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Peter Albright Peter Albright is offline
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First recorded activity by BoatBanter: Jul 2006
Posts: 1
Default Can an alternator be to big?

Glen,

Have you considered biasing the voltage sense line, to adjust the regulator
output voltage?

Peter Albright,
Tampa, FL
"Glenn Ashmore" wrote in message
news:BV3ug.44$ok5.9@dukeread01...

"Paul Hovnanian P.E." wrote

Actually, the alternator will put out whatever the battery and loads
require. Unless you are charging a huge battery bank and/or have 200 A
load connected to it, it won't put out that much. Given the electrical
(and mechanical) losses, the input HP will be whatever are needed to
provide the electrical output. The larger alternator will have lower
electrical losses, but higher mechanical. All in all, this unit won't
present a mechanical load significantly different than a smaller
alternator.


That's just it. There will definitely be a heavy load on it. When it
cranks up every morning it will be seeing a 900AH battery bank ready to
take the first 225 amps in bulk mode.

This unit must be matched to the appropriate regulator. If you didn't
get one with the alternator, the deal may not have been that good.


It has the regulator built in. Pretty interesting one too. Even has a
battery voltage sense connection. However the regulator does not have a
way to change from bulk to absorption to float modes and there is no
equalization. The shore power charger can handle the equalization and
with my normal use pattern of 50% to 85% charge will rarely need float
except at the dock but it would be nice to have optomized bulk and
absorption ability.

--
Glenn Ashmore

I'm building a 45' cutter in strip/composite. Watch my progress (or lack
there of) at: http://www.rutuonline.com
Shameless Commercial Division: http://www.spade-anchor-us.com