rated at 130-140. Typically a stock alternator is going to be around 90, like stated above. I dont know if the ones from the Police vic would fit in a Mustang, but if it would.......I would suggest it as a very good option, plus its OEM, so you know it will have good quality.

 

[loudog_jon]

stock amp on '00 GT is 130 AMP

I have a JL 1000/1, 300/4, 3 - 12w6

power isn't horible right now, but i intend on upgrading in the future. actually my lights were dimming pretty bad, i checked my yellow top, and the terminal bolt was corroded, so i replaced it with a new one, lights are dimming much less.

 

[DropTopPony]

Usually you can get the same exact things on ebay at a much less expensive cost. Many people just pay way to much for the same part because of their own unfounded skepticisms and want to justify their waste of money. I am not defending those alternators because I know nothing about them, but I can guarantee I wouldnt dish out $400 for any alternator.......period. I am sure you can find a good alternative. A police alternator should be more than enough. I have run so many things off of them for long periods of time with no ill affect. How do you know for sure that your alternator is 130. I believe the Police have the heavy duty and is rated at 130-140. Typically a stock alternator is going to be around 90, like stated above. I dont know if the ones from the Police vic would fit in a Mustang, but if it would.......I would suggest it as a very good option, plus its OEM, so you know it will have good quality.

please don't add input if your not sure of your information. The stock alt is 130 not 90. The police alt is the same so no miracle cure their! If your not willing to pay 400 for a 200 amp alt with a warranty from a proven company thats your problem. Call ford and ask how much for a stock replacement 130 amp alt....then you'll see its not much more for the 200 amp.

 

[DropTopPony]

stock amp on '00 GT is 130 AMP

I have a JL 1000/1, 300/4, 3 - 12w6

power isn't horible right now, but i intend on upgrading in the future. actually my lights were dimming pretty bad, i checked my yellow top, and the terminal bolt was corroded, so i replaced it with a new one, lights are dimming much less.

I'm guessing you no longer have a trunk! lol I have one 12w6 off a500/1 with the 300/4 and that would stress the stock alt. So having the 1000/1 will pull alot more juice. Are you running a cap(s)? I have a 1 farad cap and that helped with the dimming headlights etc..but you will need a 1.5 cap for that huge sub amp. After dropping that amount of money on your system...no need to cheap out on an alternator.

 

[Orions98GT]

I used to run an Audiobahn 2300hcq which had somewhere in the area of a 200 amp pull, on a stock 60 amp alt in my mazda, with 2 batteries no (worthless) caps, still hit 150.2 db with orion H2 in a box that was used for all around listening.

I would not get the one off ebay, you get what you pay for, get the power master or have yours taken out and rebuilt to make more by a local shop will probably be the cheapest way. Good luck.