50DN Alternator Info

[Joe Camper]

http://prevostmotorhomes.ning.com/forum/topics/alternator-info-and-sources

[robertglines1]

I had no idea they were that expensive! Glad the 98 is belt driven and smaller out put..without the coach air/and heater blower  there is no need for the large alternator..Bob

[luvrbus]

Joe, good info but a genuine Delco rebuild around 900 bucks is the only rebuilt gear driven 50DN that will warranty your engine if something goes wrong and it thrashes the engine which can happen,not a good place to try and save 300 bucks IMO



good luck

[Sean]

Not sure I would want to order from a company that can't spell "ARO."  Misspelled twice, in fact, and it's an abbreviation, so how hard can it be?  One hopes they are better at rewinding stators...

... Glad the 98 is belt driven and smaller out put..without the coach air/and heater blower  there is no need for the large alternator..

We use every last watt of our big 270-amp model more often than not.  No way would I want to have anything smaller.  JMO and FWIW.

-Sean
http://OurOdyssey.BlogSpot.com

[Joe Camper]

I'm using the guy in Lowell Ind. for 600 tax included. He will rebuild the core I bring him and show me what he removed and replaced.

He was refered to me by a local authorized DD service center in NW Indiana, Industrial Engines is who they are.

He mentioned that he thought the gear driven ones on the 8-V hold up way longer. The belt driven ones on the 60 series extends the shaft out further to accomidate the pully and wears the bearing harder.

I have to assume the gear driven one on ours is original there is 235,000 on it. I believe the original remained after a repower at 125,000.I have no documentation to back this up it is a guess.

There is a fine adjustment screw on the mounting plaste for the 8-V gear driven model and that install has to be lined up perfect or you can destroy the gear drive.

This is all coming for ours and a lower blower housing gasket it is leaking slightly, that willl allow a good blower and turbo inspection.

A radiator is also in the plans anyone have a decent source on those. I think I found cores new for 12 or 1300?

An old friend once told me "these buses ain't for sissys". Boy did he have that right.

[Joe Camper]

Luvrbus the alt I am having done is off another coach with a 60 series not my 8-V.

When we do ours I will have my core redone with this same rebuilder I have found. Anytime time is not an issue I prefer redoing my core instead of exchanging for another of unknown origins.

 He has nationwide affiliates I know there is another in Memphis.

 The mechanic I have here locally to help me with my 8-V is friend that worked for Gallo Equip and did all  the 2 stroke service on stuff for the mills and refineries and the tugs up here on the lake. 25yr of it.

He is my 2 stroke yoda. I have seen him in action. I would run one of his repairs to Austrailia and back.

[TomC]

I have the 300amp 12v gear driven 50DN that I exchanged for a rebuilt with a new digital voltage regulator-around $1500.00  Good Luck, TomC

[Zeroclearance]

I caution most rebuilt 50DN's  Guru or not.   Right now 90% of the rebuilds have parts manufactured in India and China being "named" and labeled and OEM or equalivant.   

A little story,  a well known west coast rebuilded sold me a upgraded 50DN stator and represented it as NEW Delco.   Delco made a manufacturing improvement to the stator wire leads and insulators.    Delco had taken a patent of the new improved/redesigned part.   When I received the new part it was NEW, but the insulator did not match the picture from Delco's service manual.   I called the company and asked them about the new Delco part and where they received this part.   The dead give away was the packaging.   I got the run around.   

My next call was to Delco.   I called there 800 number and within 10 minutes I was passed to the engineering dept.   A gentleman asked me to take some pictures.   Within a hour I received a call from there attorney.   They asked for the part and invoice.     They gave me there FedEx account number and I forwarded the part.   I asked the engineer if he could be so kind to send me a new stator.   Two weeks later, I received a larger red/black/white box with a new 50DN.

I have now taken apart 3 50DN's.   And looking at the worn components, I would strongly recommend getting genuine Delco repair parts.    The cost for genuine reman Delco units are over $1000.00   When you have rebuilds at half the cost you are paying for non Delco parts.   Call your local Delco Remy parts house and price out the rebuild kits.   Then question why your unit is cheaper. 

   

[Gary '79 5C]

If you really wish to live large, make the beginner mistake I did not make. About 8 months after embracing bus ownership, the alternator shaft & pulley wipes out. I stop at MCI in Blackwood NJ, ask for a rebuilt price. No Joy, but they have a NEW unit in KY for $ 2,850.00. They could overnight it for me.

No thanks, but welcome to bussing. I made friends with Nick @ Nimco for alot less. (He has since left Nimco)

[Len Silva]

Not sure I would want to order from a company that can't spell "ARO."  Misspelled twice, in fact, and it's an abbreviation, so how hard can it be?  One hopes they are better at rewinding stators...

... Glad the 98 is belt driven and smaller out put..without the coach air/and heater blower  there is no need for the large alternator..

We use every last watt of our big 270-amp model more often than not.  No way would I want to have anything smaller.  JMO and FWIW.

-Sean
http://OurOdyssey.BlogSpot.com

How else would you abbreviate "After Order Received"?

[Joe Camper]

Zero clearence thank you for that story and Info.

I will call the rebuilder I used and have him address these issues you raise and post his responce.

[bevans6]

Elreg helped me out a ton when  I had my alternator pulley failure a month or two ago.  The gentleman I worked with searched the obsolete parts section of his warehouse looking for a pulley, and between us we found a current model pulley that I could have modified to make the part I needed, and he overnighted it to me.  It turns out they are Canadian, just down the road from where I live.

Hard to imagine that a computer generated quote is going to miss-spell AOR that consistently, to be honest.  Although to be sure ARO is also a very common abbreviation.

brian

[robertglines1]

to clarify my post on size of alternator..it depends on use..I don't run allot of demand systems in my coach..over the road air is drivers air?/defroster blower.the main system has been totally removed. main coach heat has been removed also fans and all.Drivers heat still remains and uses same blower as drivers air and defroster..if I need more and I will in the summer just kick on the gen set. so 24/12 volt demand is low so it doesn't take a very big alternator to charge the batteries..2 series 31  maybe someday I will want a large battery bank ,inverters,solar power and the like..I'm sort of a go to full service campground and plug in guy.when dry camping the math says for the amount we do -run the gen set..so it's a use decision.    we all do it different.   Bob

[Geoff]

My RTS came with a 24 and 12v system.  After removing most of the 24v stuff (mainly the AC/heater blowers) I didn't need the hand-grenade gear driven 50DN.  I now have a sweet dual alternator setup:  160 amp 12v Leece-Neville truck alternator and a 42 amp Prestolite 24v alternator running off the V730 PTO.  Oh, I also opted for a 12v SW2512MC inverter not 24v.

[TomC]

Geoff-nice setup!  But unfortunately, I don't have the PTO gears in my V730 since my bus did not come with A/C (Portland, Or bus).  Hence, the continued use of my 50DN.  Good Luck, TomC