Adding a 2nd alternator to a 6BTA5.9M

[Victor Olkowski]

I have a Cummins 6BTA5.9M with 280 HP and with an alternator of 105 amps.  We are currently upgrading our battery configuration to provide more battery power at anchor for an extended period of time.  Our current  battery house bank is working very well with an ACR to regulate the power between the house bank and the starter battery for our DC system.  

We also have an inverter/charger with 2 12 volt 8D batteries that are not connected to the house bank system and are only charged when we are on shore power or generator.  We also have a 24 volt bow thruster that is powered by a stacking relay that stacks together the starter battery with an additional 12 volt 8D battery.  Our intention is to eliminate the stacking system and replace it with 2 AGM 950 CCA batteries that will be independent of the starter battery and house bank.

One option that was recommended is to add a 2nd Smart Alternator with a Ballmar ARS5 Regulator to our Cummins 6BTA5.9M that would only power the 4 batteries (2 for the inverter and 2 for the bow thruster). Is it possible to add an additional 100 Amp Alternator using a kit or other bracket to the Cummins without degrading our engine?

All ideas or other options are appreciated!  Thanks,

 

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[Victor Olkowski]

Thanks Tony, for your input!!  We will follow your advice!

[Tony Athens]

Nothing you can buy, IMO, will fit where you 19SI is with making a custom mount.. If was doing this, I’d use a an off the shelf Bosch HD school bus/truck  type alternator ( about the size of a 28SI) and charge thru a properly set-up 250A diode isolator and monitor your battery banks at the battery terminal with DVM’s at the helm that are always on.. ( 3 of them– each 12V bank and then the 24VDC bank) 

Installing Digital Volt Meters (DVM) on Your Boat

After you get that up and running, if you feel the need for fancy regulation, then you can add that later..

I personally have no use and any type up “pumped-up small frame alternators that typically cost 2-3 times what a good quality truck quality alternator does.

[Victor Olkowski]

So, we don’t have a drawing yet that we can share with you, but I will try to describe the proposed plan thus far….  We have a 24 volt bow thruster which we want to power with 2 12 volt batteries in series charged by a 24 volt battery charger.  We have a 12 volt Magnum inverter/charger that is powered by 2 12 volt batteries in parallel.  The inverter has an outlet which we can tap into to power the 24 volt battery charger for the bow thruster.  

Our question is can we use an HD alternator with a Smart Regulator that would supply power to the Magnum inverter/charger battery bank and keep the Starter battery and DC House Bank isolated?

The alternator that we have is a Delco Remy 19SI, part #19009957, 105 amp.  We are looking at the 22 SI alternator on your website that is only 160 amp.  Do you have a 12 volt Delco alternator 200 amps?  We are also looking at a Balmar Regulator, MC-614 or a ProMariner ProIsoCharge Intelligent Alternator Distribution System to regulate the output to both the inverter and to the starter.

Thanks for your help!!!

 

[Tony Athens]

Is this is a combo 12-24VDC system then you have put  together? .. I deal with two boats that have  a combo-system that we designed years ago and both have been  long term relabel, but to do it right,  requires some serious planning/engineering.. Do you have a DC power distribution system drawing of what you did? That would be a start for anyone to help…

 

Attached is a heavy duty 12-24 combo alternator made by Delco  we put on a QSB 5.9 years back.   A clever engineer / fabricator could put one of these on a 6BTA..   

[Victor Olkowski]

Tony, thank you so much for your reply.  We certainly like the idea of replacing our current alternator with a high amperage alternator.  Our current alternator is a DelcoRemy 12 Volt 105 amp on our Cummins 6BTA5.9M, 280 hp.

What type of alternator would you recommend?  We want to be sure that we can isolate the 2 battery banks (1 for the 12 volt inverter/charger and 1 for the 24 volt bow thruster) from the Start Battery and the 12 volt House Bank.  We need at least 100 amps for the inverter charger and bow thruster.

Referring to your diagram of the DCV Power Distribution, can we add a 2nd Bank (for the Inverter) from the alternator without going through the starter battery?

Our boat is a Selene 47.  

[Tony Athens]

Why not consider what we have be doing for 20++ years as to DC power distribution on a single engine boat with multiple battery banks and a 100% long term proven way to change all with ONE HD alternator. And you can have a fancy regulator, no issues.. Study this and come back with questions.  I’ll address all with “make sense answers”  &  back up by long term experience.  Adding a 2nd alternator is extremely expensive if you want it done right unless you have a shop  to work with like us.    

[Rob Schepis]

Almost anything can be done with the proper resources but there are a lot of variables and obstacles…

2 users thanked author for this post.

Victor Olkowski, Tony Athens

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