Guys,

I have a electric hydraulic plow on my truck. The lights dim a bit when raising and lowering the plow. I need a fix for this and I'm not sure if a I need a bigger alertnator or battery or both.

I have the 130amp that's included with the towing package and the stock battery.

Any help would be apperciated!

Thanks

 

A backup battery might do the trick. 130 amp alternator sould be doing a pretty good job. Maybe a good deep cycle battery ( like for a camper or trailer) would do the trick.

 

You need to have an alternator shop mod your alternator so the field comes on at a lower RPM. this is a pretty common mod I have seen. Most plow mods I have seen are for 800 RPM, as you are using the alternator alot more at low speeds when plowing. If you can't find a shop in Syracuse to do it, there is one here in Utica that still does it, I think. But you should'nt have to drive out here for that...

Matt

 

Your 130 amp altenator should be good to handle both batteries.
However you should install a battery isolator (can be purchased anyplace that sells "RV"ing supplies.
This lets you hook the second battery to just your plow and not have any effect on your trucks "oem" battery, won't pull down your headlights etc.

Good luck

Gene

And what Matt said about a smaller pulley to speed up the altenator would be a good thing to do also. Doing both would be the cats "meow"

 

A pulley will do it, but there is a way to alter the field windings as well, which probably is more $$ upfront, but will let your alternator live longer in the long run. It changes the "engagement" of the alternator, as most are setup to not give "full" output until near cruising RPM...I think this would be the ideal way to go, as addind a second battery, and the isolater circuit is really just another load on the alternator, and you are already asking alot of it with the plow pump. Modding the field will just relieve the strain on the electrical system by allowing the alternator to supply the current required at the lower "plowing" RPM's, and in turn keep the voltage levels up where all the components will be happy, as the voltage dips you are describing now are tough on components. Another cool thing is that your pump will now operate noticably quicker, with the added current available at the lower RPMS...you wont have to step on the gas to get the plow to lift faster...

Matt

 

Good point on the altenator Matt! They are proably changing the regulator settings to a lower cut in point.


But have you ever seen a snowplower ever move so slow that they were not turning at least 3 grand most of the time. ha! ha!

Gene