Avenger ...plow...alternator?

[Zircon]

I purchased the Argo Avenger 750 EFI earlier this year and now I'm considering adding a plow. Was wondering if it would also be necessary (or helpful) to purchase the alternator kit as well? Also, if anyone has used a plow on the 750 EFI, I would appreciate hearing how it has worked out. Thanks.

[drev59]

Plowing

I have a 02 conquest and purchased the alternaor kit. I wasn't too thrilled with the $400(canadian) price but after I installed it was the best money ever spent. No battery issues what so ever in 3 years. I do most of my plowing at night with the lights on. The former owner told me that plowing at night was hard on the battery especially with all the winching. Your machine will push as much snow as you can put in front of it especially with the tires on. They will plow not bad with tracks but alot better with the tires.

[thejunkman]

avenger

if you are using a plow or lots of winching lights heavy battery use you will need a alternator kit the efi wont run if the battery drops below 7 volts due to the fuel injection and your current charging doesnt put out untill 1/2 to full throttle its not too bad to install i have done a few.

[SweetDaddy]

Can you put the alt on a 1990 model

[chinook]

May need one on the EFI, I had the plow on a 2000 conquest with a standard battery and it would really draw it down at night. I put it on the 700 Avenger this year and upgraded its battery to a yellow top optima and it draws down when lifting and running the lights, but recharges very quickly and has not be an issue. but as said before the EFI is more low voltage sensitive, you could unplug your brake fan, it draws Alot of power, if you plowing it cool out and you turning on snow so you heat should not a problem.

[number1cas]

I just checked my 09 Avenger and found that at idle it puts out about 7 amps. So when idling with engine and brake fan load, you havent got much left for charging, throw on some lights and winch use and slow spped plowing, before you know it your battery is low. Park it and do i again another day, soon it won't start. The engine only puts out the rated 25 amps at Wide Open throttle. I put a trickle charger on mine after every use to top the battery back up.
The alternator would be a good idea for night riding, summer I don't have as much of a problem, but winter.... I run 4 lights out front and sometimes one out the back to warn snowmobiles that are comming up on me around a corner at 80 MPH, throw in the brake fan, heater fan, and stereo and I need an alternator.....

[steve mcd]

I had a 2005 Bigfoot and needed the alternator to keep the batery up, It does hoever suck almost five horsepower from the 18HP briggs engine all in all the reduced horsepower didnt change how it plowedso I was good with it. You might want to try a solar panel charger when you are not useing the machine if the $400 charger was not under the Christmas tree. My new 650HD has a 20/50 amp charger in it and so far I have not had any batery troubles.

[moonbuggy]

I've spent a couple of different days thinking about the electrical system. I do a fair amount of marine electrical and electronic engineering.

Measured the winch lifting the plow blade today and came up with 33 amps. IF the Kohler alternator really puts out 25A, minus the brake blower (6.8A measured), fuel pump, and EFI, there is nothing left for the winch. The little Group 45 battery my 08 Avenger came with certainly can't be expected to last long. The Optima D34 is a help, but not a big jump- from (G45) 480 cold amps/74 reserve minutes to (D34) 750 CCA and 120 reserve. Optima would last a little longer, but it's all current out. Best part about the AGM Optima is tolerance for deep discharge. I think I might favor a blue top over yellow if using the Kohler alternator.

Alternators are typically cold rated and don't produce near their rated output when hot. The Argo accessory 40 amp alternator is probably the biggest help for the winch. Anyone have one and an inductive DC ammeter to quantify?

Also, a bigger alternator combined with extra batteries is the best hope for extended use of trolling motors. When it comes to spending $ upgrading batteries- this is the place to do it- mainly for the deep cycle tolerance for discharge. An Endura 40 trolling motor consumes 8 amps on speed 1 and up to 41 amps on 5. 5 scoots the Avenger around OK. A separate deep cycle battery here could be drained down and then charged up by connecting to the Argo charging system while driving.

Roy

[muskwa]

had the same trouble myself in my conquest.(daytime, no lights on) i was needing the winch and when i tried winching out my engine would bog down and almost die. i just recently added the alternator kit to the machine and this past weekend needed the winch to pull me up a snow covered hill and it did it no problem. my advice would be to add the alternator. it will be money well spent. argos from what i understand are not meant for anything else than what comes factory equipped. not too sure why they dont just add the alternator to these machines in the first place.

[Zircon]

I still haven't purchased the alternator upgrade and now I'm not too sure anyway after reading Steve mcd's comment. It sucks almost 5 hp from the Briggs & Stratton engine? :-( Don't know if that would be the case with the Kohler, but if so, considering how slow it is now, that might be too much of a trade-off. Anyone else have an opinion or information on that, I wonder.

[chris davison]

What comes in this alternator kit that makes it worth $400 a pully belt and mounting brkts.? What is the currant output? I just paid $35 for an alternator for a vw to replace the generator and its driving on one end and driven on the other 55 amps output. Most brand new alt. go for $80 to 120 bucks a belt is only 8 to ten $ a pulley maby 15 There are used alt. all over ebay. one hp =746 watts it is dragging the engine down because its under a load with the winch running your engine lights and recharging the battery all at the same time. They make more profit selling repair parts and upgrade parts than the profit on the sale of the original vehicle.