[C320-list] Alternator upgrade

[kskis at aol.com]

Frank:  Nice to know "Great minds..."...sure.  If you are interested in trading info/research give me a call six three one six nine seven nine 0 three seven.  Neil Kornblatt Harmony #973


-----Original Message-----
From: P.F. Ross <pfrstl at gmail.com>
To: C320-List at catalina320.com
Sent: Thu, Aug 27, 2020 12:04 am
Subject: Re: [C320-list] Alternator upgrade

Neil, you and I are in a similar boat!

As the next step in my multi-year electrical system upgrade, I was going to
attack the alternator (with smart controller) next.  Now, like you, I am
thinking I will do solar first.

I thank the recent posters for their input here as well.  There are also a
couple of good "solar" threads from the last couple of years on this list
plus some good info on marinehowto.com.  At least this is where I have
started.

Frank Ross
Beta Wave #206
Naples, FL

On Wed, Aug 26, 2020 at 7:42 AM <kskis at aol.com> wrote:

> Graeme, Greg, Jack, Joe, Troy:  Much thanks to all great contributions!
> It has caused me to accelerate my solar project because long-term that will
> be my primary "top off" with alternator as my secondary on cloudy days and
> days of higher usage.  120 amp Alternator has two things that makes me
> hesitate:  1)  probably never use the extra capacity due to
> overheating/cooling issues and 2) need for a serpentine belt conversion
> ("if it ain't broke...").  So "phase one" is shaping up to be solar with
> own controllers, Balmar SG200 battery monitor.  See how things go then
> "phase 2" being Alternator/Voltage Regulator and starting battery.  With
> this in mind, dare I hijack my own thread and ask for views from either
> those who are very happy or very disappointed with their solar
> controller(s)?  I am leaning toward accepting the recommendation of whoever
> sources the solar panel but maybe there's a controller to avoid or prefer.
> Thank you!  This group is awesome!  Neil Kornblatt, Harmony #973 2004
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Graeme Clark <cg at skyflyer.co.uk>
> To: Catalina list <C320-List at Catalina320.com>
> Sent: Wed, Aug 26, 2020 2:57 am
> Subject: Re: [C320-list] Alternator upgrade
>
> I’ve a feeling this is going to be a bit like one of those threads about
> which anchor is best! Everyone has a different view which is dependent to a
> degree on their local environment!
>
> There is a good article (albeit trying to sell you a new alternator) here
> :
> https://www.mastervolt.com/all-you-need-to-know-about-alternators-and-charge-regulators/
> <
> https://www.mastervolt.com/all-you-need-to-know-about-alternators-and-charge-regulators/
> >
>
> If you don't  have time to read it in depth here are some edited
> highlights!
>
>
> "Standard alternators, originally designed for the car industry, only
> deliver sufficient energy to both charge the batteries and power the
> various onboard consumers when they reach a very high rpm.
>
> These alternators also tend to be temperature-sensitive: In a higher
> ambient temperature, such as is common in an engine room, their output
> quickly falls by 50 % or more. This is not a problem in cars as the small
> amount of energy used during, for instance, starting can be recharged in no
> time, and windscreen wipers, ventilators, etc. do not need a great deal of
> power. In general, a car engine also runs at a far higher rpm than a boat’s
> engine, and the temperature under the hood is lower due to the cooling
> effect of the head wind.
>
> Make sure you do not choose your alternator too small. A larger one will
> ensure that the battery is charged faster and engine hours are kept to a
> minimum – we suggest choosing an amperage between 30 and 50 % of the
> battery capacity.
>
> The standard alternator designed for road vehicles has a voltage regulator
> mounted to the back of the alternator and set to a single charge voltage of
> 14v. This is sufficient for a car battery, which is rarely (if ever)
> discharged. Furthermore, the voltage regulator of an automotive alternator
> is often temperature sensitive and in high temperatures regulates the
> voltage even further down, often to 13.5  volt. This is much too low for
> sufficiently recharging a discharged battery. The maximum achievable
> battery capacity for these voltage levels is around 60 to 70 %. The
> lifespan of a battery is significantly lower if it is never properly
> charged. In order to adequately recharge a partially empty or completely
> flat battery at 25 ºC, (77F) voltage need to be 14.25 volt Once the battery
> is 100 % full, this voltage must be reduced to 13.25  (float phase) to
> prevent the batteries from becoming overcharged.  A “ smart” charge
> regulator maximizes the output of the alternator by regulating the
> alternator in a way that the batteries receive the optimum charge.
>
>
>
> Graeme
> #366, 1996
>
>
> > On 26 Aug 2020, at 04:34, Jack Brennan <jackbrennan at bellsouth.net>
> wrote:
> >
> > There’s a bit of confusion because everyone has to adapt to local
> conditions and their sailing style. That’s really the key to the setup you
> decide on.  What works for me may not work for you. Here is what works in
> Florida:
> >
> > To me, the alternator is basically a bulk charger. After spending the
> night at anchor and using up amps, motoring in the morning before the wind
> picks up gives you a good jump on restoring the house bank to maybe to 80
> percent or so. I don’t have a need to top off the batteries with the
> alternator.
> >
> > That’s because a good MPPT solar controller acts like a smart charger,
> putting as much of the 5-8 amps an hour as it can into the batteries. So I
> can usually top off the batteries during the day while sailing, even using
> the autopilot, depth sounder, etc. (This won’t work with cheap controllers.)
> >
> > When we stay at anchor with no motoring, my 160 watt panel will usually
> top off the house batteries by early  afternoon as long as we’re not eating
> up the amps with music and it’s not too cloudy. (Car-type stereos really
> eat up the amps. Use your phone and a portable speaker.)
> >
> > I keep the fridge on at the dock 24/7 with no 110, and the solar panel
> keeps up, so it’s really an issue of what else we’re doing that requires
> power when we’re at anchor. Being near the subtropics, that usually means
> fans as well as an anchor light, etc.
> >
> > Jack Brennan
> > Sonas, 1998 Catalina 320
> > Tierra Verde, Fl.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Sent from Mail for Windows 10
> >
> >
>