[M] Alterpower alternator charging control switch

[Mark_Duewel at dca.ca.gov]

Great discussion on this thread!  Thanks to everyone for the feedback.

At this point, I think my best move would be to get rid of the double V-belts
and adapt a serpentine belt arrangement, with a slightly smaller crank pulley.
Sliding in and out of the "V"s must eat up some power at higher RPMs.

-Mark





richard's point is just as valid today as it was however many years ago.
pick up a copy of hot rod, muscle mustang, fast ford, etc etc etc and look
at the advertisements ... you'll find that several vendors supply under drive
pulleys for late model muscle cars, and that 5 to 8 _rear wheel hp_ (!) is
the typical gain.  this is no bull:  these magazines have run _independent_
dyno tests and verified these claims several times.

discussion on the list seems to confirm that the loss _from the alternator
itself_ should be about 1 or 2 hp ... where does the rest come from?
the belts.  in a high rpm situation -- be it on a dyno or at the race track --
if you spin the alternator w/ stock pulleys that were designed for 2 -> 3k
operation at twice that speed or more, you are going to have some very
high losses thru belt hysteries.  hey, the oem system was design to live
in day to day situations for mom & pop ...

barry