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06-26-2021, 07:53 PM
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#1
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: Auburn, WA
Posts: 784
Year: 2000
Coachwork: IC / Amtran
Chassis: 3000 / 33' Flat Nose
Engine: IC T444E / Allison MT643
Rated Cap: 72 Kids / 48 Adults
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Alternator amps
Attached are three pics of the only information I can find on my alternator.
2000 T444E RE
It clearly says 70 amp DC, but that must mean 170??
Anyone?
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06-26-2021, 10:30 PM
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#2
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Bus Geek
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Columbus Ohio
Posts: 18,758
Year: 1991
Coachwork: Carpenter
Chassis: International 3800
Engine: DTA360 / MT643
Rated Cap: 7 Row Handicap
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Wierd.. 170 seems pretty common on the 444E,70 would be dinky even if a southern bus with near zero heater options installed
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06-27-2021, 07:21 AM
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#3
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: arkensas
Posts: 1,076
Year: 1997
Coachwork: bluebird
Chassis: chevy
Engine: 3116 catapillar
Rated Cap: 71 now 2 humans 1 cat
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you should check your build sheet and never trust a part that could have been replaced by a moron
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06-27-2021, 01:02 PM
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#4
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: Auburn, WA
Posts: 784
Year: 2000
Coachwork: IC / Amtran
Chassis: 3000 / 33' Flat Nose
Engine: IC T444E / Allison MT643
Rated Cap: 72 Kids / 48 Adults
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Unfortunately, the build list I have doesn't include that information, hence my checking here.
__________________
Steve
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06-27-2021, 04:58 PM
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#5
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: arkensas
Posts: 1,076
Year: 1997
Coachwork: bluebird
Chassis: chevy
Engine: 3116 catapillar
Rated Cap: 71 now 2 humans 1 cat
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dont try to guess as if it says 70 it means 70. it might have been 70 as 100 is common on some but i have seen 150 and 200 amp alternators. alternators are interchangeable so there are only a few different mounts. figure out what your electrical load is before replacing
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06-28-2021, 06:38 AM
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#6
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Brazoria County, Texas
Posts: 819
Year: 1997
Coachwork: Carpenter
Chassis: International
Engine: T444E
Rated Cap: 32 Passenger
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I may have to check again, but off the top of my head, I believe mine is a 380 amp. Probably because of the wheelchair lift.
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06-28-2021, 09:08 AM
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#7
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Bus Geek
Join Date: May 2014
Location: West Ohio
Posts: 3,678
Year: 1984
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: International 1753
Engine: 6.9 International
Rated Cap: 65
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That 70adc looks to be something a person stamped on it. I wouldn't necessarily trust it for anything. Do you have a picture of the entire thing? That will give us an idea on the model alternator we're dealing with and we can give you an amp range from that.
That regulator was used on a lot of different units, so it won't help much to narrow anything down. If you can't find an oem or rebuilders tag, have a shop load test it and that should give you an idea for capacity.
Like others have said, I'd be surprised if you had a 70 amp unit. That would have been marginal on cars 50 years ago, so it'd be way underpowered for a school bus from 20.
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07-01-2021, 08:11 PM
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#8
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: Auburn, WA
Posts: 784
Year: 2000
Coachwork: IC / Amtran
Chassis: 3000 / 33' Flat Nose
Engine: IC T444E / Allison MT643
Rated Cap: 72 Kids / 48 Adults
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I still cannot find what the actual amperage of my alternator is, yet, assuming it's 70a, I tested the amp draw.
I started the engine, turned on the lights (low beams...forgot to switch to high beam...damn, and to turn on hazards), wipers on high, both front heater fans on high, booster pump, some internal dome lights (not all are hooked up, marker lights either) and I was pulling 49amp DC.
Since the mid and rear heaters are not installed, no 8 way lights, it seems a 70amp alternator is enough for the converted bus.
This leaves me ~20amps for house battery charging via a solenoid isolator (choosing that over a diode to allow control over electricity flow).
I'll keep an eye on it, and if I need to upgrade the alternator, I will.
__________________
Steve
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07-01-2021, 09:29 PM
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#9
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Mar 2021
Location: Central Kentucky
Posts: 330
Coachwork: Busless for now
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My 2013 Chevy half-ton pickup came with a 140 amp alternator. Surely a bus was better amped than that???
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07-01-2021, 11:22 PM
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#10
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: May 2018
Location: topeka kansas
Posts: 1,771
Year: 1954
Coachwork: wayne
Chassis: old f500- new 2005 f-450
Engine: cummins 12 valve
Rated Cap: 20? five rows of 4?
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200 amp
I changed to a big bosch alternator meant for bus applications rated for 200 amp output.... just so I can charge house batteries and run those big blower fans for heaters and air conditioners.
