isolator questions

[oldschoolpgfan1]

I'm currently using a Ohio generator alternator that is 220 amp. I have a kinetik battery for the front...and 3 2400 kinetik batteries ran all together in back. Will a pg 240 amp isolator be able to charge the front and all three batteries that a run in parallel maybe they are series I can't remember but all three positives are connected together and then ran into a 15 farad titanium power core. Will this of 240 amp isolator be able to charge all three batteries in back? As well as the front with out frying the isolator? Thanks

[ttocs]

that would be parallel wiring if they share the same + and - terminals. 4 batteries to charge is a lot for any alt/isolator not sure what to tell ya really.

[oldschoolpgfan1]

It has a post for the front and one for the rear. Its the biggest isolater made along time ago, its the mbg-240 so the front I'm not too worried about because I know it will charge it but will it charge the back three batteries? And if not are There any recommendations on any products out There that will do the job? I'm currently using a stinger relay but its a small round one don't think its actually charging just keeping the batteries sepersted when car is off.

[ttocs]

I am using a stinger relay isolator as well but added a pac spr-200 to ensure everything is charging correctly.

You also might have too much battery in the back for the alt to charge if the ones in the back are not recharging. Its easy enough to test though just start the car and see if the back batteries show the alt voltage at all, and what it is. Don't forget you will loose over half a volt with the diode-style isolator.

[oldschoolpgfan1]

I do have a second alternator in the place where the ac pump and smog compresser was but it does not have a tensioner on it. Its just pulled tight. I don't know how to find o
r make a tensioner for the alt. Just used a custom bracket to mount it. Could I use 2 isolators? One for each alternator. Either way I'm getting very frustrated because my v belts squeel very loud everytime I play the stereo and there is alot of current draw from
the back. And I think its stressing the alt belt and or power Steering. Its a olds 307
motor. I was also told by kinetik advisor to eliminate all grounds on both sided of the
frame in back. And run them to the back of the alternator, could improper grounding cause my v belts to squeel when playe at high volumes the grounds are solid though, directly to the frame. The alternators are ground to the frame as well up front.

[oldschoolpgfan1]

You could be right on the too much battery for alt ratio but is the demand in back so great that my v belt can't take it? At the time I was running 2 zpa 0.5 and 2 zpa0.3 does a current draw like that put stress on v belts? Should I look int o a serpentine Set up of
some sort so there is more of a grip than v belts? I'm thinking that because there is a lot of current draw and not enough charge up front a diode style isolator would do better at charging than the stinger relay.

[Kirghiz]

My question is do you really need that much in the way of batteries? Might be a situation where you could take a battery out and find that less is more?

[oldschoolpgfan1]

Well at one point I had 4 zpa0.5 and 2 zpa0.3 and had the same problem as I did when I cut down 2 sub amps and 2 0.3. I was told to get as many batteries as possible. Are 3 kinetik
2400 a lot? If anything it should help the amps not draw too much from the alternator because of the extra back up with the batteries. I don't know I'm clueless as to why my belts are squeeling so dam loud.

[ttocs]

more batteries is great as long as your alt/charging system can fill them. If your alt can't supply the current needed though they will create a large drag on the alt and can make things worse. Just for shits n giggles since it won't cost us anything, try disconnecting on, maybe even two and see what happens. You might be in need of a 2nd or larger alt....

[Kirghiz]

Maybe I missed it, but the way I am reading it you have twice posted what amps you once had in the vehicle, but not now. What exactly are you running now, and how are they wired? Kind of need to know that to have an idea of how much current you're pulling. A 220 amp alternator really isn't that large in the grand scheme of things. At least by today's standards. As a reference, my installer has me looking at a dual alt set up with a 300 amp alternator dedicated to charging a system battery running an Elite.1 and Elite.4, which would be a combined 2900 watts rated power, and 2400 of those watts are Class D with 85% efficiency. If you are running 2 ZPA 0.5's and 2 ZPA 0.3's you are pushing roughly 2300 watts of inefficient Class A/B power, and likely pulling more current than my system would be, forget running four of the 1000 watt sub amps like you once did. On top of that, you have what four big ass batteries in there? What you would have in that case would be a situation where you have a huge current reservoir that is constantly being drained by the large pull of the amps, and you have an alternator that can't keep up with the current demand. The batteries are likely never getting fully charged, and the alternator is charging the batteries constantly, putting increased load and wear on the alternator.

