Electrical Demands Powering Alternator Changes

While it is generally regarded that petroleum products fuel our penchant for transportation, those in the know understand that without electricity nobody would ever get out of their driveway.

Of course, for many, that might be just fine as the addition of entertainment devices, sophisticated creature comforts, power windows, doors, antennas, and seats have made today’s cars into the most people-friendly environment in most people’s lives. Your living room should have it so good.

Of course, all that comfort comes at a price, with the alternator paying most of that bill.

“One of the most potentially significant trends involves the fact that each year more and more electrical demands are placed on the alternator. To meet these demands, one of the luxury car manufacturers is going to a 240-amp alternator, and some manufacturers are looking at 300 amps. This development, and its potential for other vehicles and alternators, has slowed the development of 48-volt systems and the requisite redesign and rewiring of much of the vehicle’s electrical system,” says Lee Reighart, group product manager, Starting and Charging Products for Bosch.

“Definitely there are more options [being installed on vehicles] so alternators are changing to accommodate that,” says Bob Sinclair, Canadian sales manager, Dixie Electric Ltd. “They are getting higher amperage requirements but they create more heat. Cooling is always a big factor. Heat is the biggest enemy of the alternator. Manufacturers are increasing the amperage of the alternators, but at the same time they have to decrease their size and weight, which makes it harder to cool them.”

Sinclair says that he has even seen the use in late-model vehicles of two alternators working in tandem, one of about 100 amps to power the vehicle’s electrical system and accessories, and another 40-to-50 amp unit responsible for powering the vehicle’s computer systems.

Aside from that special case, alternators are usually given the job of providing all the electrical power for the vehicle.

With increasing demands and decreasing size, when a system begins to degrade and draw more power, when a battery begins to fail, or when the alternator itself ages and becomes less efficient, it doesn’t take long for the added stress to cause the unit to broil in its own juices.

“The get hot and they burn out,” says Sinclair succinctly. “The alternator is doing its job but it is overworking.”

Manufacturers have looked at different options to keep things cool; probably the most notable is the liquid-cooled unit that found its way into Cadillac Northstar applications.

The aftermarket has also sought solutions. Bosch, for example, builds a line of high-output alternators with ratings from 140 to 200 amps. These alternators use Nomex insulated stator wires, a ceramic-coated drive end, and slip ring end frames.

For the most part, however, air circulation and the shielding of critical components have won the job of keeping today’s alternators in acceptable operating conditions.

“The product has be perfect for it to work properly,” says Tulio Latanzio, vice-president marketing, Armature DNS 2000 Inc. “That puts a lot of stress on the smaller alternators. They burn pretty good and that is why we keep on selling them,” he says with a smile.

Latanzio says that the current activity is centred around 100-amp units, with higher amperage units yet to come to the forefront. Jobbers might recall that not too long ago an 85-amp unit was considered a heavy-duty option.

Even though most jobbers will opt to carry the higher amperage option only in order to keep SKUs and core investments down while maintaining application coverage, the proliferation of units has nonetheless caused an increase in stocking requirements.

“We gear our numbers so that 90% of them are of the higher amperage, so that the SKUs are reduced and the jobbers don’t have to keep so many in stock, but there are still more than there used to be,” says Latanzio.

He believes that a key driver in parts proliferation is a move by OEMs to throw barriers up against offshore competition.

“They are trying to fight off the Chinese so they are making an alternator every year instead of making an alternator for three cars every five years.” Increasing the number of models being released has the effect of reducing the manufacturing run for many replacements, and since most offshore competition is strongest only in those very popular part numbers, the part-changing strategy is probably a good one.

It does, of course, have some unfortunate effects on the domestic aftermarket in terms of inventory investment and obtaining cores for remanufacturing.

It is also having a creeping effect on popularity lists.

“We run our popularity lists and some of the old standbys are still right up there, but we are seeing some of the newer numbers take some big leaps to become more popular.”

Not surprisingly, Sinclair says that the CS 130D alternator is the most popular of the bunch right now, with its CS-model brethren and other units such as the 10MT and 10SI still floating at or near the top of the lists.

“The latest applications at the top are still 1999. I have to go a little way before the 2000s hit, but they are coming.”

Interestingly, the top-ranked model later than a 1999 falls into number 129 on the hit list, and it is for a 2003 Chevy pickup.

“Then they start coming pretty fast.”

All this parts proliferation can cause jobbers and their counterpeople to embark on strategies that may not provide them with the desired results.

