Thanks to those who have given me new insights into alternators and solar panels.
To answer Jim Ward’s question:
My question arose because I came across information last year that seemed to explain why my inverter/charger would charge hard for a while after a full day of cruising and then plugging into shore power. I have a 100 amp alternator that jumps up to 60 amps immediately after starting and my ammeter generally shows 10-20 amps while cruising but my batteries were obviously not fully charged at the end of the day. The answer seemed to be as marine consultant Steve D’Antonio puts it: “stock alternators are…internally regulated and therefore not equipped to deliver the multi-stage charge required by deep cycle house batteries. Second, with few exceptions they are not designed to deliver their full output except for short periods of time. When called upon to do so, by retrofitting one of these alternators with an external regulator,… they often expire prematurely as a result of overheating.”
That got me thinking about solar as a way to fully charge the batteries without changing my alternator.
Dick Allen
Subject: Internal regulared alternators
<<
I have become aware that internally regulated alternators often do not fully
charge house batteries. I'm wondering if solar panels overcome that problem.
Thanks for any input.
Dick Allen
Where did you hear that? Might explain some problems I am having with an inverter bank that is recharged by 2 dedicated IR alternators.
Thanks, Jim
Sent from my Verizon, Samsung Galaxy smartphone
Thanks to those who have given me new insights into alternators and solar panels.
To answer Jim Ward’s question:
My question arose because I came across information last year that seemed to explain why my inverter/charger would charge hard for a while after a full day of cruising and then plugging into shore power. I have a 100 amp alternator that jumps up to 60 amps immediately after starting and my ammeter generally shows 10-20 amps while cruising but my batteries were obviously not fully charged at the end of the day. The answer seemed to be as marine consultant Steve D’Antonio puts it: “stock alternators are…internally regulated and therefore not equipped to deliver the multi-stage charge required by deep cycle house batteries. Second, with few exceptions they are not designed to deliver their full output except for short periods of time. When called upon to do so, by retrofitting one of these alternators with an external regulator,… they often expire prematurely as a result of overheating.”
That got me thinking about solar as a way to fully charge the batteries without changing my alternator.
Dick Allen
Subject: Internal regulared alternators
<<
I have become aware that internally regulated alternators often do not fully
charge house batteries. I'm wondering if solar panels overcome that problem.
Thanks for any input.
Dick Allen
>>
Where did you hear that? Might explain some problems I am having with an inverter bank that is recharged by 2 dedicated IR alternators.
Thanks, Jim
Sent from my Verizon, Samsung Galaxy smartphone
