Advanced Alternater Regulator

[Mr Who (Dr Whos`s Brother)]

Hi all first post,

 

With a large inverter and battery bank, how essential do you think and advanced alternater regulator would be?

[Gibbo]

This should be fun

 

Gibbo

[blackrose]

Hi all first post,

 

With a large inverter and battery bank, how essential do you think and advanced alternater regulator would be?

 

Hi, welcome to the forum.

 

Well to summarise previous discussions on the subject, some say that external alternator regulators worked well to increase to output of older automotive alternators which were basically designed to provide the relatively small requirements of car batteries, but with modern marine alternators which charge at 14+ volts these items are unnecessary. Other experts disagree and tell us that even with modern alternators the output charge will start to drop once they get hot. Users of these devices (which in effect turn your alternator into an intelligent multi-stage charger), have also reported good results, but as to whether they are essential... it really depends on your 12/24v demands, your charging regime, how much cruising you do, whether you have shore power or charge from a generator, and which argument you accept!

 

Have I got this right Gibbo?

Edited June 19, 2007 by blackrose

[Gibbo]

Well to summarise previous discussions on the subject, some say that external alternator regulators worked well to increase to output of older automotive alternators which were basically designed to provide the relatively small requirements of car batteries, but with modern marine alternators which charge at 14+ volts these items are unnecessary. Other experts disagree and tell us that even with modern alternators the output charge will start to drop once they get hot. Users of these devices have also reported good results, but as to whether they are essential... it really depends on your 12/24v demands, your charging regime, whether you have shore power, and which argument you accept!

 

Have I got this right Gibbo?

 

Can I reserve my reply until after the fighting starts?

 

Gibbo

[valrene9600]

I have sterling regulator on my boat. From what i`ve read seems a good idea. But have also heard stories that it cooks the alternator by lying to it and demanding more charge.

I have been a liveaboard now for 18 months C/C and it seems difficult to know who/what to believe. Similar to another post i made re Vetus/G`box.

Bit like when living on land when every now and again some one decides don`t eat beef or eggs etc. Perhaps i should adopt the same attitude now as then and just carry on as normal. ie

eat the eggs etc

stick to the sterling reg.

run the engine in gear as per Vetus

Reading/hearing some things could make life aboard as stressful as living on land. But no chance of that in my case i came on board to chill out my last years on this planet and that`s what i will do.

This forum is a great place for advice and views on products and i think it`s a personal thing what you decide after reading all members contributions.

[David Schweizer]

My boat was used as the test bed for the Sterling Advanced Alternator Controller more than five years ago, before it officially came on the market, and I can report that on a 55 amp Lucas A127 Alternator it works well. Contrary to all the Doom and Gloom Merchants, it does not burn out the alternator, eat pulley belts, or boil the batteries. What it does do is enable the Alternator to deliver up to it's maximum output, and re charge the batteries in about a third of the time that is required without it.

 

The A127 is an older design of Alternator, but is still widely available, and at 55 amps is a much lower output than many modern alternators, so whether that makes any difference, I do not know, but I am very happy with it. I can now moor up late afternoon, watch the TV all evening with as many lights on as I wish, leave the elderly Engel fridge on all night, and an hours cruising the next day completely replenishes the batteries. Can't really ask for much more than that.

Edited June 19, 2007 by David Schweizer

[carlt]

I've got a Rose narrow boats controller. I think it's brilliant, cuts down the charge time by loads, never noticed boiling batteries, never noticed a drop in battery lifespan.

Edited June 20, 2007 by carlt

[Gary Peacock]

Oh I love the smell of boiled batteries shortly followed by the smell of the punters money or credit card!

 

Lovelyeee!

 

Why don't more people endorse these things so I can get this working thing over and done with sooner!

[Sir Nibble]

All of the above. An a 127 will put up with ANYTHING (except on rovers where it takes its cooling air straight off the exhaust). Hitachi alternators blow their diodes out. The temperature compensation in internal regulators senses ambient tempeature not machine temperature.

External regulators like the Sterling are intended as a solution to a problem, do you have that problem?

The A127 is an older design of Alternator, but is still widely available, and at 55 amps is a much lower output than many modern alternators,

You can get A127 alternators up to 72A.

[carlt]

Oh I love the smell of boiled batteries shortly followed by the smell of the punters money or credit card!

 

Lovelyeee!

 

Why don't more people endorse these things so I can get this working thing over and done with sooner!

If the controller is following a cycle of charge and rest then, in my experience, batteries don't boil. If you're a liveaboard and need to use your engine to charge batteries then the benefits outweigh the, possible, disadvantages.

[bottle]

 

We have two Mr Who both joined on the same day 15 May 2005

 

Link Mr Who member No. 546

 

link Mr Who (Dr Who's brother) member No. 545

 

Strange

[carlt]

 

We have two Mr Who both joined on the same day 15 May 2005

 

Link Mr Who member No. 546

 

link Mr Who (Dr Who's brother) member No. 545

 

Strange

The original Mr Who's signature is, iirc, "Dr Who is my brother", so I'm guessing there's a link somewhere.

[bottle]

You do remember correctly.

[Gary Peacock]

If the controller is following a cycle of charge and rest then, in my experience, batteries don't boil. If you're a liveaboard and need to use your engine to charge batteries then the benefits outweigh the, possible, disadvantages.

 

Gooood! Keep those endorsements coming!

[Gibbo]

First post on such a controversial subject, and two new members with similar names.