In the move to combat ballooning core investments, for example, many have pushed for more and more new product– in some cases, not the right new product, but the lowest cost new option they could find. According to investigations for this article, new product generally commands a price premium over reman product of from 15% to 30% depending on the price of the competitive remanufactured product (not including core charges).

For some customers looking for the confidence of new, this is an acceptable premium. For others it isn’t.

There appears to be a connection between the age of the vehicle and the willingness of the price paid, which is not surprising, but it is anything but a scientific analysis. Jobbers and their counterpeople should be aware of this, and also of the fact that new versus reman is not a simple question of deciding between two alternatives.

“There is quite a wide gulf between premium quality remanufactured alternators and ‘loss leader’ reman units,” offers Bosch’s Reighart. “These cheap, ‘loss-leader’ reman alternators are basically warmed over salvage units that have been cleaned up and had anything broken replaced, but nothing else. We believe the jobber, installer, and motorist should beware of these, and if a reman unit is called for, sell and install a quality remanufactured alternator from a reputable supplier.”

And new is not immune to variation either.

As with most remanufacturers, Armatures DNS has been forced to source some new product from overseas in order to seed the market with cores as well as to provide the cost structure required to keep it competitive in the marketplace. Latanzio is clear, however, that it is not an option without its downside. He says that every alternator needs to be checked for function, and periodically units need to be opened to ensure that the stringent requirements for subassemblies and internal components have been met.

Saying new doesn’t always mean better, Latanzio says that the company recently sent back two complete containers of product because they did not meet requirements.

He says that jobbers need to keep in mind the confidence of the customer when deciding on what to carry, and how to sell those products.

“It is not such a simple business. You have to have the after-sales support and technical assistance. Plus the product has to be right and you have to have the labour program. You have to make everyone happy.

“The customer has to have the faith that he is getting a quality product.”

Alternator Canadian Market Popularity Listing

This popularity listing is based on national sales activity and there will be variations for individual market areas. Jobbers should review their inventory with their supplier representative and take into account any unusual vehicle population factors (local fleet business, proximity to a vehicle assembly plant, etc.) which could require adjustments.

This information was thoughtfully provided by Dixie Electric Ltd.

RankPart # (Dixie)Applications

1A-14481996-99 CADILLAC, CHEV & GMC, ISUZU, OLDS

2A-11331968-82 AMC, BUICK, CHEV, CHEV & GMC TRUCKS,

JEEP, OLDS, PONTIAC

3A-14081988-95 CHEV, CHEV & GMC TRUCKS

4A-2571992-99 FORD TRUCKS

5A-2381986-94 FORD, FORD TRUCKS, MERCURY

6A-2491991-99 FORD, FORD TRUCKS, MAZDA, MAZDA TRUCKS

7A-13991993-99 BUICK, CHEV, OLDS, PONTIAC

8A-2151965-83 AMC, FORD, FORD TRUCKS, LINCOLN,MERCURY

9A-14791996-98 PONTIAC, CHEV 2.2L

10A-14091987-95 BUICK, CHEV, OLDS, PONTIAC

11A-2751997-99 FORD TRUCKS, EXPEDITION, NAVIGATOR

12A-13301989-94 BUICK, CHEV, OLDS, PONTIAC

13A-13651992-96 BUICK, CHEV, OLDS, PONTIAC

14A-2321986-91 FORD, FORD TRUCKS, LINCOLN. MERCURY

15A-11391970-86 BUICK, CADILLAC, CHEV, CHEV & GMC TRUCKS,

JEEP, OLDS, PONT.

16A-14371987-95 BUICK, CADILLAC, CHEV & GMC TRUCKS, PONT.

17A-14301994-99 BUICK, CHEV, OLDS, PONTIAC

18A-12921987-95 BUICK, CADILLAC, CHEV&GMC TRUCKS, PONTIAC

19A-14861998-99 CHEV. & GMC TRUCKS S, T SERIES

20A-82671990-95 CHRYSLER, DODGE, DODGE TRUCKS, JEEP, PLYMOUTH

21A-14811997-99 OLDS, PONTIAC, CHEV 3.1L, 3.4L

22A-2481994-99 FORD, FORD TRUCKS, MAZDA

23A-2711996-99 FORD, FORD VANS

24A-13101988-90 BUICK OLDS, PONTIAC

25A-20241999- FORD F SERIES PICK-UP

26A-13661991-97 SATURN

27A-11321971-86 AMC, BUICK, CHEV, CHEV & GMC TRUCKS,

JEEP, OLDS, PONT.