I hope it works like I think it will
william
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07-02-2021, 02:13 AM
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#11
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Bus Geek
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Columbus Ohio
Posts: 18,758
Year: 1991
Coachwork: Carpenter
Chassis: International 3800
Engine: DTA360 / MT643
Rated Cap: 7 Row Handicap
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Quote:
Originally Posted by magnakansas
I changed to a big bosch alternator meant for bus applications rated for 200 amp output.... just so I can charge house batteries and run those big blower fans for heaters and air conditioners.
I hope it works like I think it will
william
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I use a Bosch SB200 in my dev bus and it works super
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07-02-2021, 06:49 AM
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#12
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: arkensas
Posts: 1,076
Year: 1997
Coachwork: bluebird
Chassis: chevy
Engine: 3116 catapillar
Rated Cap: 71 now 2 humans 1 cat
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[QUOTE
Like others have said, I'd be surprised if you had a 70 amp unit. That would have been marginal on cars 50 years ago, so it'd be way underpowered for a school bus from 20.[/QUOTE]
i have issues with this quote.
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07-02-2021, 06:54 AM
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#13
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: arkensas
Posts: 1,076
Year: 1997
Coachwork: bluebird
Chassis: chevy
Engine: 3116 catapillar
Rated Cap: 71 now 2 humans 1 cat
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sounds like you got a good idea of your draw and considering you do not want to shoot 100 or so amps into deep cell batteries i would stay with the 70 until it proves inadequate. 35 and 40 amp was the norm 50 years ago on cars. be real careful of what you read here
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07-02-2021, 07:53 AM
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#14
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Bus Geek
Join Date: May 2014
Location: West Ohio
Posts: 3,678
Year: 1984
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: International 1753
Engine: 6.9 International
Rated Cap: 65
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mmoore6856
i have issues with this quote.
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Both the 71 torino, and 73 mustang I've owned had a 70(or was it 65) amp alternator. I don't recall what the 67 mustang had on it. Maybe your lower optioned cars got 35, but I know what I had was 70, or close to it.
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07-08-2021, 02:47 AM
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#15
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Jun 2021
Location: Baja often, Oregon frequently
Posts: 427
Year: 1996
Coachwork: Our hot little grubbies...
Chassis: Ford CF8000 ExpeditionVehicle
Engine: Cummins 505ci mechanical
Rated Cap: Five Heelers
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My 1996 BMW R1100 -- 1100cc/67ci motorcycle -- has a 70-amp (840-Watts) alternator.
With heated grips and seat, with outlets for heated clothing, with a power-windshield, with honking lights going every-witch-way, that is barely enough.
It works, but just barely.
.
My 1997 Ford CF8000 ExpeditionVehicle with Cummins 8.3 has a 250-amp big-house alternator.
It feeds our battery bank nicely.
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07-08-2021, 03:51 PM
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#16
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: arkensas
Posts: 1,076
Year: 1997
Coachwork: bluebird
Chassis: chevy
Engine: 3116 catapillar
Rated Cap: 71 now 2 humans 1 cat
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Watts divided by volts equal amps. 840 watts is not 70amps at 12 volts its less than 8
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07-08-2021, 04:14 PM
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#17
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Bus Geek
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Columbus Ohio
Posts: 18,758
Year: 1991
Coachwork: Carpenter
Chassis: International 3800
Engine: DTA360 / MT643
Rated Cap: 7 Row Handicap
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840 watts most certainly is 70 amps at 12 volts
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07-08-2021, 07:29 PM
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#18
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Jun 2021
Location: Baja often, Oregon frequently
Posts: 427
Year: 1996
Coachwork: Our hot little grubbies...
Chassis: Ford CF8000 ExpeditionVehicle
Engine: Cummins 505ci mechanical
Rated Cap: Five Heelers
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mmoore6856
Watts divided by volts equal amps. 840 watts is not 70amps at 12 volts its less than 8
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.
Oops!
Is my face 'red' or what!
.
In my defense, I was translating from hectares per kilo-hour, and somehow got cross-threaded metrical calorically.
Because that is how I roll.
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07-08-2021, 07:38 PM
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#19
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: arkensas
Posts: 1,076
Year: 1997
Coachwork: bluebird
Chassis: chevy
Engine: 3116 catapillar
Rated Cap: 71 now 2 humans 1 cat
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Now for caddiack to own up to his lack of electrical expertise. This is why people get in trouble
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07-08-2021, 07:39 PM
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#20
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: arkensas
Posts: 1,076
Year: 1997
Coachwork: bluebird
Chassis: chevy
Engine: 3116 catapillar
Rated Cap: 71 now 2 humans 1 cat
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