I've got myself one of those little nippon denso alternators, have seen the previous posts about wiring them up, so that's fine. It's only the 45amp version so I'm slightly concerned as to whether it'll be man enough as my car will be running fuel injection/pumps/throttle bodies etc, though obviously headlights will hardly ever be used.

Dependant on above I'm also wondering what spec/type of battery to use. Presumably I have a choice between a small conventional liquid acid car type battery or a jelly 'red top' type race battery.

I'd like to get either an abs plastic or grp battery box to sit in the panel above the passenger footwell, so obviously depending on battery spec/type will affect the size of the box I require.

Anyone got any pointers, or running a similar setup already on a fuel injected/throttle bodied vauxhall xe or zetec?

cheers,

Ned.

ok, 50 views and no responses, maybe i should rephrase the question..

1.) who is using/has fitted a small nippon denso (charade/swift/rascal) alternator and has an injection engine running?

2.) what battery should I use on my vauxhall xe?

Ned.

ned,

Although I am not using that alternator exactly, working for a japanese company I have experience of its brothers and sisters.

Most cars usually run alternators with 60~90Amp capacity, but say ing that, you should also think about what you dont have - electric windows, heated electrically adjusted seat, automatic rag top, driving/front fog lamps, a 400W audio system, a trailer socket with attached trailer lights and a thousand and one sensors, etc, etc.

Your fuel injection is probably running direct from the ecu - yes / no ? and the ECU should generally be using less than 10Amps. Check the fuse protecting it, that'll give you a rough idea. Add to that lights and a couple of other bits and bobs you might have and I think a 45Amp alternator should be enough.

Thanks Silex,

I was beginning to think that after 70 views people were ignoring me!

cheers,

Ned.

I use a red top 30 in my grasser, and will use the same in my XE locost. never had to touch the one in the grasser in 2 and a bit years racing (just as well as it's a pig to get at!)

Alternator wise, it depends on what electrics you run. I will have no heater, no wipers, no washers. I will have std lights etc.

Very roughly, I would take a stab in the dark at around 10 amps for all lights except for the headlights. Between 10 and 20 amps for the headlights depending on what you are running (I hope to fit some extras after SVA for night navigational events, (should be amusing!!) and then around 10 amps for fuel pump and 5 fior ecu and "other". The cooling fan doesn't need to run for long so don't worry too much about that, the battery will soon charge back up on a run.

All in all, as long as you don't have loads of electrics, 40 amps alternator output should be plenty.

no screen, so no heater or wipers. basic lights and gauges, dta ecu and small front lights, prob led rear lights..

horn, fog light, electric fan, fuel pumps is about all else i can think of.

i'll see how it goes then

cheers Nat,

Ned.

ps just for the archives/searches I have discovered that a few zetec westfields run 40amp alternators without problems and also several sports2000 race cars at silverstone were running duratecs/throttle bodies with the same 45amp unit..

[Edited on 25/4/05 by ned]