Tundra 2020 Alternator upgrade

My 2020 Tundra is a demo vehicle for some 12V DCDC chargers, inverters, batteries. I want to run a 60AMP DCDC charger to recharge the lithium battery bank of 340AMPs.

Tundra 2020 with tow package comes with a stock 150AMP alternator, I am thinking that the 60AMP DCDC charger is going to fry this stock alternator, and have thought of upgrading to above 180AMPS, there is the DC Engineering 270 AMP alternator, which outputs around 100 to 130amps at low RPM. My question is will this work with a 2020 work, as I asked Mechman, and they said they dont have one for the 2020 Tundra as the CANBUS is different to the 2019, and prior 3rd gens.

 

Their website says that the 270 will work. I had a DC on my F350 and it worked great. Just remember to upgrade your alternator lead to handle all of the extra power.

 

Assuming that the lithium pack is low enough on charge to require the DC-DC charger to use the full 60A capability of the DC-DC charger, it certainly isn't going to fry the stock alternator. There are plenty of us that run aux batteries and plenty of electrics with no issues at all.

With all that being said, I can't give any advice on a new alternator swap, other than saying that my '21 still uses the ALT-S fuse for voltage regulation like the earlier trucks do as well

 

Hi thanks for getting back, what DCDC charger amperage are you using. I have read somewhere that the 60AMPS should be at minimum 180AMPS. Would love to know your real world experience.

 

I'm running dual AGMs (main and secondary) with a Blue Sea ML-ACR isolator as well as the GM diode to increase charging voltage to ~14.5v; no DC-DC charger, thus both batteries can get the full output of the alternator as needed.

The amount of charge a LiFePO4 battery can accept depends on the battery manufacturer, but from the small amount of research I've done on them, the common amount is half of the capacity of the battery (100A as the highest charge rate for a 200aH battery bank)

 

Not directly answering your question on 2020 compatibility but it sounds like as a demo truck for these types of systems the providers should be much more knowledgeable on the calculations around what you have vs. what's required. What do they say? 150amp is peak output, there are curves for output as well as profiles for battery charging and other consumers of the power. You need to stack all of inputs/outputs on top of each other with some safety margin to see if your current system is capable first. And if it's not then you'd at least know what you need to get next instead of a shot in the dark.

 

Didn't want to be the first to point this out, but definitely agree

 

Don’t forget your big 3 upgrade if you do get a higher power alternator

 

I agree, so the manufacturer of the DCDC charger recommends 180AMP alternator if using a 60AMP DCDC charger. The idle output of the 270AMP is 200AMP and higher. The high output alternators deliver more amps at idle, than a factory one is what I believe.

I have just become the distributor in UAE for Renogy, and yes I am learning as I go along, I have had a dual battery system on my Nissan Patrol Y61 for probably 4to5 years, but it is just a high amp relay, that dumps whatever the alternator feeds to the auxiliary battery, no charge profiles, no smart alternator compensation etc, and this is my first time into DCDC chargers. I have 40AMP, 60AMP DCDC chargers in stock and 30AMP and 50AMP with MPPT charge controllers.

Am I an expert, no, but compared to the rest of the market, end retail customers, my knowledge is better. Interesting observations that I have made with my garage installers, as I dont sell direct, is that they are unaware of the benefits of DCDC chargers over just voltage relays. I am gaining my knowledge here, and with other source on the internet.

 

What is the “big 3 upgrade” when u get a higher power alternator?

 

Big 3 is a generalized naming for a modification applied to any number of vehicles that involves adding larger gauge wiring between the battery and frame, block and frame, and alternator to the positive terminal on the battery

 

I do not know what the charging profile for it is, but you can take the 180 amp alternator for the 200 series Land Cruiser and slap it on the truck with no modifications. That's what I did with mine, only because I needed something in a pinch and that was the only one available. Plus that way you are staying with OEM parts if that means anything to you.

 

I believe the part number is 2706038140.