I double enter every weekend I race. This weekend at bracket finals I won the $3k bracket finals race. Big thanks to again to Mike Rietow this past year helping me get the car setup. The car is unreal varying only a few thousands ever run 5.66x every pass at 3400lbs. Things is absolute zerox machine.

The question I have is during double entering events is keeping the car charged. I have everything needed to keep it cool like Jones trans pump, and killer fans. The problem is they kill the battery 16v XS. Have power master XS alternator that puts out 17.7 v with fans on. But the battery can't run everything needed to cool the car. Mainly the trans as the rounds get closer together. It starts struggling even starting the car. This weekend I was 5th round of no box and 6th box and barely had enough time to fuel car. Time on charger wasn't enough. WDRA official asked me if I knew it was drag racing and not circle track because every few minutes I was coming back into the lanes.

My buddy has the same issue with 16v and an alternator. His main issue is cooling the transmission on a 5.50 et heavy car.

What about having a dedicated battery for different components?

Weve even brought the generator to the lanes on a golf cart in late rounds, but that is only when you have a helper.

Shouldn't be an issue if it's a 100 amp plus alternator. I'd say alternator isn't keeping up if you can't continually run. Fuel pumps are the normal high draw item. May consider mechanical if you don't already have one.

SL...

quote:

Originally posted by DragRaceResults:
Shouldn't be an issue if it's a 100 amp plus alternator. I'd say alternator isn't keeping up if you can't continually run. Fuel pumps are the normal high draw item. May consider mechanical if you don't already have one.

SL...

I have a mechanical pump. That helped it's the Jones trans pump and trans cooler fan, plus rad fan that drains it.

And we have done the same with generator in lanes. Helper is now at med school so I'm solo

Couple the minutes needed to cool it, then the repeated starts to get to front of staging lanes. Minimal actual run time is not enough to get juice used back to stable place. Hence each round the reserve decreases. If there is a break in the action, 20-30 min downtime for something the charger gets be back to good state. Normally when car is off with full charge it shows 17.x. after a few rounds of it then is at 16.4 and I know I can't cool it because it then won't start.

My main question is should I get another 16v or 12v? I think with 2 batteries I'll be good

I have a leaf blower i stuff under the trans. It cools it down 10 - 20 deg in like 5 to 10 mins. I too have a 16v XS and if im doubled it can get pissy by the end of the night.

Only run the cooling on a big (equal or larger amperage than the loads) charger?

I don't know about the reserve on the 16v stuff, but it can't be good. Twins?

Install an auxiliary 12v system just for the coolers with a big reserve battery?

quote:

Originally posted by ski_dwn_it:
The question I have is during double entering events is keeping the car charged. I have everything needed to keep it cool like Jones trans pump, and killer fans. The problem is they kill the battery 16v XS. Have power master XS alternator that puts out 17.7 v with fans on. But the battery can't run everything needed to cool the car. Mainly the trans as the rounds get closer together. It starts struggling even starting the car. This weekend I was 5th round of no box and 6th box and barely had enough time to fuel car. Time on charger wasn't enough. WDRA official asked me if I knew it was drag racing and not circle track because every few minutes I was coming back into the lanes.

What is “too hot” in transmission temperature reading??

Is the PowerMaster XS alternator you have, the one with the manual adjustable voltage and a power saving mode? Just curious.

If alternator is outputting 17.7 v at “Idle” with the fans on that’s very good, and probably a 90+ amp idle model. Using 2 gauge wire from alternator to battery is a must for these higher output alternators imho.

Could you wire a Milwaukee 18 volt battery in for the cooler so you could have a spare on charger and just swap out

How about a standalone auxiliary battery and charger unit that gets plugged into the car after each round?

I had this on my Camaro and the only time I used the battery in the car is going to the lanes and down the track. When I was back at the trailer or in the lanes - I could turn the master cut-off switch off and plug into the bumper with a spare battery to run the fan and water pump.

You could then charge the battery in the car for those few minutes with the draw of the fan and water pump.

My brother made his using a hand truck on wheels.

im not sure that battery has enough reserve for what you are trying to do, also how cool are you trying yo get the trans, its easier to keep it warm than to cool if that's the light 16 volt it just doesn't have the reserve.

one other thing most battery chargers we use are not enough output,100 plus on alternator vs 20 on charger

You guys have some good ideas. I bought another 12v red top and just going to put 2 in it. I have been researching and don't think the 16v stuff has enough reserve. And the few minutes I'm on the charger 20amp is not enough to cool it plus charge the batteries. The red tops say they have 100 min reserve at 25amp. I know when everything is on it's pulling more than that.
I like the Milwaukee battery idea but honestly it would be another thing to screw with and I'd rather not be fiddling with more.
My trans is 170s when I no go out to burnout. Gets to 210 on return road. Transynd fluid. Rossler said 250 is danger zone.. Never see it get higher than 220. The Jones pump once temp starts dropping after about 2 min drops 1 degree every 3-5 sec.

I'm an old-fashioned style guy when it comes to the batteries & alternator. I use two 12v red top batteries & a 140-amp alternator. When I get back to the pits, I keep the fan & water pump running with my manual select battery charger on 40 amps. When I'm done cooling the charger comes off the car.

The fan & pump takes shy of 30 amps to run. So, I have a little over 10 amps of charge time if the batteries need it.

2BKING

That's why I run a Group 31 truck battery.
Lots of reserve (125 minutes iirc) and built to withstand vibration.

On my green car with 16 volt I went with TWO 16 volt batteries and an alternator. Tired of it letting me down. On my Troublemaker Altered I went back to 12 volt system.

To me it is like a ten speed bicycle, with 12 volt being 5 gear and 16 volt being 10th gear. Yes the 16 volt spins faster but it is harder when it is low. It takes more energy to spin it faster and it goes dead quicker. My thinking when I first went to 16 volt was that even if you run a 16 volt down to 13 volts it still has more than a 12 volt and will start but it will not. It is still trying to spin it over faster like starting off in high gear and it can not do it.
XS Power does make a larger battery that has more cranking amps and more reserve, that could be an option for you. Or if you have room for 2 batteries you could do that. I did.
https://4xspower.com/products/d16-31

quote:

Originally posted by ski_dwn_it: I bought another 12v red top and just going to put 2 in it. I have been researching and don't think the 16v stuff has enough reserve. And the few minutes I'm on the charger 20amp is not enough to cool it plus charge the batteries. The red tops say they have 100 min reserve at 25amp.

I think 12v dual battery is a wise choice and will work best. I’d choose a 150/ 90 amp idle alternator to keep them charged when engine running.

My trans fan cycles on at 180* and off at 175* with a 11 x 8.5 stacked plate cooler. Rarely will trans fan cycle on, but I'm using a th400 and sprag converter which probably runs cooler than a PG. I've been as many as 5 runs in 70 minutes. My EFI is methanol and engine never above 180*. Cycling the water pump and fan for three minutes maximum after returning to pits will drop temp below 150* when necessary.

mem... I never charge battery at the track...NEVER!

Picked up a good manual dial (had digital) roll around charger that I can set on 40amp while cooling it as suggested.

That would the double red tops should be plenty

I know on our cars with a 16v HOP 100 amp alternator and an Altronics Lithium 16v it will basically be at full charge after a run. Ignition, water pump, fan.

The one thing I will say about a lithium is that it will charge MUCH faster than a standard battery. 8 min and it's fully charged.

Use 8 volt batteries.