charging with the altenator

[5.74x4]

is there any way to charge only 2 batteries with the altenator? on the truck i bought, which only has two batteries it has about an 8 gauge power wire coming from the altenator to the batteries for the hydros. the guy i got it from said it helped keep the charged but needed to be a bigger wire like 0 gauge to fully charge them and maybe a higher output altenator.i know an old man that has a altenator and starter shop which is pretty good at building high amp altenators so i might see what he thinks i would need to basicly charge 3 batteries from one altenator. but does anyone know if it can be done?

[Dragginbody]

problem 1.you are running the 2 batteries at 24 volts.your alternator would only be trying to charge the first 1

problem 2. you would be putting a dangerous strain on your alt that way.

i would run 36 volts atleast and get a street charger.

[5.74x4]

thanks DRAGGINBODY for the reply. but i have one more question: the two batteries in my truck are connected positive to positive and then negitive to negative with one battery grounded to the frame and on that same battery is where the previous owner had a 8 gauge wire going to the altenator. i was wondering if this is the way 2 batteries should be connected because it seems that the battery that had the altenator feed on it goes dead much quicker that the other. and when it is dead my front wont lift but the back is just fine. when i charge it back up the front is fine. it seems to me that one battery is for the front pump and one is for the rear. is this how a 2 battery set up works? i thought they worked togethet to be a 24 volt set up

[02sten]

right now, your truck is connected via a parallel circuit, which makes 12 volts. i made a few diagrams showing parallel, series, normal, and series-parallel circuits. they might be able to help you out

[Naughty T]

You're running your batteries in a parallel setup... It will only make 12 volts... You can put in an isolator and your altenator will charge both batteries with no problem... However, I should warn you... 12 volts is not enough power for a hydraulic setup... You should have AT LEAST 24 volts... If not more...

[Dragginbody]

Quote: Originally Posted by Naughty T

You're running your batteries in a parallel setup... It will only make 12 volts... You can put in an isolator and your altenator will charge both batteries with no problem... However, I should warn you... 12 volts is not enough power for a hydraulic setup... You should have AT LEAST 24 volts... If not more...

yup. you are only running 12 volts. bet its pretty slow. i would run them in series.

[5.74x4]

yes my batterieries are wired like the picture in the middle of the 3 diagrams. but instead of solnoids it has 2 rectangle boxes that the guy told me what they are called but i forget they are soposed to be better than solinoids and he said they were a 100 dollars apiece. i will try to draw a pic of my setup and post it on here if i can figure out out to do that. but thanks for the help so far guys, since i am learning more about hydraulics they are becoming more interesting by the day

[eacyde]

Quote: Originally Posted by 5.74x4

yes my batterieries are wired like the picture in the middle of the 3 diagrams. but instead of solnoids it has 2 rectangle boxes that the guy told me what they are called but i forget they are soposed to be better than solinoids and he said they were a 100 dollars apiece. i will try to draw a pic of my setup and post it on here if i can figure out out to do that. but thanks for the help so far guys, since i am learning more about hydraulics they are becoming more interesting by the day

You should post pics of the setup and 12 volts is WAY TOO SLOW. Take dragginbody's advice and run at least 24VDC, but 36 or 48 volts is evan better.

You prolly have prestilote blocks. I hear they suck, but never personally used them. I use 4 Ford solenoids with 48VDC. It is dope.

[Dragginbody]

i have used the prestolite blocks and if used properly and grounded very well they are good.

[juiced93]

Personally i run 3 ford solenoids per pump to be on the safe side, and with a 2 pump set-up atleast 4 group 31's or yellowtops. thus its quick and reliable

[haktup]

Well just so everyone knows you can run a hyrdraulic setup on 12 volts. Most hydraulic pumps are actually only 12 volt motors. Thats why hoppers burn up motors so fast over powering them. 12 volts however is really slow. Which is why most people don't run it at that. I had my old school reds run that way worked great. But I am not a fan of going really fast up and down.