burlmart wrote:
... and i keep wondering how many stages does the alternator have? i never hear it mentioned.
The Ford alternator in our motorhome seems to have "infinite" stages. This behavior is probably at least partially dependent on temperature of, or around, the alternator, but maybe not entirely ... there may be some electronics involved in controlling modern alternators' terminal voltages with other parameters being brought into play by these electronic controls.
For instance, our motorhome's 130 amp Ford alternator often starts out at around 14.4 volts but gradually drops down in voltage as we travel, which kindof is a good fit for what our coach batteries need. In scorching heat, I've seen alternator voltages as low as around 12.9 volts being applied to the coach batteries - which is exactly what I would want on their terminals from a charger during high heat.
I can see what's happening as we drive down the road or idle the main engine, as we have both an ammeter and a voltmeter right on dash that monitor the coach batteries.
