People that have switched to the 160A Alt

sleeve84028 · **Posted:** Wed Jan 09, 2008 4:38 pm

I'm looking for experiences from those members who have moved up from the 136A to the 160A alternator in search of a more effective charging system. My lights are dimming at stoplights and that is very annoying

I have the tools and ability to make the swap (shoot, I even have the like to the ebay site selling the reman 160A) but before I pull the trigger I want to hear from those of you who are currently running this alternator.

Any tips? Special things I need to be aware of?

If your swap was simply plug and play, you can post those results too...

06KJLimited · **Joined:** Thu Dec 13, 2007 12:42 pm **Posts:** 80

I see you said your lights are dimming at the stop light. Are they flashing when the bass comes on with your stereo? If so. Maybe you could get a Stiffening Capacitor. Would help your battery and alternator.

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Thu Jan 10, 2008 12:42 am

If your lights are dimming at idle I would try a better battery first,like a Optima Red or Yellow top.The 160amp alt won't put out that much more amps at idle then the 136amp one does.Also check your grounds,that could lead to high amp draws.

SavageUrge · **Posted:** Thu Jan 10, 2008 2:12 am

I have an '03 Renegade which came standard with the 160amp alternator and my lights also dim noticeably when I hit the sunroof switch or windows. It's been like that since brand new. I wouldn't worry about it too much.

Frostednutz · **Posted:** Thu Jan 10, 2008 6:39 am

yea i had problems with my lights dimming cause the bass was dimming my lights.
yes a capacitor will help but only so much till it looses it's charge because a
capacitor is designed to release all of it's power at once. if your voltage is droping
by only .1 to .6 volts yes a capacitor is all you need but if you're droping down
3-4 or from 14.4 volts to 10.2 volts (as in my case) you will need an alternator.
when your car is off anything electrical runs off the battery but when the car is
running all the load goes to the alternator. the only part the battery plays is
passing the amperage from the alternator to you electrical components. i currently
run a custom made 200amp alternator by excessive amperage that set me back
400 bucks shiped. and i also upgraded my power wire to the alternator, the engine
ground, and the battery ground to a 0/1 size power cable. hope this helps.

06KJLimited · **Joined:** Thu Dec 13, 2007 12:42 pm **Posts:** 80

ummm. are you trying to blow the back window out? not to mention what dB are you get with 4/ 12's?

sleeve84028 · **Posted:** Thu Jan 10, 2008 2:12 pm

I am putting in a RedTop once I get around to it this winter. It was one my list of to-do items in November, but now it is January and I still haven't gotten it.

But I was more wondering about the swap and if anyone has done it. My Jeep is 6 years old this January so I know the wiring is getting old and probably doesn't pass current as smoothly as apposed to when it was new but I thought that I could help the matter with the 24 extra amps.

At idle the 136 amp probably generates about 13.6 where as the 160 puts out 16.0 so that is not much difference but it's still 2 extra amps that I didn't have before.

I suppose though that no one has done this swap?

pokefan · **Posted:** Thu Jan 10, 2008 3:01 pm

06KJLimited wrote:

ummm. are you trying to blow the back window out? not to mention what dB are you get with 4/ 12's?

OT
Me and a my best friend used to go to all the DB drags back in high school and we put all of our money into one system instead of two and we had 4 of the first square solobarics in it and it was insane. Best we ever got was 158.4db we couldn't ever hit that elusive 160 mark! :lol:

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Thu Jan 10, 2008 3:07 pm

sleeve84028 wrote:

I am putting in a RedTop once I get around to it this winter. It was one my list of to-do items in November, but now it is January and I still haven't gotten it.

But I was more wondering about the swap and if anyone has done it. My Jeep is 6 years old this January so I know the wiring is getting old and probably doesn't pass current as smoothly as apposed to when it was new but I thought that I could help the matter with the 24 extra amps.

At idle the 136 amp probably generates about 13.6 where as the 160 puts out 16.0 so that is not much difference but it's still 2 extra amps that I didn't have before.

I suppose though that no one has done this swap?

Mean Green alternators makes a 202amp alt for the KJ,I believe they run about $370 (part# MG1387).

WoodysKJ · **Posted:** Thu Jan 10, 2008 4:01 pm

tjkj2002 wrote:

Mean Green alternators makes a 202amp alt for the KJ,I believe they run about $370 (part# MG1387).

I take delivery of my MG1387 tomarrow. It was 369.00 with NO shipping. I too will put in a yellow top as soon as the current battery is more toasted. Reason for the alt now and battery later, is that I just put a new battery a year ago in the misses 02, and I am assuming her alt will go sooner than the current battery. My OEM Alt one with 10,000+ miles on it will replace hers, so I am doing the alt swap out now. Also the MG1387, as with other Mean Green alts, has a higher amp output at idle that the OEM's which dial down to some where 50% or 60% at idle speeds.

Troy,

How's my Gecko coming? Is marty back in the shop now? How is he doing?

sleeve84028 · **Posted:** Thu Jan 10, 2008 4:43 pm

Woody, can you update this thread with a link to the mean green site? As well as post your results of the swap here. I was unaware of the 200A choice and would love to go with one.

WoodysKJ · **Posted:** Thu Jan 10, 2008 5:35 pm

Here is their site. They do not list the KJ alternator on here.

I called and spoke with a guy named Mark, I think. He took care of me.

http://www.mean-green.com/index.html

People that have switched to the 160A Alt

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