RE: [ihc] High Amp Alternator

[bearbvd@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx (Greg Hermann)]

At 4:51 PM 7/14/04, Dan Nees wrote:
 The disadvantage is that the stock wiring is only rated
>> for around 60 amps, I believe.  Definitely the Ammeter would have to be
>> removed from the circuit or replaced with something that could handle
>> additional amps.

The stock ammeter, like all ammeters, has a 'shunt' which takes MOST of the
current.

It is entirely possible to find a bigger shunt, which can be mounted
underhood, and use the stock wires to the ammeter, and REMOVE the stock
shunt from the ammeter. Thus reducing the current flow through the stock
ammeter wires to milliamp scale.

With some careful catalog searching, it would be totally feasible to
procure a shunt which would not only take the higher current, but would
leave the ammeter reasonably calibrated--for instance, with a bigger,
properly sized shunt, it might consistently mean 160 amps with the needle
in the position which used to mean 40 amps.

Greg