If that is the case, and your alternator is older, your belt might be squealing because the alternator is getting ready to seize and die on you.

[zeropoint0.5]

it will depends of course how many miles a day you drive with you're car......

another good solution is also putting on a charger at night when the car is in the garage so you can

start in the morning with fully charged batteries......

and do you always listen at max volume ??

[oldschoolpgfan1]

Only drive it in summer it has 60,000 miles. I've had it the last ten years. And put 16,000 miles on it. I think I need a seprentine set up. V belts just dont have enough coverage. everytime the current demand is greater it causes stress on the belts,even with a second alternator it wont spin as fast to put out more current because its just running off the air compressor pump pulley. but the weird thing is that even when circuit breakers are off and there is no load on the alternator when the car is cold it will squeel still even when stereo is off. andbit almost sounds like a pulley is making a small howling noise along with the squeel but after the car warms up its fine.for the rest of the day. could a pulley be going bad? Im still running 2 zpa 0.5 and 2 zpa0.3 i haveva couple viper class d2500.1 amps but i think they will draw just as much currentvand create the same issue plus i dont really like the muffeled sound of class d amp. not dissing them i just like the clean sound of the zpa and amps on my subs.very clean total control at high volumes. even though they arw not as efficent. Im thinking about using one or two 2400 kinetik batteries. and trying to some how some way find a serpentine set up.

[oldschoolpgfan1]

Im running the 2 0.5 at one ohm and both 0.3 at 2 ohms both bridged mono.

[Kirghiz]

Here is an isolator like yours on Ebay should you decide that you need a second one or to replace the one you have for some reason.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Phoenix-Gold-MB ... 8a&vxp=mtr

[ttocs]

if your already having charging problems again I would not really recommend going to the diode version as you will loose .7 volt from it right off of the top... With the two amps your running now, you could probably do with just one extra battery, maybe two... Seriously disconnect one and see what happens, If it helps try disconnecting a 2nd and watch your voltage to see where it goes.

[Kirghiz]

if your already having charging problems again I would not really recommend going to the diode version as you will loose .7 volt from it right off of the top... With the two amps your running now, you could probably do with just one extra battery, maybe two... Seriously disconnect one and see what happens, If it helps try disconnecting a 2nd and watch your voltage to see where it goes.

This is actually the first thing I would try as well. It costs nothing, and I very seriously doubt that you need more than one battery, two at the absolute most. It doesn't hurt to try it and see what happens.

[oldschoolpgfan1]

Im actually running 4 amps. 2 zpa 0.5 on 4-15 and 2 zpa0.3 on two sets of three way alpine components for the first amp and three pairs of 6 1/2 alpine components. I was told by alpune i could run the 2-0.3's off the front kinetic battery and the 2-0.5's off tje back battery since the 0.3 wont be as current hungry as the zpa 0.5 but either way it all draws current no matter what. but i wil try that and drop down to one battery in back or i will use the second alternator for the mid and high amps since it wont spin as fast. and the two sub amps for the regular alternator that runs the car ..i will mess around a little and reduce batteries as well...

[zztunnell]

As far as the serpentine belt setup goes.If you have the means,I would suggest at some point to go that route.Like cubic inches, theres no substitute for more,in this case surface area.An olds 307 setup maybe tough to source. I will strongly suggest to use only NAPA brand belts,too.They are the only belts that we have found to only squeak if there is a pulley or idler issue. The composition of most of these new belts have a tendency to squeal from day one. As far as current draw,I'd like to know more about what an ideal setup would consist of myself.As I am in the middle of designing my own power supply for my build.

