26 AUGUST 2019 ownerdriver.com.auAbove: IdlePro alternator from
Prestolite Electricsponsoredcontent
NEXT
GENERATION
OF ALTERNATORS
The electrical system of your truck could be overloaded.
A timely reassessment can help improve productivity and save
you a bundle onrepairs ofdamaged internal components
H
ave you ever stopped to wonder how healthy the heart
of your electrical system is? Many of us are guilty of
ignoring the need to calculate the total power usage
of our vehicles and make sure we have the right
alternator.
The electrical system of your vehicle finely balances
energy demands with energy production and when this
balance is disturbed, subsequent failures may occur in
various components causing expensive downtime and
mechanical repair. This electrical balance is often disturbed
by the addition of driving lights, marker lights, cooling
systems, refrigerators, microwaves, etc. These products draw
additional current, placing more load on a system. The
outcome can present itself in premature battery failure,
damage to starter motors or the alternator itself.PACCAR Parts senior product manager Rekha Mohan
shares some key points with us to help us better
understand the need to assess the vehicle’s electrical
demands and how the next generation of alternators can
reduce the risk of system failures.
A truck’s electrical system is a basic one that uses the
alternator to convert mechanical energy into electrical
energy. This supports the primary electrical loads of
the vehicle and also maintains a healthy battery. If your
electrical system is underperforming then chances are
your current alternator may not match your vehicle’s
demands. Please be mindful that variables such as
temperature, cable condition and battery condition
can impact the charging system.
A typical prime mover requires 65–75 amps to cover the
bare minimum electrical load of the vehicle’s systems.
This includes engine management, internal and external
lighting, heater and air conditioning fans, gauges, UHF
and radio. When you install extra accessories to your prime
mover such as driving lights, additional trailers requiring
marker and rear lights, fridges, electrical cab cooling
systems and so forth, the total electrical load can exceed
well over 100 amps.
Table 1 lists the electrical requirement of some common
accessories fitted to a truck.
If a truck had all of these installed, the current
requirements to cover these electrical loads are:- Electrical accessories: 80A
- Engine control system: 65–75A
- Total current requirement: 145–155A
12 VOLT DEVICE POWER (WATTS) CURRENT (AMPS = WATTS/12)
Electric Cooling System 240 20
LED Driving Lights x 4 660 55
Clearance Lights x 16 10 0.8
Additional Fridge 55 4.6
TOTAL CURRENT DRAW^ 80.4
TABLE 1: ELECTRICAL REQUIREMENT OF SOME COMMON TRUCK ACCESSORIES