Well time has come for me to do some electrical changes. Im about to install 2 amps that will draw about 160 amps combined. I am going to be purchasing a warn 9.5Ti in the next few months as well. I am also planning on getting a Optima yellow top to try and cope with some of that. I know stock cherokee alternators run 90 amps but the 99+ ones are different. Do they also draw 90 amps as well? What would be a good upgrade alternator to buy? I was thinking the mean green but will that work in a 99? Also I just got 30 feet of 0 guage and a bunch of 4 guage and am rewiring everything. What amp fuse should I get to replace that one inline from the factory?
Thanks,
Nick
Good thing I already had this book out for some other questions...
2001XJ 4.0L - 117A ND
1999-2000XJ 4.0L - 117A ND
1991-1998XJ 4.0L - 90A ND
1987-1990XJ 4.0L - 61/85/100A CS-130
The ND was used 1991-up, and I believe the case size was increased slightly for the 117A rotor in 1999. This should make the Durango (136A) or WJ (136A, look for the 287ci V8) easier - but you'll probably still have to grind the mounting point on the engine. The 136A ND was also used in the 1998XJ 360ci V8. (NB: the 1999-2000WJ 287ci V8 could come with either the Bosch or the ND alternator - make sure you get the ND. They're easy to tell apart visually.)
Possible Durango donors:
2004 w/226ci V6 - 160A! (May require extensive modification to mount)
1998-1999 w/238ci V6 - 136A
2001-2002 w/287ci V8 - 160A! (Same caveat)
2000 w/287ci V8 (Avoid Bosch unit. ND may be 136A or 117A)
1998-2000 w/318ci V8 (All ND. May be 90A/117A/136A)
2004-2005 w/345ci Hemi V8 - 160A!
1998-2003 w/360ci V8 - 90A/117A/136A/160A!
Looks like some of the later Dakotas may also be useful donors, but I haven't checked as of yet.
If you've got the coin to blow, MG isn't bad. There are a couple of other outfits - I believe one is called National or Nations (looks like they do for SAR/Emergency vehicles, but I've no reports from the field as yet,) and you can check with local shops as well. If you can't find one locally, you can use the shop I've been using for years - information for him is on my site. You'll deal with him directly, and he does keep banker's hours (he's a two-man band, I'm just one. But, he runs a shop and I work out of the house.)
0AWG is going to be overkill for what you're doing - but I use 1AWG for my kits, and it's overkill as well. Save your 4AWG for wiring secondary distribution and high-draw circuits - especially if you're planning to go over 150A. Keep your heavy-gage wiring as short as possible.
NB: If you're going to remove your OEM alternator output lead, you
will be eliminating an OEM circuit protection device! For your safety and that of your equipment, this should be restored. You can check out my site for ANL fuse kits to do just that.
Oh - and for your amps, I'd suggest adding a couple of 1F caps to your system inline, if you haven't thought of that already. The extra buffering provided by the caps (a sort of "temporary battery" - they charge when they're not needed, and discharge into the amp when they are...) can help take a load off of your battery.