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Old 08-03-2011, 10:09 AM   #7
JD
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City: New Bern NC
Vessel Name: Stella Di Mare
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RE: New Alternator installed - but how to do a good belt tension?

Quote:
Per wrote:FF wrote:
All you need is enough tension to keep the belt from slipping.

THis will depend on the % of belt wrap, if its high (goes almost 1/2 war round the pully ) lowerr tendion is fine.


You are looking to keep slippage low as it causes heat in the pulley , which is passed to the font bearing .

With the batts low start the engine and after 5 or 10 min shoot the temp of the alt , and the pulley.

If the alt is hotter than the pulley , the tension is fine.
*yes, definitively need to be tested under load. if the batts are 100% charged the alternator is not under load and the belt is basically just going around..

its a dedicated alternator belt and covers a good part of the pulley, probably 1/2 way around.

thanks to everyone, i will try some of those methods.

*1/4" deflection down from a straight line*on the long*span*is what will work.* Plain and simple.* Don't forget to tighten after four or five hours of run time.
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