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Advice on a smaller 24v alternator?


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Next on my list of dumb questions comes alternators. My vehicle is a 24v 1987 110 with an 18J diesel, the NA variant of the 19J. It is ex-military and came with a massive alternator on the right hand shoulder where, as I understand it, an aircon pump would/could normally live:

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I'm guessing I'm not the first to want to do this, and that there will be a preferred much smaller unit that will meet my more modest needs that would sit in the normal position where I've jammed the kitchen roll? The guys with winches are perhaps most likely to know about this?

Any advice and experience welcome

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There are alternator mounting kits for normal 12v alternators, Gwyn Lewis 4x4 for example, 

Most 4x4 winches are 12v, mine is & more than adequate for any Land Rover. 

In the standard position a 100amp 300tdi alternator will fit but will need the pulley changing for the vee belt type. 

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24V winches are quite plentiful, though tend to be the higher end of the pulling range, having said that, Goodwinch do an option for 24V in just about all their winches:

https://goodwinch.com/product-category/winches/tds-winches/

24V really helps with voltage drop, on anything with a winch, 24V will be a benefit for sure.

As for 24V alternators any decent auto electrical place should be able to sort you one out in the right casing.

 

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Thanks guys, but I think I may have set you off on the wrong tack - and I've also shown I know nothing about winches!

The vehicle is rigged for 24v which I'm happy to stick with, for the time being at least. I'll rewire for 12v one day. So it's not that I want a winch, I just thought that group of folks might have the 24v need. All I need is a 24v alternator to power the basic vehicle kit and will sit in the standard location.

I'm not an auto electrics guy, so thanks Bowie69 for the advice that any decent electric place should be able to sort me out. I guess I just was thinking there might be a consensus view that, for example, a Lucas XYZ unit would be just what I need and would just bolt on to the standard bracket. Sounds like there's any number of units to choose from?

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Yup - only the one massive alternator. Feed goes to both batteries in series under the LHS seat. No radio gear remaining in the vehicle. Even the windscreen washer bottle has 24v stamped on it...

Edited by Phill S
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Personally other than a few spare parts like starters & wiper motors being more money I'd say 24v is a good system and no reason to change, especially for winching where the extra voltage means lower current / lower loss in the cables. - and 24v stuff like winches and Eberspacher heaters are often cheaper & more plentiful as they are more widely used commercially.

As Redlinemike says, truck & plant alternators would be my starting point to see what looks likely to fit.

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My 101 is 24v and had the big 90amp 24v alternator - I swapped it out for a 'Bosch style'24v 60 amp and it works well - is 1/3 the weight and 1/3 to size of the original unit.  Bought off ebay but most auto electricians can order them in.

 

 

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Hey - thanks all! This is just the sort of advice and experience I was hoping for.

I'll probly stick with 24v for the foreseeable then. Probably straightforward to split off 12v for a regular radio and other bits and pieces.

Assuming soundproofing of course....

Anyway, will update on how it works out

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Hi Phill,

I have a 24v alternator from an airportable - I don't know if it's the same as you're replacing, but it's not *enormous* though it's not exactly compact either. Then again, what is compact on a Landy?

I have no need for it so make me an offer if it's useful to you.

Edited to add that it was on a 2.25 petrol but was also on the top right so it may be the same. Though it may also just be where the military put them because we didn't get aircon or other luxuries...

Edited by Junglie
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Hi Simon - I suppose what I'm looking for is the same sizeish as the regular 12v job that will sit in the same place as on a standard 19j engine. Never having seen one of those I don't really know how big it is. I'll measure up the one I want to replace tomorrow and get back to you;

Thanks for the offer

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24,000 options for you to consider

14 hours ago, garrycol said:

24,000 options for you to consider

And there's the problem in a nutshell! Which one of those bad boys is going to just slot in where the 12v alternator would sit, using the same brackets and all?

Am following up the suggestions made so far, and.....

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On 4/27/2021 at 11:43 AM, Junglie said:

I have a 24v alternator from an airportable

...here's the guy I want to move away from:

20210428_113306.thumb.jpg.f4148e73376ab773f4cc70861f35fb37.jpg

Mug to give a general perspective.

