i typically just try to make out to the shop and trailer and hook the ole charger up on each car and leave on float while im working outside . I use the XS smart charger . As far as race day goes, i'm guilty of leaving charger on car until time runs/ 1st round starts, then i let the alternator go to work. no issues starting in 6 years so far.

Maybe its the charger I'm using? The optima's always fully charged with it. Maybe I need to crank it up to 40amp for the XS?

Just seems like they dissipate energy much faster than the Optima's under cranking. But they also only charge up to 12.4v max after 1 hr on the charger. The optimas would be nearly 13v in the same amount of time.

So who’s charger?

Its one of those Jegs smart chargers, which looks like a Yellow Schumacher charger to me.

Chinese Garbage! Buy the Interacter/Rock/Moroso 12v/26v charger and put an alternator on the car and you’ll be good.

quote:

Originally posted by 1320racer:
Chinese Garbage! Buy the Interacter/Rock/Moroso 12v/26v charger and put an alternator on the car and you’ll be good.

Thanks for the info. Any ideas for a reverse mount alternator bracket. I was sent some powermaster photos, which look like they may work. Just looking to see if there are any others before purchase.

Have you measured to see if you have a parasitic drain?

quote:

Originally posted by Holytown:

quote:

Originally posted by 1320racer:
Chinese Garbage! Buy the Interacter/Rock/Moroso 12v/26v charger and put an alternator on the car and you’ll be good.

Thanks for the info. Any ideas for a reverse mount alternator bracket. I was sent some powermaster photos, which look like they may work. Just looking to see if there are any others before purchase.

Look on the Powermaster web site they have measurements on the brackets. And I have not seen any other brand that is able to fit as close to pan.

quote:

Originally posted by Holytown:
Maybe its the charger I'm using? The optima's always fully charged with it. Maybe I need to crank it up to 40amp for the XS?

Just seems like they dissipate energy much faster than the Optima's under cranking. But they also only charge up to 12.4v max after 1 hr on the charger. The optimas would be nearly 13v in the same amount of time.

I would caution on hitting any mat cell battery with a heavy charge load, it doesn't take a lot to hurt the cells, they are not as forgiving as lead/acid. I would first look at the AHR (amp hour rating) of the battery in question compared to the other, if its comparable, then monitor the voltage input it takes to reach its fully charged state. If its excessive, for example over 15.5 for a 12V while charging, (not sure ideal V on 16V) load test it after is seems fully charged and see what the voltage drop is at 50% CCA. If it drops below 10.5 @ 70º f (for a mat battery, wet cell/street car battery I would be OK with 9.6V or more) then the battery may be done.

quote:

Originally posted by Holytown:
Thanks for the info. Any ideas for a reverse mount alternator bracket. I was sent some powermaster photos, which look like they may work. Just looking to see if there are any others before purchase.

Look on East Coast Auto Electric and Jones Racing Products web sites.

Why does it have to be a reverse mount?

This message has been edited. Last edited by: 1320racer,

Alternators are for street cars.....lol. I can run my mid 5 second bracket car at least 20 rounds consistently without hooking up a charger. I use 2 standard 12 volt batteries, nothing trick. My cobalt uses a single 16 volt and I could go at least 5 rounds on that before putting a charger on it. Last time I ran an alternator was the late 90's. I will never be convinced to put one on again.

What do you guys see for running alt volts? I’m running one XS group 24 up front and one huge 53# rear. Fuel pump didn’t like 18 volts plus neither did the MSD. How much voltage can the V300 racepac tolerate?
For now the alt is disconnected. I’m running the small SD 40 amp converted to 16.

I still have an old VAT 40 tester for battery/alt testing

quote:

Originally posted by 1320racer:
Chinese Garbage! Buy the Interacter/Rock/Moroso 12v/26v charger and put an alternator on the car and you’ll be good.

I agree but good luck finding one. I bought the last Rock labeled one from ATI early this year. Summit had a few Moroso early this year but are out now.

According to Interactor who makes them all, they cannot get the switches and have no idea when they will.

If you cant find the Rock / Moroso charger, I recommend checking out C-Tek.

