Sterling smart alternator charger

[mikenfi]

I have been told about this by an American cruiser we met in champagne sur chalon. I was discussing my want to buy a Honda briefcase gene for those times where we have limited solar power in the winter months! He hasn't got one himself but told me he wanted to fit one this winter!

its great that he has told me about this as it sounds ideal. I don't need to find space on our tiny boat to store the gene... This of course means I don't need petrol on board, which allows my heart to beat a little slower!!! (I turn the gas off at the bottle before and after cooking)

Has anyone got one of these, are they worth it? Has their been any reduction in life of batteries through its usage or has it increased their life span?

For me I would need to run my engine under load as it a recently rebuilt yse12 but that's no problem I can do loop the loop for an hour if necessary!!!

Any advise would be appreciated.

 

[jac]

Sterling to a range of devices to improve battery charging.

We fitted an Alternator to Battery CHarger. It basically does 2 jobs- It uses the existing alternator regulator to demand the maximum power from the alt all the time.

Secondly it then uses a basic smart charging cycle to vary the charge going to the battery based on it's state of charge. It needs the batteries to be separate from each other - i.e. bo 1-2-both switch and it pushes out the standard unboosted charge to the engine start battery.

I rate ours - although the remote is a bit shite. it certainly really helped with our battery issues.

 

[FullCircle]

Sterling to a range of devices to improve battery charging.

We fitted an Alternator to Battery CHarger. It basically does 2 jobs- It uses the existing alternator regulator to demand the maximum power from the alt all the time.

Secondly it then uses a basic smart charging cycle to vary the charge going to the battery based on it's state of charge. It needs the batteries to be separate from each other - i.e. bo 1-2-both switch and it pushes out the standard unboosted charge to the engine start battery.

I rate ours - although the remote is a bit shite. it certainly really helped with our battery issues.

+1

 

[Trundlebug]

+1
Alt to Batt charger easier to fit than changing the regulator pack in the alternator for a smart regulator.

 

[VicS]

The "Alternator to battery charger" is a simple "add on" device which provides separate enhanced charging of the domestic bank and standard charging of the engine start battery.

The "Advanced digital alternator regulator" requires a small modification to the alternator . Instructions are given but not everyone will feel happy to do this themselves. A diode splitter is also needed if two battery banks are to be simultaneously charged without paralleling them with manual switching.

 

[Piddy]

I fitted an alternator regulator about 15 years ago. In that time I have replaced a brush pack/regulator as the additionally needed sense wire fell off the brush (actually the brush was very worn and fell off the wire) . The easiest and quickest way at that time was to buy a new alternator and get a spare regulator (with wire fitted).
My 70A Lucas type alternator usually pumps out 60A into a large battery bank (600AHr) unless we've been plugged in.
The cheap wet batteries I use seem to last between 5 - 8 years so it seems to do the job for me!