 

I'm wondering whether it's a wind up?

 

Gibbo

Edited June 20, 2007 by Gibbo

[carlt]

First post on such a controvertial subject, and two new members with similar names.

 

I'm wondering whether it's a wind up?

 

Gibbo

Mr who's not new he's been around since May 05. But to wait two years to use his alter ego for the first time....now that is sinister....

 

 

Gooood! Keep those endorsements coming!

No probs Gary. My batteries have always lasted around 5 years, except for one dud, and I bought mine from the caravan shop in Northampton, where they are £35 quid, instead of £70 at the swindlery.

[tired old pirate]

Actually properly interested in this! I've got one alternator charging straight into my bank of three leisures and a starter, I've been wondering whether to get an oomphed up alternator and a charge manager, couple of folk said dont be daft, waste of money just get a bigger alternator and whack it straight in. I do however have an adverc 240v battery management system allready installed (boat came with it) looking at the price of high power alternators I'm thinking it would be cheaper to get a genny and charge batts thru the adverc? what think you?

[Gary Peacock]

First post on such a controversial subject, and two new members with similar names.

 

I'm wondering whether it's a wind up?

 

Gibbo

 

Or a marketing scam?

[carlt]

Actually properly interested in this! I've got one alternator charging straight into my bank of three leisures and a starter, I've been wondering whether to get an oomphed up alternator and a charge manager, couple of folk said dont be daft, waste of money just get a bigger alternator and whack it straight in. I do however have an adverc 240v battery management system allready installed (boat came with it) looking at the price of high power alternators I'm thinking it would be cheaper to get a genny and charge batts thru the adverc? what think you?

I ran a bog standard A127 (45A ?) and the difference between unmanaged and through the alternator controller was amazing. I went from running the engine all day everyday to keep the batteries charged, to less than 2 hours a night.

[Gary Peacock]

I have fitted THESE and the theory seems good, but at £237.00 they aren't cheap but being a clever box of tricks from one of the market leaders in the Marine electrics market they must be some advantage in them I suppose.

 

I seem to remember the ones I did were always on uprated higher spec alternators.

[Sir Nibble]

Diesel Duck went from batteries constantly flat to batteries constantly charged. No special regulator tho' less than an hour of my time.

[tired old pirate]

I ran a bog standard A127 (45A ?) and the difference between unmanaged and through the alternator controller was amazing. I went from running the engine all day everyday to keep the batteries charged, to less than 2 hours a night.

ooh that is a difference, I run for about 1 1/2 hrs a day but only really run the fridge at the mo. would be nice to watch telly every now and then without starting the engine! would a genny thru an adverc do the same?

Edited June 20, 2007 by tired old pirate

[tired old pirate]

Diesel Duck went from batteries constantly flat to batteries constantly charged. No special regulator tho' less than an hour of my time.

eh? dont understand

[David Schweizer]

I ran a bog standard A127 (45A ?) and the difference between unmanaged and through the alternator controller was amazing. I went from running the engine all day everyday to keep the batteries charged, to less than 2 hours a night.

That is also my experience. Without the Controller the maximum output was 12 amps, but with the fridge and a few ligts on, the maximum charge dropped to about 5 amps. With the Controller installed, I can get the full 55 amps out of the Alternator, although this drops to about 30amps after half an hour, but the best feature is that the charge rate increases to compensate load.

 

Oh I love the smell of boiled batteries shortly followed by the smell of the punters money or credit card!

 

Lovelyeee!

 

Why don't more people endorse these things so I can get this working thing over and done with sooner!

 

Gooood! Keep those endorsements coming!

I have noticed that most of the derogatory comments about Alternator Controllers always seems to come from people who make a lot of money building and repairing boats, but they never provide evidence to suppoert their claims.

 

I was once told that the mark up on some of these items is very small and that has been a significant contributor to the negative attitude adopted by some sections of the trade. Or do you actually know something that we don't know Gary?

Edited June 20, 2007 by David Schweizer

[Gary Peacock]

That is also my experience. Without the Controller the maximum output was 12 amps, but with the fridge and a few ligts on, the maximum charge dropped to about 5 amps. With the Controller installed, I can get the full 55 amps out of the Alternator, although this drops to about 30amps after half an hour, but the best feature is that the charge rate increases to compensate load.

I have noticed that most of the derofgatory comments about Alternator Controllers always seems to come from people who make a lot of money building and repairing boats, but they never provide evidence to suppoert their

 

But in this case I can't loose because we sell them, my views come from a few years ago in the automotive business and maybe they have improved a lot since then?

 

I aren't a fan of solutions to problems and would always prefer to not create the problem.

 

The engine manufacturers have a lot to answer for using cheap relatively small automotive alternators. They do seem recently to be mending their ways with 160A alternators becoming more the standard for some of the domestic offerings these days.

 

Most charging systems boat builders dream up tend to be profit driven, (Spend a little make a lot!) the shortfalls are left to the owners to resolve however they choose.

 

There is a big market for wonder cures to charging systems, galvanic action and cheap inverter solutions etc.

Three or four years ago I used to refuse to become involved with some of these, but because the demand exists have since relented. After all it would not be very good business sense not to meet that demand.

Why loose the custom because of my views on some of these thing if the suppliers are prepared to support the products and back up their claims?

 

A lot of this demand is to do with the ditch crawling mentality of buying cheap and expecting lots! The technology used in the lumpy water market tends to offer a lot of the solutions but costs more so doesn't crossover because of this.