28A-13941994-99 CHEV. & GMC TRUCKS

29A-13931994-99 CHEV. & GMC TRUCKS

30A-2741997-99 FORD E SERIES VAN

31A-14001992-93 BUICK, OLDS, PONTIAC

32A-2641994-99 FORD MERCURY 3.0L

33A-13171987-95 BUICK, CHEV, OLDS, PONTIAC

34A-12131983-87 AMC, BUICK, CHEV, CHEV & GMC TRUCKS,

JEEP, OLDS, PONT.

35A-14071990-95 CHEV, CHEV TRUCK & GMC TRUCK

36A-14831996-99 OLDS, PONTIAC, BUICK CHEV 2.4L

37A-83001995-99 CHRYSLER, DODGE, EAGLE, MITSUBISHI, PLYMOUTH

38A-13161987-93 BUICK, CHEV, OLDS, PONTIAC

39A-3271970-87 CHRYSLER, DODGE, DODGE TRUCK, PLYMOUTH

40A-13981991-93 CHEV & GMC TRUCKS, OLDS

41A-14311990-95 BUICK, OLDS, PONTIAC

42A-13111993-96 BUICK, CHEV & GMC TRUCKS

43A-14341995-99 BUICK, CHEV, PONTIAC

44A-2531990-95 FORD, FORD TRUCK, LINCOLN,

45A-14351995-00 CHEV CAVALIER, PONTIAC SUNFIRE

46A-86981992-99 DODGE PICK-UPS & VANS

47A-2501992-96 FORD, MERCURY

48A-14731996-97 BUICK, OLDS, PONTIAC

49A-2391986-92 FORD & FORD TRUCKS

50A-2331987-93 FORD TRUCK

51A-13181988-94 BUICK, CHEV OLDS, PONTIAC

52A-81411983-93 TOYOTA

53A-15481999-00 CHEV & GMC TRUCKS

54A-2881997-99 FORD ESCORT, ZX2

55A-13241989-91 BUICK, OLDS

56A-12991987-93 BUICK, CHEV, CHEV & GMC TRUCKS, OLDS, PONTIAC

57A-2181988-91 FORD, LINCOLN, MERCURY

58A-82491988-91 HONDA

59A-82121988-90 FORD, MERCURY

60A-12251984-86 BUICK, CADILLAC, CHEV, CHEV & GMC TRUCKS,

JEEP, OLDS, PONT.

61A-2631995-98 FORD CONTOUR, MERCURYMYSTIQUE

62A-2311984-92 FORD, FORD TRUCKS, MERCURY

63A-11371968-84 AMC, BUICK, CHEV & GMC TRUCKS, JEEP.

OLDS, PONTIAC

64A-14061988-95 BUICK, CHEV, OLDS, PONTIAC

65A-83781990-93 HONDA ACCORD

66A-82651990-95 CHRYSLER, DODGE, DODGE TRUCKS, PLYMOUTH

67A-2211971-85 FORD, FORD TRUCKS, LINCOLN, MERCURY

68A-83321991-99 DODGE, JEEP

69A-14881997-99 CHEVROLET MALIBU

70A-3261970-87 CHRYSLER, DODGE, DODGE TRUCKS, PONTIAC

71A-15621999- CHEVROLET MALIBU

72A-2351987-94 FORD TRUCKS

73A-13031987-90 JEEP

74A-2431990-92 FORD, FORD TRUCKS, MERCURY

75A-2651994-95 FORD TAURUS

76A-2451991-94 FORD, LINCOLN, MERCURY

77A-14671998-99 CHEV & GMC TRUCKS 6.5L

78A-3251970-87 CHRYSLER, DODGE, DODGE TRUCKS, PLYMOUTH

79A-2541992-96 FORD E SERIES VAN

80A-82681991-99 CHEV, GEO, PONTIAC, SUZUKI

81A-13221987-92 CHEV & GMC TRUCKS

82A-12051983-87 AMC, BUICK, CHEV, CHEV & GMC TRUCKS,

JEEP, OLDS, PONTIAC

83A-2721996-01 FORD EXPLORER, MOUNTAINEER

84A-86611997-98 DODGE RAM PICKUP

85A-2931999-03 FORD WINDSTAR

86A-87791999-01 DODGE RAM PICKUP

87A-87811999-01 DODGE RAM PICKUP

88A-13211987-92 H72BUICK, CHEV, OLDS, PONTIAC

89A-2911996-99 FORD TAURUS

90A-2341986-92 FORD, MERCURY