no alt + msd box?

[shaun]

Wondering if any of you guys have ever ran the boat with out a alt when using a msd box. When i was a kid i don't think our altinator ever worked... We would just charge the battery at night. Back then though the boat didn't have a MSD box on it, it was just running a stock dist. Some of you guys I'm sure have had a bad alt out there or just choose to not run one.. Any issues draining to battery because of the msd box? my battery is a group 24, numbers on it are like 650 MCA (or something like that), 550 CCA, and 80 RC. It's a deep cycle marine battery too if it matters..
Electrical Running... MSD 6AL box, Blaster2 Coil, MSD pro billet dist, Gauges + gauge lights and bilge pump when needed...

[YeLLowBoaT]

msd boxs don't like voltage drops/ poor grounds.

[shaun]

oh btw, i plan on putting in a alt, but i want to run the boat this weekend and havnt had time to fab up a mount yet.

[502 JET]

Used to run a drag car with MSD ignition and no alternator but we would throw a charger on it between rounds.
It will be fine to run the boat but the ignition will run the battery down.
How long you can run it for I'm not sure on that, but if the engine starts breaking up the battery is getting low.

[rrrr]

My flattie has a MSD 6M and a pro billet and I don't have an alternator. The MSD box takes 7 amps to run the ignition. I can run all day with no problem. In 2004 when we drove out to CBBB, my wife and I drove from Topock marina to the sandbar and back with no issues.
Assuming your MSD takes about the same amount of current as mine (which it should), your 80 Ah reserve capacity will run your boat for 6 hours without excessive voltage drop. The math is I (amps) X n = C (amp hours). The constant n is a factor of battery construction, and 1.15 is a good number to use.
So 7 X 1.15 = 7.95 Ah. Your battery has an 80 Ah capacity. The industry standard battery voltage at the end of the reserve capacity is 10.5 volts, so figuring 6 hours of run time will keep the battery voltage above 11 volts and the MSD will be happy.
The bilge pump and gauges aren't much of a load unless your boat leaks like a v-drive....:D

[rrrr]

RRRRRR, your math is wrong.
Rio
:D It's happened before. Care to help out?
I don't see anything incorrect......7.95 Ah X 6 hours = 47.4 Ah. That leaves right around 50% battery capacity, so there's enough for at least 10 starts there.

[centerhill condor]

math notwithstanding, you'll be fine. The condor had a non working alt for a season didn't even notice until the diverter wouldn't work. The engine will act up when you get low power. enjoy!
I have a big honkin' battery.

[rrrr]

math notwithstanding, you'll be fine. The condor had a non working alt for a season didn't even notice until the diverter wouldn't work. The engine will act up when you get low power. enjoy!
I have a big honkin' battery.
You're right, why bring math into the discussion.....:D :D
Like I said, we ran from Topock to Havasu and back. I also forgot we ran the boat for a couple of hours the day before.
Having enough battery reserve for starting shouldn't be a problem, I'm sure Shaun's new bullet will fire right up at the turn of the key....http://www.***boat.com/ubb/icons/icon14.gif

[gn7]

if you are only running for a test weekend you'll be fine, just remember that the msd loves voltage and the alt runs at 14+ volts so get the alternator in, you'll be much happier. We've ran the same alt for five raceing seasons with zero alt or battery issues and have NEVER once had to charge the battery.

[lilrick]

So this one time I took the lil tub out for some testing.....Well, at the time I was currently running an HEI and alternator. I went for my first run and everything seemed fine. I was doin' the ol once-over at the dock and realized that I had forgotten to hook up the charge wire from the alternator to the battery.. I hooked it up and went back out for another pass and I picked up 2 MPH and the boat was much snappier!!

[BrendellaJet]

how old is the battery? I wouldn't do it, especially if you need to break in your cam at startup. get it set up right so that when the cam is broken in you can go to the lake.

[rrrr]

So this one time I took the lil tub out for some testing.....Well, at the time I was currently running an HEI and alternator. I went for my first run and everything seemed fine. I was doin' the ol once-over at the dock and realized that I had forgotten to hook up the charge wire from the alternator to the battery.. I hooked it up and went back out for another pass and I picked up 2 MPH and the boat was much snappier!!
That's not from the alternator.....it's because you took out the 128 quart beer cooler.

[superdave013]

You know what happens to little boats that don't run don't ya? They sink, at least mine did.

[lilrick]

That's not from the alternator.....it's because you took out the 128 quart beer cooler.
oh yah....

