lawrosa wrote:
So with all the replies so far most suggest I am going to blow up or fry my alternator...How will this happen I would like to know if anyone has a sound response or data to show why.
So using 50 amps max from my 105 amp alt is going to cook it? Remember I have 50 amp breakers on both ends truck and camper side
What would be the difference if it was raining at night, wipers on and headlights on. 160 watt stereo cranking and ac on cause its hot out...?? How many amps is that?
And since I have an old truck I dont have heated seats, navigation system... etc.. and such...
Thats done all the time sitting in traffic say from an accident on a highway or rush hour standstills..
Ever wait for the wife outside with truck running while she shops with above scenario and all accessories on?
Just trying to be realistic here is all.
If I wanted to lug a noisey gen and power a portable charger I would have bought one. Or I would have upgraded my convertor that outputs 13.6 volts and power that with a noisy gen. And since I am in forests solar will not work.
So with that said I have a chevy and do all my own repairs on my cars. Infact I never been to the dealer for any repair work...
Anyways I will get amp readings this weekend. And if I blow up my alt I will be the first to tell you.. Also I will het temp readings from the alt as I have a laser thermometer.. I will get hydrometer readings too..
Well you sort of ask for the feedback you got and if you look at it realistically while your solution will work it is as others have said should definitely be a PLAN B. You can get a whisper quiet Honda genset in the 1K flavor (~$800) or 2K (~$1,000) which is less than the potential cost of one failure in your vehicle system from using it instead of a genset. Also, the generators obviously have many extra uses like being able to run normal 110V appliances even for short times like coffee pots, electric cooking appliances, plus charging batteries.
Plus all the added work to watch over your method such as laser thermometers, protected CBs, etc., etc. at least IMO make investing in a small genset puts that firmly in the PLAN A category for normal battery charging. It appeared initially you believed that your method won on fuel consumption alone, but I think you would even have to admit that was a false assumption. However, as others have said it's your vehicle and your option to do as you wish, we are only trying to help and make sure you are congnizant of all the potential shortcommings of what you have opted to do.
Sometimes there is nothing wrong with "REINVENTING" the wheel so to speek, but at other times it's simply a loosing proposition and in the case IMO the latter is where this method of battery charging falls.
Larry
