Deep Cycle Battery Charging From Alternator
Hello, May I ask for advice regarding charging deep cycle batteries from the alternator? I have read older threads, and understand opinions vary. The previous two 100Ah deep cycle AGM coach bat...
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A few years back on a rainy day I was in a parking lot and some guy in a Toyota Tundra still in drivers seat left his lights on engine off parked, next to me. I could see the halogens were already fairly dim.
Walking by, I indicated his lights were still on and his response was just short of a middle finger.
20 minutes later I hear the Click click.
"Dude, can I have a jump." He had no jumper cables.
I had a 10AWG extension cord and some alligator clamps from my air compressor through two 45 amp anderson powerpole connectors that would reach his battery.
I explain that the copper was not thick enough to jumpstart immediately, but after a few minutes of me idling and charging his battery at around 30 amps, his should start.
Not that I really wanted to Idle for a few minutes, nor even help this hasswhole but while hooking things up I explained he should plug in a battery charger at home as his alternator would never fully charge the battery and a lead acid battery ideally always wants to be full.
He skoffed, that is A NEW 130 AMP ALTERNATOR, THE BATTERY WILL BE FULL IN 10 MINUTES!! he stated with absolute authority, in a mocking tone.
Ok, you are one of those.....
I hook things up and he immediately goes to start his engine, I pull the anderson plug on my end, and click click click. I was not going to melt my andersons just for this fool.
Curses exchanged, I took my copper and my 14.7vDC, and left.
Never underestimate the complete ignorance of a human with an alternator and battery. Most seem to think the alternator is a near instant magical battery charger that can defy the laws of physics.
----
Should be noted I have much more recently started my own v8 engine through 2 pairs of 45 amp anderson powerpoles in parallel on 8awg from a single new fully chrged 18Ah chinesium AGM as an experiment, each briefly passing about 90 amps without issue an I could not detect any heat through the plastic connectors afterwards.
Perhaps my 10AWG and 30 amp anderson powerpole quasi jumper cable would not have melted jumping this fool, but I am glad I did not take the risk for such a human.
Walking by, I indicated his lights were still on and his response was just short of a middle finger.
20 minutes later I hear the Click click.
"Dude, can I have a jump." He had no jumper cables.
I had a 10AWG extension cord and some alligator clamps from my air compressor through two 45 amp anderson powerpole connectors that would reach his battery.
I explain that the copper was not thick enough to jumpstart immediately, but after a few minutes of me idling and charging his battery at around 30 amps, his should start.
Not that I really wanted to Idle for a few minutes, nor even help this hasswhole but while hooking things up I explained he should plug in a battery charger at home as his alternator would never fully charge the battery and a lead acid battery ideally always wants to be full.
He skoffed, that is A NEW 130 AMP ALTERNATOR, THE BATTERY WILL BE FULL IN 10 MINUTES!! he stated with absolute authority, in a mocking tone.
Ok, you are one of those.....
I hook things up and he immediately goes to start his engine, I pull the anderson plug on my end, and click click click. I was not going to melt my andersons just for this fool.
Curses exchanged, I took my copper and my 14.7vDC, and left.
Never underestimate the complete ignorance of a human with an alternator and battery. Most seem to think the alternator is a near instant magical battery charger that can defy the laws of physics.
----
Should be noted I have much more recently started my own v8 engine through 2 pairs of 45 amp anderson powerpoles in parallel on 8awg from a single new fully chrged 18Ah chinesium AGM as an experiment, each briefly passing about 90 amps without issue an I could not detect any heat through the plastic connectors afterwards.
Perhaps my 10AWG and 30 amp anderson powerpole quasi jumper cable would not have melted jumping this fool, but I am glad I did not take the risk for such a human.