C-Tek chargers

I have the much older version of the one below and it solved all of my race car charging issues. I would leave it connected any time the car was not moving. Some of the cheap / knock off chargers don't seem to have the micro-processor capability to really perform the charge. Even the Optima smart charger would let me down and not complete the charge.

quote:

Originally posted by stk 758 BP!:
What do you guys see for running alt volts? I’m running one XS group 24 up front and one huge 53# rear. Fuel pump didn’t like 18 volts plus neither did the MSD. How much voltage can the V300 racepac tolerate?
For now the alt is disconnected. I’m running the small SD 40 amp converted to 16.

I still have an old VAT 40 tester for battery/alt testing

I'm pretty sure mine is usually charging 18.0-18.1 volts at idle on our camaro with no fan on and running an electric fuel pump, 900 rpm. Max I've seen is 19.2 down track, which is where the voltage regulator is supposed to be set to for regular 16V stuff.. Dragster it isn't uncommon to see 17.5V at 1100rpm idle with the fan running and the electric fuel pump. Hopefully being belt pump, that will also put out more volts and amps at idle without the fuel pump running..

Battery Mart has an American made 12/16 volt charger. Not cheap but you might give it a look if you can’t find the Moroso.

Just for the record even though I have stated it before. I used my XS D-1600 battery for eight seasons. Actually started the ninth season and decided the car wasn't starting as fast as I wanted and purchased a new one from Figspeed.

I do keep an Autometer battery maintainer hooked up to it pretty much all the time and I attribute the long battery life to doing that.

Like Cashflow stated! A battery that has a full charge is best way to have a long life for your battery’s. Worst thing you can do is not charge after your last hit till you go racing again.

For 12 volt battery charger I used one of these for about 8 years on my race car. I do not think there is anything better. Left it on all the time when not racing. Has been dropped and all kinds of stuff just does not give up. Has been plugging for most of last 11 years or so and my Red top Optima lasted for 6 years or so and actually still going strong just not using it in my race car any more since I went to 16 volt system. https://www.webbikeworld.com/x...cle-battery-charger/ Now I use this charger on my trailer batteries for electric jack etc.

The Red top Optima battery lasted very good for me but after about 6 years in the car I felt it was time for a new one so that is when I went with 16 volt system.
Why is that important? Because I believe if the battery (any battery) is maintained good you should be able to get most out of it. Charging it too fast, running it too low is hard on them and will kill them faster. Too small of a battery will go dead faster and hurts its life.

Then I went to the XS Power 16 volt battery and I use their big charger. It has worked well but I do not leave it on all the time. I put it on and if it goes from charge to float mode in a few minutes then battery is charged and I usually do not leave it going.

I think you should run larger batteries on your car than you need and I always run an alternator. I do not run a very big alternator I do not want much drag on the motor but want one big enough to keep system topped off with out drawing much power. For me it is the small GM alternator mini that puts out 60-75 Amps?

To me it does not matter one bit if it is a 12 volt system or 16 volt. I have ran both and no difference at all in overall performance. The 16 volt spins it over faster but does not have as much reserve. So when it goes dead it goes dead quick. One time a few years ago I had got my barrel valve fuel mixture a little off and it was hard to start. Then in Semi Finals it would not start and cost me the round. Those lost points were critical at the end of the year.

My understanding on the new lightweight Lithium batteries is they do not have much Cold Cranking Amps. So they are light weight and they work good but will also go dead quickly and that is usually when you need it most. So right now I do not know if the Lithium batteries are worth the money and trouble. That would be your call for your needs. If I was to go with Lithium battery in my car I would probably use two and still charge between rounds.

If you are having problems starting the car resolve the issue. In this case it sounds like it simply may be too small of a battery with not enough cold cranking amps. If a big battery does not resolve issue check all your grounds and make sure your power wire to starter is large enough and good clean connections.

How much power do you estimate that it takes to turn a 110 amp alternator under load? The reason I am asking is that I used to run a 10Si 110 amp alternator and had it hooked to a switch on the switch panel run through a cole hersee maintained contact relay so I could shut the alterntor off during the run. After I started the engine I would turn the unit on to charge while in the pits and the return road and while going to staging. When I did turn it on it sounded like I turned on a Jake Brake, it pulled the engine down at least 50 rpm, so I figured it was robbing some power while at high rpm also. I quit using it because of that reason.