Dual Alternators

lindenengineering

Well-known member
Well I have installed dual alternators on this vehicle platform and others.

What strikes me in the kit assy advertised, is the absence of the pogo stick secondary belt adjuster and idler wheel to complete the install.:thinking:
Dennis
 

camillo

New member
Looking at the on-line manual for the Balmar regulator, there is no option for charging LiFePO batteries. :(
Anyone else using a dual alternator to charge a lithium battery bank?
 

JFloFoto

Active member
Well I have installed dual alternators on this vehicle platform and others.

What strikes me in the kit assy advertised, is the absence of the pogo stick secondary belt adjuster and idler wheel to complete the install.:thinking:
Dennis
I'll be bringing my Nations to you for install next month. I guess I'll be a couple of parts short. :bash:
 

avanti

2022 Ford Transit 3500
Looking at the on-line manual for the Balmar regulator, there is no option for charging LiFePO batteries. :(
Anyone else using a dual alternator to charge a lithium battery bank?
The Balmar doesn't have a single specific setting for LiFePO, but it has numerous parameters which are fully-programmable, and it is easy to set up for various battery chemistries. My Nations' kit came with the Balmar set up for Li. It had a tag attached showing the settings they changed from the defaults. I had to reprogram it for my AGMs. No big deal.
 

camillo

New member
The Balmar doesn't have a single specific setting for LiFePO, but it has numerous parameters which are fully-programmable, and it is easy to set up for various battery chemistries. My Nations' kit came with the Balmar set up for Li. It had a tag attached showing the settings they changed from the defaults. I had to reprogram it for my AGMs. No big deal.
Thanks again, avanti. They didn't ask what batteries I was using and I didn't know enough to ask... my bad. The tag on mine says:
Programmed
BV-14.6 AV-14.4 FV-13.4
Alternator Temp - 120C

I don't know what settings my electrical system will require. (Victron 480Ah LiFePO (3x160Ah), Multipass 12/2000 Inverter/Converter - currently in shipping channels)

Anyone know of a licensed and qualified installer for the alternator, who has experience with LiFePO, in MD or southern PA?
 

JFloFoto

Active member
JFloFoto, did you ever get the Nations dual alternator kit installed?
I did. Dennis at Linden Engineering installed it for me.

The details: Since I ordered the van with an aux alt bracket option, it was a simple bolt on. The Nations aux alt kit came with a bracket which was not necessary. I returned the bracket to Nations for a refund. Nations also suggested a longer MB belt since the original would need to be replaced, so I bought one and a back-up just in case. Dennis used the longer belt in the install. He mounted the Balmar charge regulator on the air box so it is accessible in case any programming adjustments need to be done in the future. Cost was a couple of hours of labor. I have not hooked it up to house batteries yet.

He also dropped my tank and installed a extra fuel tap for my D2. I needed an extra since my van came with the heater booster which took the auxilliary tap.

Finally, I wanted him to enable my cornering lights. He wasn't able to do it without the proper software, but told me that he ordered it and should be able to do it soon. He's had a lot of other requests so decided to go ahead and get the program.
 

camillo

New member
I did. Dennis at Linden Engineering installed it for me.

The details: Since I ordered the van with an aux alt bracket option, it was a simple bolt on. The Nations aux alt kit came with a bracket which was not necessary. I returned the bracket to Nations for a refund. Nations also suggested a longer MB belt since the original would need to be replaced, so I bought one and a back-up just in case. Dennis used the longer belt in the install. He mounted the Balmar charge regulator on the air box so it is accessible in case any programming adjustments need to be done in the future. Cost was a couple of hours of labor. I have not hooked it up to house batteries yet.

He also dropped my tank and installed a extra fuel tap for my D2. I needed an extra since my van came with the heater booster which took the auxilliary tap.

Finally, I wanted him to enable my cornering lights. He wasn't able to do it without the proper software, but told me that he ordered it and should be able to do it soon. He's had a lot of other requests so decided to go ahead and get the program.
Thanks for the info. A couple more questions:
Was the aux alt bracket that you got with the van any different from the one that Nations sent with the kit?
My kit came with a DAYCO belt. Are you saying that Nations suggested a belt different from the one that comes with the kit?
Are you going to use lithium house batteries?
 

JFloFoto

Active member
A couple more questions:
Was the aux alt bracket that you got with the van any different from the one that Nations sent with the kit?
My kit came with a DAYCO belt. Are you saying that Nations suggested a belt different from the one that comes with the kit?
Are you going to use lithium house batteries?
The OEM aux alternator bracket is different than the Nations'. The Nations kit comes with a pully, bracket, bolts, nuts, etc. as seen in the picture of the Sprinter kit on their website. The OEM version appears to be built into the block and is simply two bolt mounting points from what I can tell. See pics of OEM bracket. I'm pointing to the mounting holes.






Nations sent me a MB V-belt, part # A 011 997 58 92




I will be using 2 Group 27 AGMs as my house batteries, not lithiums.
 

avanti

2022 Ford Transit 3500
Just for the record:
The above discussion is about 2nd alternator mounting in the V6 engine. The mounting on the I4 is different (and from what I understand, easier to install--except that it requires the tapping of an existing hole in the engine.). You have to order the right kit from Nations'.
 

VanGuy6678

Member
Anyone know where I can have the Nations dual alternator kit installed in the Boston/New England area??? I’m stumped.....
 

sprinterdiscovery

Active member
Avianti - I have a similar engine - the OM651 4-cyl 2.1L. I also have a Goal Zero Yeti 1000 lithium battery which I charge via a 12v-120v inverter, but it is very slow to charge as I drive. I do not have solar.

Could I use this alternator, along with the MC614 Balmar External Regulator to generate 12v output, and then connect to my Yeti 1000 to add additional charge to the battery? This way perhaps I could double the power input into the Yeti 1000 via the Anderson Power Pole plugs and charge up the battery quicker.

I would need to purchase this: https://www.nationsstarteralternato...ernator-Kit-with-280XP-p/vflmk2493v-280xp.htm
 

avanti

2022 Ford Transit 3500
Avianti - I have a similar engine - the OM651 4-cyl 2.1L. I also have a Goal Zero Yeti 1000 lithium battery which I charge via a 12v-120v inverter, but it is very slow to charge as I drive. I do not have solar.

Could I use this alternator, along with the MC614 Balmar External Regulator to generate 12v output, and then connect to my Yeti 1000 to add additional charge to the battery? This way perhaps I could double the power input into the Yeti 1000 via the Anderson Power Pole plugs and charge up the battery quicker.

I would need to purchase this: https://www.nationsstarteralternato...ernator-Kit-with-280XP-p/vflmk2493v-280xp.htm
So, you are proposing simultaneously (a) running your inverter from the OEM alternator and using the 120VAC output to feed the Yeti 1000; and (b) somehow using the Balmar output to also charge the Yeti's battery?

I am not sure that my level of understanding is deep enough to answer your question definitively, and I certainly don't fully understand the Yeti system. But, what you propose sounds complex and hard to understand. There are a lot of moving parts. The Balmar is a full 3-stage battery charger, not just a 12VDC current source. Perhaps you can program the Balmar to produce something that the inverter or the Yeti's solar input will accept, but it is really set up to expect to be directly feeding a battery, so this could be shaky.

Is there any way to charge the Yeti's battery directly? I really think that the Balmar is not going to be happy unless it is directly charging a battery.

Perhaps some of our actual experts can chime in.
 

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