recharging while driving
I'm winding my way south and boondocking. Last power was in Regina, SK I used a heating pad and lots of computer time last night, powering them from a 400 watt MSW inverter. Batteries were at...
Forum Discussion
I am certainly in agreement with the position that no matter how large the relay (my old-fashioned terminology has a solenoid as being a mechanical actuator) the release of the disc will cause arcing. Just as a note mercury-filled power relays almost completely eliminate the phenomenon. But the media is not friendly. My eight + pound relay has had it's disc flipped then refurbished with opper/tin bronze.
Be that as it may if that Ford chassis is wired so that power to the house batteries is tapped mid-harness it is severely limited. On cruising sailboats the where of the tap is so critical that the alternator feeds the house battery and from there a controller manages the engine starting battery. Exhale. That was not a suggestion. There is nothing sadder than seeing a 140 amp alternator limited to 60-70 anperes charge because ALL POWER has to pass through a length of 12-gauge fusible link. The last F450 I oversaw had headlight voltage increased from 12.8 during heavy charging to 13.9. The effect was notable. Ford apparently went hog-wild with newest dual alternator vehicles and harness amperage restrictions were corrected to an extreme degree. Yay Ford! But from what I have been able to trickle the hairpin NDs are very hard to retrofit.
Advice: Assume nothing. With discharged batteries measure amperage or voltage drop if on-the-road-recharging is important to you.
Be that as it may if that Ford chassis is wired so that power to the house batteries is tapped mid-harness it is severely limited. On cruising sailboats the where of the tap is so critical that the alternator feeds the house battery and from there a controller manages the engine starting battery. Exhale. That was not a suggestion. There is nothing sadder than seeing a 140 amp alternator limited to 60-70 anperes charge because ALL POWER has to pass through a length of 12-gauge fusible link. The last F450 I oversaw had headlight voltage increased from 12.8 during heavy charging to 13.9. The effect was notable. Ford apparently went hog-wild with newest dual alternator vehicles and harness amperage restrictions were corrected to an extreme degree. Yay Ford! But from what I have been able to trickle the hairpin NDs are very hard to retrofit.
Advice: Assume nothing. With discharged batteries measure amperage or voltage drop if on-the-road-recharging is important to you.
