Watts off my stock alternator?
 

Hey guys i have an '87 with the stock 108 amp alternator (least that's what the ROP tag says.) What's the MAX size amp i could run off this little thing w/o frying it. I'm only gonna be running subs, no 4 channel amps or anything, so i spose 5-600 watts would be enough. Can it handle that? Thanks guys.

They go even if you don't have a stereo. :roll:

It's hard to comment on this since we have relatively high output alts from the factory, but 500w will be fine. Just don't run rear defrost, vents on full, crank the stereo, rig up a high speed fan switch, and have lights on...

Lol i think i can handle that. My car doesn't HAVE rear defrost (weird huh) so that's not a problem. The rest i can handle easily.

At low idle you could stall your car if you turned all that on at once. :lol:

(Yes its possible ive done it. Put 2 laptops, 2 computers (with a CRT monitor), 460W amplifier, bass test CD, and two 100W transmitting radios in an astro van, wire them with low gauge wire straight to the alt and turn them all on at once.

OK so maybe we were TRYING to do it, but still!)

I think we completely amp-locked the alternator because it basically froze when we put all of that on.

Why is it that our rear defroster sucks so much power? i wouldn't think that would take as much power as it does.

It's a big heating array. The heated winshield option in the early 90's necessitated a MUCH larger alternator (140 amp) with that package. I wouldn't be surprised if the rear took 20-30 amps.