 

A couple more:

20210428_113031.thumb.jpg.6dafc5bacf6d5945444c53aacc3f01d3.jpg20210428_112934.thumb.jpg.21353eb0f7295216e48078ad9107b9cd.jpg

Had a scrub at the plate there, but it wasn't giving away any secrets. No idea what sort of output it gives

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9 hours ago, Phill S said:

24,000 options for you to consider

And there's the problem in a nutshell! Which one of those bad boys is going to just slot in where the 12v alternator would sit, using the same brackets and all?

Am following up the suggestions made so far, and.....

You want to have your cake and eat it too - it is not that easy - you will have to do some fabrication and changing the wiring arrangement as alternatives do not have the same electrical plug arrangement as the mil alternator.  I see you have put up pics of what you have now - it is the same 24v alternator in the 101 - I was able to replace mine with a "bosch style" 24v alternator without not a lot of issues - I used a 12v mounting bracket for my V8 and just needed to shim the alternator to the position to line up with the belts.  Also ran charging cables direct from the new alternator to the batteries - identified the charging light wire and spliced in there - yes a bit of work will be needed but is not difficult.

The advantage of using a bosch style 24v alternator is it is the same as the 12v version except for the internals and mounts up to the common mounting brackets.

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11 hours ago, Junglie said:

This is the one I have...

Hi Simon - thanks for the offer, but not really what I'm looking for. I'm sure somebody will want it though, maybe a for sale ad on here would be worthwhile?

 

8 hours ago, garrycol said:

You want to have your cake and eat it too

Course I do! I like cake. Maybe I was being a little flippant with:

17 hours ago, Phill S said:

to just slot in where the 12v alternator would sit, using the same brackets and all

I guess I was just meaning the most pragmatic solution. Simplest is usually best. So:

8 hours ago, garrycol said:

The advantage of using a bosch style 24v alternator is it is the same as the 12v version except for the internals and mounts up to the common mounting brackets

Is exactly what I was looking for. As before, my knowledge of alternators is limited to simple replacement of existing models. So yes, the old military type connector has to go, and that's simple enough. As long as I can find an acceptable pulley and mounting it should be simple enough as you say. Just a matter of identifying an alternator that allows it all to happen with the minimum of fuss. What specific unit did you use?

Putting this together with:

On 4/26/2021 at 6:34 PM, RedLineMike said:

these were my go to alternator for 24v applications,
https://tinyurl.com/fdwxm8j6

and:

On 4/26/2021 at 8:30 PM, Tim2809 said:

Look for a 24v a127 alternator

also

On 4/27/2021 at 8:53 AM, FridgeFreezer said:

I've used these guys in the past - they do what they say on the tin:

https://jasm.co.uk/

I now have a good sense of direction. I'm on the case. In other news, I've just bought a dead 19J engine which will hopefully yield up all the standard bracketry, and show me how to mount the power steering pump and brake servo air pump in their "standard" locations on my 18J motor. Won't be able to pick that up for a few weeks yet though, so will hold off buying anything until I've got that as a reference model.

Many thanks all for all the contributions

Next dumb question coming soon - we're getting through them....

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  • 5 months later...

Just in case anybody else should be interested in this topic at any time in the future, I'm now able to answer my own question. Which I asked in April! There's been one or two jobs to do on the vehicle to get it to the state I want it to be.

Anyhow, I ended up with this from these guys at £97:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/str/rotatingmachinesltd?_trksid=p2047675.l2563

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Not beautiful, and probably Chinese - supposedly puts out 55A. Uses standard fittings and belts. Only minor glitch was that I had to fit the adjusting arm the other way around, no room to fit a nut and bolt through the hole at the alternator end. This meant tapping out and fit a set screw there - not ideal, but it works

20211008_132752.thumb.jpg.58c3a84ed8a8025dc3521cd16e5adf6f.jpg

 

Currently lashed up until the front bodywork goes back on and I can finalise the wiring routing...

 

 

Edited by Phill S
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