alternator trouble

[combsone]

I just had a 200amp alternator installed yesterday. Thus far, it seems to be putting out less than my stock (95a?) alt. Everything is fine during driving and even @ idle w/ the car in park. But when I get to a light and have to stay on the brakes, the battery gauge goes all the way down to the "N". Last night, my radio kept shutting off. I guess it's due to the break lights?
Anyways, I was wondering if you guys had helpful insight. ALso, the alt came w/ a smaller pulley but my mechanic just swapped it out w/ the bigger stock one. Is this the problem??? ALso, I have yet to upgrade the wire from the alt to batt + to 4 gauge yet. Could this be the problem?? Lastly, I can't seem to find any 4 gauge wire that has a power ring/lug that fits on the alt bolt. I checked Pepboys, Autozone and even picked up some power rings at Circuit City but they all don't fit....ANy help w/ that???

Sorry this is so long but I really appreciate any help given. Thanks.

comy BTW...I'm running up to 1300 watts most of the time.

 

[rydinhigh]

You could just have a bad alternator. It has been known to happen from time to time. Also with that much power to have have an additional power source (cap, battery). As for your ring terminals you might have to buy one and drill the hole bigger so it fits.

 

[combsone]

Thanks for the help....I already have a cap, redtop....Hope its not the alt.... For the ring terminals, the hole sizes are not the problem...They fit on the bolt just fine....It's just the rest of the terminals are just too big and they hit the protruded pieces that surround the bolt on the alt..

comy

 

[tmanson]

Crappy connection (voltage drop) test. With the X running load the system down, turn on all the lights, heater blower, etc… Put one lead of a voltmeter on the output bolt of the alternator and the other lead on the negative battery post. The voltage reading should be low <.5 volts or so. If it is low, than the alternator is probably bad.