[VDRIVERACING]

I'm old school... get a mag. I charge the battery before I leave the house and it starts the boat all weekend no prob. If you're running mac daddy stereos, blenders, power tools, then you're gonna need on board power charging.
Someone's probably gonna say they got 3 more HP--or whatever--with the MSD and all the wires and accessories that come with them--why not just buy Barbie sets?--but everythings a tradeoff.

[pw_Tony]

I have a MSD 6al on my boat and can't get the damn alternator bracket to work so I keep pitching my belt=no alternator.
I drive up to Piccacho from Martinez and I think that's about 15 miles. Two batterys charged by the way, about 600 CCA.
I can get up there, I try to use one battery at a time so I have one to start off of, when I was about half way up and could tell my battery was a little too dead and started limiting the RPMs so I switched to to the other battery and I was fine. I made it up there, no playing around at all, just parked it, drank and ate. But to go home I had to borrow someone's booster pack so it could start:jawdrop:
I made it to the boat launch but I decided to shut it off, so I had to swim it over to the boat trailer and hook her up.
So in others on my BBF, no alternator+MSD=no playing and no trust in starting...
Just my experiences:D
P.S. if anyone knows who makes a good solid alternator bracket PM and let me know;)

[shaun]

well i ran it this weekend, i got about 3-4 runs a day... that box sure does suck some juice, either that or this battery i got at kragen is crap. After about the first 2 runs starting the boat got a bit more difficult. So ya, alt mount is next...

[gn7]

yep, saw this post coming. all the math experts ...oh my battery has 1000 amp hour so you can run a msd at 10 amps for a 100 hrs. that damn flame thower sucks juice and you have to feed it. Physics alone tells that there are no free lunchs. If you make that kind of spark you have to put the power in there first. Now go set up your alt and have a blast ALLDAY. P.S. you can count all the lead/acid type battery manuf. on one hand, so it just doesn't much matter where you bought it, the problem is with the msd's need for juice.

[lucky]

man i love my mag- I have not had an alternaotor in two years :D

[cfm]

Personally, I want more voltage (within reason) .
Funny this topic is at the top - I just ran into this for my first time:
http://www.performancedistributors.com/minivip.htm

[gn7]

man i love my mag- I have not had an alternaotor in two years :D
this argument will never die. But you gotta love those mags, thats why the faa still requires 2 in every plane equipped with them

[rrrr]

yep, saw this post coming. all the math experts ...oh my battery has 1000 amp hour so you can run a msd at 10 amps for a 100 hrs. that damn flame thower sucks juice and you have to feed it. Physics alone tells that there are no free lunchs. If you make that kind of spark you have to put the power in there first. Now go set up your alt and have a blast ALLDAY. P.S. you can count all the lead/acid type battery manuf. on one hand, so it just doesn't much matter where you bought it, the problem is with the msd's need for juice.
Math or not, my boat hasn't had an alternator in its 40 year lifespan. I drive it all day and it runs fine.
With an MSD. :rolleyes:

[pw_Tony]

well i ran it this weekend, i got about 3-4 runs a day... that box sure does suck some juice, either that or this battery i got at kragen is crap. After about the first 2 runs starting the boat got a bit more difficult. So ya, alt mount is next...
That's what I thought would happen:eek:
Same thing happened to me when I thought I didn't need a Alternator with two good batteries
Then again I go pretty far up river:D

[shaun]

Well i figured the box would draw some current, just look at the gauge wire it runs and they recommended going a gauge lower if you planned on extending the wires any longer than the 3ft that was already there... I just figured i could probably get a day's use out of it though and just through it on the charger at night... The plan was to run a alternator, just didn't have time to fab up a mount for the weekend.

[gn7]

Well i figured the box would draw some current, just look at the gauge wire it runs and they recommended going a gauge lower if you planned on extending the wires any longer than the 3ft that was already there
you show that you are smarter than I thought every time you post something, word of advice to keeping the battery and alt alive longer... run the alt as slow as you can. Small crank pulley, largest alt pulley, you just don't need that much amperage, 25-30 max. Its the voltage that the msd wants. and the alt will put out somewhere around 14.3 -14.5

[shaun]

you show that you are smarter than I thought every time you post something
lol, was i coming off dumb there for a while? I know my spelling/grammar is terrible if that was it :)

[gn7]

NO! you have never come off has being dumb, should have said that I'am more impressed with each post, and your logic. Hope you get this thing done in time to have some fun with it this summer....good luck