[oldschoolpgfan1]

I am using Gates belts but i will definately switch. and i think ill look into a 300 amp alternator and stick with one kinetik 2400 battery for the rear. Ill pretty much have to calculate my current draw and match it the best i can. March makes serpentine set ups that is for the olds 350 but not the 307 if the pulley set ups are the same and the front of the block is laid out the same it shouldnt matter should it? Since i have digital dash , which i have never seen on any 86 regals i dont wanna switch motors due to losing it and with all the emissions bull crap on the motor i would have to re calibrate my computer and thats just way too much of a hassle. id like to really know if any one had put big systems in a regal and if they have had issues with the v belt. i dont wanna put a chevy motor in it. i wanna keep it olds.

[Kirghiz]

March makes serpentine set ups that is for the olds 350 but not the 307 if the pulley set ups are the same and the front of the block is laid out the same it shouldnt matter should it?

I just did a quick Google search, which I'm sure you've done, but what a pain in the ass that engine sounds like. If you found a way to convert it to a serpentine you would be the hero of Olds 307 owners the world over. The Olds 307 was used in some Cadillacs in the '80s too, but searching the Cadillac forums didn't turn up much help either. If you want to get into a serpentine set up you'd probably be better off switching to a 305 or 350.

[oldschoolpgfan1]

Thats true...lol and funny. I am gonna try and talk to an enginner at march and see if they can custom make me one...then i would be king! Lol and or ill see why or what the differences are between the two. the down side to the regals at least in 86 are the emissions setup on them and how the computer regulates it. if i switch to a 350 can i still keep my digital dash...and will it come with a new ecm? I think Im going to sign up to some g body forums or something and find out more about engine swaps and all that. but I
sure wish they could just say "yeah we can make you a set up and not bend you over and stick it too far in ya!"

[LowandLoud]

If you own a Buick Regal, and have an Olds 307 in it..... hasnt the engine already been swapped? If this was just some GM cost cutting i understand but as far as i know, a small block is a small block. The one exception that i know of was the Olds 260 V8 which had a completely different (backward?) firing order. Not sure if this is the case with the 307. The front of the engine should be laid out very similar to any other small block. That being said, i dont have anything in my driveway to compare. Also, i dont think there is a whole lot of computer controlling going on in an 86. Yes you have the digital dash, which my dads old 85 Park Ave had, but it cant be all that complicated. Its not like it is Multi port VVti with quad zone climate control, lol. I think if you have to, an engine swap would not be that complicated. You shouldnt even have to touch any of the electronics inside. All the power for the dash (and computer) should be run through the firewall and out to the battery or underhood fuse panel in a harness. Just leave that in the car.

Whichever way you go about fixing your squeal, good luck.

LL

[Kirghiz]

^

I thought the same thing when I started doing a search for him. I was actually thinking a 305 setup would work, but it turns out that two of the components that are belt driven are on the opposite side as the 307. I think it was the alternator and power steering pump iirc. While the blocks are similar, the mounting locations are different, and that screws it all up. I then looked for a dual alt bracket so he could maybe run two, and no one makes that either. for that matter, the 220 amp alt he apparently has is the biggest I could find for a 307.

That motor is a royal pain in the ass in terms of upgrading the electrical for an audio system. Short of swapping motors, his only cheap option is to maybe put a 300 amp alt in the trunk hooked to a hamster wheel, and have rodent run to generate his current. I looked for a good solid hour, and usually I can find something in 15 minutes or so. No one cares about that motor.

That isn't to say that he couldn't have say a dual alt bracket and tensioner custom machined, but even then, with the rats nest of belts that thing utilizes, I think swapping motors would be easier.

[zztunnell]

My nephew has an 86 with an Olds 307.It has the smog pump too.Ill get it up here monday or tuesday evening.Ill pop some pics and pull some measurements.Ill see if i can come up with anything.For some reason I thought he had a 305 chevy,but no its a 307. Crazy coincidence.

[oldschoolpgfan1]

What motor should i get... im getting frustrated. i need some one to help me figure out if i can still keep my digital dash and will it screw up my 02 sensors or whatever emmissions the computer controls... Im also on the Gbody forum and will ask. If that dosent work i will get a huge rat on steriods and meth and get him cranking on that hamster wheel. That was a funny post i couldnt help but laugh...you got me good with that one!