1. how "water resistant" are alternators? i've seen pictures of isuzus playing in water. do they escape unharmed or are they sure to have electrical problems?

2. are the isuzu 4 cylinder alternators located relatively higher than the 6 cylinders? the reason i ask is that most of the isuzus that i've seen with snorkels have been on gen1 troopers. that being said, i know that snorkels are available for the gen2s.

3. is a snorkel overkill? i mean will the isuzu get into trouble before water even has a chance to reach the air intake given the alternator's relatively low position?

4. why is it necessary for the volts to decrease as the engine is under load and why does it become unnecessary when the lights are on? thanks, taro

1. how "water resistant" are alternators? i've seen pictures of isuzus playing in water. do they escape unharmed or are they sure to have electrical problems?

Most alternators are not waterproof, unless you get into the marine realm. Also, most alternators can handle some water with little problems, but...most water off-road is full of sand and silt. Those kill alternators very quickly.

2. are the isuzu 4 cylinder alternators located relatively higher than the 6 cylinders? the reason i ask is that most of the isuzus that i've seen with snorkels have been on gen1 troopers. that being said, i know that snorkels are available for the gen2s.

Nope, they are in about the same places. As for snorkles, it is probably more related to those people who want to cut holes in their fenders.

3. is a snorkel overkill? i mean will the isuzu get into trouble before water even has a chance to reach the air intake given the alternator's relatively low position?

Yes, no. Depends on the other waterproofing that has been done.

4. why is it necessary for the volts to decrease as the engine is under load and why does it become unnecessary when the lights are on? thanks, taro

Amperage is RPM dependent. Voltage is regulated by the regulator in relation to the electrical load. RPMs keep voltage up, therefore an engine under a load usually drops in RPMs and therefore voltage/amperage drop to a certian degree.

Good luck,
Michael

Michael,

(Correct me if I'm wrong here, Taro)

I believe the question centers more around the fact that turning on your headlights seems to hold the voltmeter steady. --- (Since installing my most recent alternator (that's #3 on my watch! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" /> ), IÆve noticed this phenomenon too.)

On my Rodeo, gunning the motor with everything turned off will result in the voltmeter taking a dive to 12và but if I do so with a set of lights on, the gauge stays rock-steady at 14v. --- Lately, just for the peace-of-mind that it gives me to see that gauge stay on 14v, IÆve been running my park & fog lights, day-or-night, rain-or-shine.


IÆve been told (by those who are far more electronically inclined) that the use of accessories will create a fixed and stable load that negates the æBrown-OutÆ effect. --- Personally, I donÆt pretend to fully understand it, and tend to look at it more likeà

ôUggà When light on - arrow thingy not moveà Mmm, GOOD!ö

<img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" />

HTH

Cheers! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cheers.gif" alt="" />
Smiley

I used to have a 87 trooper with a 2.3L 4 cyl and I believe the alternator was at a higher spot on the motor.
The alternator on my 3.2L V6 is the lowest component on the engine. This alternator placment is a huge issue for me. Horrible design if you ask me. I should look into a marine alternator with how much mud I play in.

I believe that Isuzu used pretty much the same mounting format for the 2.3 as the 2.6, so it's still down there. My 2.3 has it hanging low on the driver's side, easily the lowest accessory on the truck. There have been those who intendedto/have moved it to the stock location of the smog pump, but I don't know if that applies to your old truck or not.

James

my altenator kept cutting on and off in deep water. i think i'm going to get a marine alternator also, after i get my 33's of course.

what would help "waterproof" the alternator?

Be careful there too. Most marine alternators are sealed in the respect that they don't spark. This is key because of the fumes that can build up in the engine compartments.

Normal "Marine" alternators aren't any more waterproof than the standard automotive alternators, they just cost 3x as much. Some of them are higher quality and are made from corrosion resistant materials, but like in the automotive world, there is crap available so be sure to check.

-Tad

What kind of alternator do Hummers use? (military hummers of course)

What about the alternator on diesel troopers? I mention this because of the safari snorkel movie
Watch a Trooper swim

Military HMMVs use a pretty standard Delco alternator much like we have...

The reality is that repeated immersions, especially in sedimented/silty water/mud will shorten the life of an alternator, but generally not kill it altogether. The military knows this and stocks alternators accordingly....

Randii

thanks for the replies. Smiley, you are correct. that is what I was getting at. I was able to salvage another month on a bad alternator by turning on the lights until that eventually wasn't enough to keep the current consistent. I'm not very knowledgeable on electricity and was just curious about why it was necessary to design the alternator to act the way it does--it's my understanding that the volts drop on purpose as load/rpms increase.

re: the other replies, it sounds like alternators are an equalizer of sorts. if most every vehicle is equally susceptible, how easy is it to replace the alternators on other vehicles, just curious as my trooper and an '87 tercel are the only vehicles i've ever worked on? replacing mine was a pita, mainly because of the lack of access...maybe it would have been easier if i would have disconnected the auto tranny coolant lines. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" />

thanks, taro