Backup Alternator

[rickdesilva]

I want to carry a backup 24 volt alternator. I don't have the oil cooled large setup. Mine is a stand alone mounted next to the 12 volt alternator on the passenger side. Its a Delco Remy and doesn't have a mark on it, no model number or anything. Its 24 volt and 75 amps and has an internal regulator. I can get a new one from Prevost but I would rather get a rebuilt to carry with me. Does anyone have the Delco# or a number/source that I could use. Any help would be appreciated.

[Orren Zook]

I want to carry a backup 24 volt alternator. I don't have the oil cooled large setup. Mine is a stand alone mounted next to the 12 volt alternator on the passenger side. Its a Delco Remy and doesn't have a mark on it, no model number or anything. Its 24 volt and 75 amps and has an internal regulator. I can get a new one from Prevost but I would rather get a rebuilt to carry with me. Does anyone have the Delco# or a number/source that I could use. Any help would be appreciated.

Without seeing your alternator, I'd guess a 21SI. Is it a pad mount (mounting bolts down each side) or J mount? There's a J mount on ebay right now for $159 you should be able to get it for less at a Federated in New Jersey: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/DELCO-HEAVY-DUTY-ALTERNATOR---21SI--70-AMP---24V-1-WIRE_W0QQitemZ140299766819QQcmdZViewItem

[truk4u]

Rick,

Can you get us a picture? I'll check the number on mine.

[rickdesilva]

I had trouble with the attachment so Skiffer posted it for me. The alternator is Caterpillar yellow so its probably a rebuild. It has no markings on it except Delco Remy stamped into the rear plate.

[BENC]

I believe if you show that picture to Dan Hartley at Parliament Parts (727-420-6805), he may have some take-offs you could purchase. They got a few shells with that installed on it, but took it off to install the Parliament OTR a/c compressor in it's place. Hope that helps.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Pilots like back-up and redundancy. At one time or another everything on my plane has failed so having another device for back-up or system redundancy has made a bad situation tolerable.

Having said that however, consider how the coach is set up and determine if you already have back-up or alternate methods in place. For my chassis I have a charger, and for my house I have inverters, so if my single alternator pukes which it did a while back I just started my generator and was able to keep on trucking.

If I had smaller alternators such as the one Rick shows I think if I had some form of on board charging in case it failed I would leave them home in my garage. My reasoning involves risk versus reward considerations. What bad will happen if the one on the bus fails, and do I have a way to keep going on my trip until I can buy one or get home? That line of thinking would steer me to questioning whether I had an on board substitute such as a charger or inverter that could be powered from my generator. I would also be considering the failure rate. Do alternators fail more often than belts?

If we want to look at determining what extra parts we should carry I think the assembled masses in this asylum we call POG should mentally review what problems and failures we all have had and then consider how we could deal with them if they happened to us. Since each coach is equipped differently there is no single answer.

Based solely on gut feel, I'll bet if we were to pick the single most common failure point on our buses we would find it is our batteries. Anybody out there carry spares? That would be followed by AC failures. I am ignoring failures of non critical items such as shades.

[rfoster]

Jon: My most common failure to date is a/c-alternator belts. Last year in Gillette Wy and this year in Corinth Ms. I was able to to continue on to a comfortable stopping place by running the Generator to provide the 24 volt Chassis batteries necessary power thru the guest Charger.

I don't know that the charger could have stayed ahead of the curve if I were running at night with dash air, lights, wipers, and defrost fans going on - but daylight no rain it maintained the batteries (new ones).

Nope, ain't hauling no spare batteries, plenty of places to buy them if needed. Kinda like fuel.

[Gary & Peggy Stevens]

Kinda like fuel.

Hey Roger, who were you aiming that arrow at ? :D

Gary S.

[rickdesilva]

Thanks for all the info, I'm into redundancy. I figure I'm better with spares.