Charging trailer battery while towing and smart charging
Opening a new thread from Link about newer vehicles and their smart charging systems so as not to derail that thread.
Basically I'm just looking for a better understanding of the newer charging systems. In the other thread it was posted that
"Some time around 2000-2005 ALL cras and light trucks start using "smart charging systems". Various manufacturers do it differently and even the same manufacturer have made changes since they first started. These smart charging system put out the MINIMUM voltage to keep the starting battery charged, typically between 13.2V and 13.8V (about 2-5 minutes after the engine has started). This is NOT ENOUGH VOLTAGE TO CHARGE A HOUSE LEAD ACID BATTERY BANK ! Installing heavier wire will NOT improve this !!
What you need is a DC-DC battery charger."
I can understand the statement about the smart charging just keeping the starting battery up as they typically don't use much to start the engine. But what about when the trailer with a battery at 12.3 volts is hooked up? Wouldn't that cause the alternator to come out of maintenance mode and start trying to charge the batteries? I mean if not then why would the manufacturers even bother to equip a high amperage battery?
Basically I'm just looking for a better understanding of the newer charging systems. In the other thread it was posted that
"Some time around 2000-2005 ALL cras and light trucks start using "smart charging systems". Various manufacturers do it differently and even the same manufacturer have made changes since they first started. These smart charging system put out the MINIMUM voltage to keep the starting battery charged, typically between 13.2V and 13.8V (about 2-5 minutes after the engine has started). This is NOT ENOUGH VOLTAGE TO CHARGE A HOUSE LEAD ACID BATTERY BANK ! Installing heavier wire will NOT improve this !!
What you need is a DC-DC battery charger."
I can understand the statement about the smart charging just keeping the starting battery up as they typically don't use much to start the engine. But what about when the trailer with a battery at 12.3 volts is hooked up? Wouldn't that cause the alternator to come out of maintenance mode and start trying to charge the batteries? I mean if not then why would the manufacturers even bother to equip a high amperage battery?
