Thor Forums

[Chance]

Correct. And even if it saved a few minutes to charge batteries, it’d be difficult for most of us to justify the high cost of a second “aftermarket” alternator for a Mercedes Sprinter. I’ve only seen a second alternator added when the RV manufacturer wanted to eliminate the Onan generator, where they installed a large-capacity lithium battery bank.


A much stronger case can be made when additional alternator capacity can be provided by the chassis OEM at a small fraction of the cost. Chevy upgraded their V8 up to 6.6-liter for truck use, and offers dual alternator option for $380 (at least in pickups), which is affordable and a great value in my opinion. I expect Chevy may offer the 2021 Express Cutaway with this option to match Ford E-Series.

Both Chevy and Ford have a combined rating of just under 400 Amps, which, if nothing else, is enough to power an RV rooftop air conditioner while driving a motorhome without having to run the generator.