Upgrade car battery- alternator, etc?

[vanvanvanvan123]

newbie here
Spending an extreme amount of time in the car, I’m wondering about the “stress”
I’m placing on the starter, alternator, battery etc - do I just wait for these parts to fail or do you periodically check their health?
What about upgrading these parts .?

I charge phones - iPad
I will shortly have to use a computer - possibly in car. Related to that, how to setup internet?

Do I charge while idling - or partly with engine off?

 

[frater secessus]

Starter failures are quite rare and unrelated to living in a vehicle. Alternator failures are quite rare also, even when the alternator is used to charge an auxilliary battery. Having said that, these things can stress the alternator and I would not recommend them

1. idling to charge or to run big electrical accessories
2. using a plain isolator to charge aux battery banks that can pull ("accept") a lot of current. Examples: big AGM or Lithium banks.

If/when an alternator fails that is a good time to upgrade to a higher-output version. At that point you're already paying (the same) labor and the price bump for the HO version is usually quite reasonable.

Do I charge while idling - or partly with engine off?

While driving. Folks that want to charge sitting still typically use solar.

An overview of power in the vehicle.

Related to that, how to setup internet?

Internet is often done with a hotspot, either stand-alone or as a feature of the phone. Open wifi is also useful if one is in the city.

---

Here is a quick quide to living in a vehicle that may help flesh out these and other questions.

 

[bullfrog]

There are a lot of variables involved. Bottom line is if you run your battery down below 50% very often it will fail and need to be replaced. The safest cheapest way to power accessories is a separate “house” battery with a portable solar panel and isolator/dc to dc charger to use while driving. There are many more expensive all in one power pacs you can purchase as well.

 

[LeftTown]

Please reach out to me or any other poster on this thread privately if you are comfortable doing so.

I have so been where you are and communication is difficult.

You can get solar and it will be okay.

You can use your smartphone as a router to access the internet and it will be okay.

Language is topsy turvy and upside down, but we are your family now so it will be okay. We take care of our own.

 

[maki2]

I ruinedmy alternator by forgetting to replace my battery when it was at its end of life. But the battery and the alternator on my Honda Element are both small in capacity. But the true value of my experience that you need to remember is not all vehicles are created equal. My vehicle at the original specs would not be suitable to use as a charging station. It would be expensive to upgrade with a custom higher output alternator and larger starter battery. For that price I could easily purchase a solar panel to mount on a roof rack, a controller, wires, fuses, etc as well as having one of the lithium battery solar power banks with outlets for USB,12v sockets and 110v plug sockets. The solar is a Diy option. For me personally the changing of the alterntor is not DiY as it's too much bending for my back. I can live in my car if needed but not meet my power needs without some solar.

 

[vanvanvanvan123]

I don’t know yet how to use quote function
You said not all vehicles are the same
That means as charger stations
Right ?
So which vehicles are strong for charging ?
I’ve been oscillating from my Camry to Honda oddesey to maybe a van
Thank you for response

 

[Happy Camper]

You have the Camry now. If you do a small solar setup that is portable, you should be able to hit the beach areas and park while charging up a solar battery pack (I hate the term solar generator) and possibly using your laptop and charging things with solar only. Depends on your needs.

Not to be nosey, but it helps to know. I know you have work in the San Diego area. But do you have to go into the office or business? If so, getting a reasonably sized battery pack they you can carry into work and charge there would solve a lot of your potential issues regarding electricity. And space for that matter.

 

[frater secessus]

You said not all vehicles are the same
That means as charger stations

I have done my best to cover the related issues in the charge an auxilliary battery link I provided earlier.

Of the three you mentioned, a cargo van would likely have the greatest alternator-charging ability.

 

[Happy Camper]

If you spend money to buy a vehicle for it's ability to charge your batteries while running when gas is $6 a gallon, you're doing it wrong unless you travel a lot.

Adding wear and tear to your most expensive item and most expensive to repair item to charge batteries is counterproductive.

For nomads that travel daily it could work because they already using that gas, and putting that wear on their vehicle for a reason.

Figure out which of the 50 better ways to charge for into your situation best. Pick the top 3, and focus on those.

Battery pack plugged in at work.
Battery pack plugged in at a storage.
Battery pack charged by solar.
Etc.

There are many ways to do the same thing. Just get creative in your thinking and you'll be ok. Alternator charging is a good last resort fallback. But being stationary in a running car only to charge up is a bad move if that's your primary, or even secondary, way of charging up.

 

[LeftTown]

You have the Camry now. If you do a small solar setup that is portable, you should be able to hit the beach areas and park while charging up a solar battery pack (I hate the term solar generator) and possibly using your laptop and charging things with solar only. Depends on your needs.

Not to be nosey, but it helps to know. I know you have work in the San Diego area. But do you have to go into the office or business? If so, getting a reasonably sized battery pack they you can carry into work and charge there would solve a lot of your potential issues regarding electricity. And space for that matter.

Keep the Camry. And your surfboard

Can you make it up to Mendo this weekend? lmk, because next weekend is MUCH better for me.

 

[user 16179]

The price of a high output alternator is just a part of the total installation. Larger (expensive) wire must be ran to handle the higher amp output and, most high output packages include an additional battery. So the $400 alternator is just one concern in the budget. The easiest place to learn more with costs specific to your needs is probably a high performance audio shop. They do a lot to provide power the the systems that they work with everyday. Yours should be a simple problem for them.

 

[vanvanvanvan123]

Keep the Camry. And your surfboard

Can you make it up to Mendo this weekend? lmk, because next weekend is MUCH better for me.

Hey. Cool idea. A battery pack I charge at the gig !!

 

[LeftTown]

YES.

I'll be at G*d's place next (not this) weekend and we'll charge the living fertilizer out of your devices and share resources then.

I've only got enough gas for one trip to Eureka but my retirement planner ROCKS.

Fort Bragg isn't Crescent City but it's good enough.

Welcome home.