CHARGE SMARTERWhether you’re charging a large set of house batteries in a cruisingyacht or keeping your stereo batteries charged for an afternoon on thelake in your wakeboard boat, one thing remains a constant — yourcharging system has to be up to the task.The fact is, most OEM charging systems are designed specifically tomeet the limited needs of an engine starting battery and associatedelectrical loads. In “real life” boating conditions, the demandsof house battery loads, AC inverters, stereo amps, lighting,refrigeration, and heating and cooling can quickly overwhelm thelimited capacity of the factory-installed alternator; and the resultcan be a dead set of batteries and a ruined day of boating.<strong>Balmar</strong> high-output alternators and smart, multi-stage voltageregulators are built to provide the additional strength,performance, and intelligence to support the needs of today’smarine electrical demands and the special needs of the growingnumber of marine battery technologies.CHARGE STRONGERAvailable in a vast range of styles and outputs, <strong>Balmar</strong> marinealternators are built — from the ground up — with the uniqueconstruction and features that set them apart from the average OEMor aftermarket alternator. Custom-wound rotor/stator combinations,higher-amperage diodes, larger sealed bearings, corrosion-resistantpowdercoat finishes enable <strong>Balmar</strong> alternators to excel where lesseralternators fail.All <strong>Balmar</strong> alternators, including 6-Series Smart Ready® internallyregulated models, are designed to provide optimal charging inconjunction with <strong>Balmar</strong> smart, multi-stage voltage regulation,ensuring that your batteries will be fully and safely charged.CHARGE SIMPLERYanmar? Volvo? Diesel? Gas? With all of the enginemakes and models on the market, it’s not surprising thatthe simple process of selecting the right alternator andvoltage regulator can be confusing for the average boater.<strong>Balmar</strong> takes much of the anxiety out of the equation byoffering a range of packages, each custom tailored to fitmost marine gas and diesel engines. Based on a few simpledetails — mounting style, belt width, and amperage output— <strong>Balmar</strong> kits reduce much of the guesswork by groupingthe right alternator and regulator, and adding battery andalternator temperature sensors to ensure the smartest chargepossible. See package details on Page 5.Page 2
FIND THE RIGHT FITIn most cases, determining the right charging system for your vessel can bereduced to three primary issues; alternator mounting style, belt size and batterycapacity.ALTERNATOR MOUNTING STYLESThe first issue, alternator mounting style, usually falls into one of fourpossibilities: (A) single 1"-foot (Motorola-Style) mount, (B) single 2”-foot (Delco-Style) mount, (C) 3.15" ID saddle (Hitachi-style) mount, and (D) 4"ID saddle(J-180 style) mount. The vast majority of marine gasoline and diesel engines willuse one of these four mounting styles. The list below provides a guide for manyengine applications, yet we strongly recommend you compare your existingalternator to the alternators at right to ensure a proper match. In some cases,additional spacing or modification to mounting components may be necessaryto ensure proper fit or alignment. A full list of alternator dimensions is providedon Page 19 of the Product Guide. While <strong>Balmar</strong> makes every effort to provide anOEM-compatible product, “drop in” alternator replacement is not guaranteed.ABMountingStyle1" Single Ft.(Motorola)2” Single Ft.(Delco)3.15"IDSaddle Mt.4"IDSaddle Mt.Typical Compatible Engine Types (By Manufacturer)Hino, Lehman, Caterpillar, Atomic 4, Universal, Ford,Crusader, Pathfinder, Westerbeke, Motorola-equippedVolvo, Cummins, Westerbeke, Perkins, Mercruiser,Yanmar (6LP), Volvo-Penta, GM, Delco-equippedMercruiser, Lehman, Yanmar, Westerbeke,Perkins-Sabre, Hitachi-equippedDetroit Diesel, Cummins, Caterpillar,John Deere, J-180 Off-Engine MountsCDAs indicated in the chart, alternator mounting styles may vary among engine manufacturer’s modelsand by model year. The best way to ensure that you are ordering the proper replacement for youralternator is to verify your engine’s specific mounting configuration and alternator dimensions prior topurchasing your <strong>Balmar</strong> replacement alternator.BELT SIZEThe width of the engine drive belt is also a critical factor when selecting a <strong>Balmar</strong> replacement alternator.Commonly installed vee belts and multi-groove serpentine belts have specific limitations in regard toamperage and horsepower loads they can support. As a rule of thumb, a 12-volt alternator’s ratio ofoutput to horsepower load is 25:1. In other words, an alternator that’s producing 25 amps will applyapproximately one horsepower of load to its drive belt. When installing an alternator upgrade, it isessential that the alternator selected is limited to the capacity of its drive belt. Failure to do so will resultin premature belt wear, belt slippage, and potential damage to the alternator and engine. The followingchart provides a general guideline for alternator selection, based on belt type and width. Note that dualvee belts and serpentine belts support substantially larger loads:Belt Type Belt Width Max HP Load Max Recommended Alternator OutputSgl. Vee 3/8" 3.5 80-Amp @ 12-Volt, 30-Amp @ 24-VoltSgl. Vee 1/2" 4.5 110-Amp @ 12-Volt, 45-Amp @ 24-VoltDual Vee 1/2" 12 310-Amp @ 12-Volt, 220-Amp @ 24-VoltSerpentine 6-Groove N/A 210-Amps @ 12-Volt, 100-Amps @ 24-VoltSerpentine 8-Groove N/A 310-Amps @ 12-Volt, 220-Amps @ 24-VoltPage 3