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Smart regulator connection to ignition switch


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12 hours ago, CarpeDiem said:

This isn't a claim the manufacturer of the ZM5 makes. This is your claim. 

No it is not my Claim. Graeme has even demonstrated this to me on his test bed. It is not a claim that has been included within their information, however that does not make it false.
I will reword my above comment slightly. The output of the ALT can often be increased by upto 10% for many Alternators. But not all. It depends on the ALT. It is one main factor behind why Graeme suggests certain Alternators be used.

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Another question, instructions with blue seas ACR combiner , they suggest running alternator b+ to house bank, then through ACR to start batteries, reason is to stop chattering of the ACR due to difference in bank capacities, creates more cost for another 4mtrs of 50mm wire plus crimps etc, this would enable deleting the alt b+ to starter cable,  Bosch alt is neg from case so will be running a 50mm wire from case to eng block , then to negative bus at batteries,

house bank is 2 6volt, 235 amps,  so not large, do I need to go this way or stick with existing alt+ to starter/ start battery, ACR to house  bank,zm5 smart reg will be sensed from house bank as per instructions

 

BBD44738-2017-4FD2-B3AB-08ED29B1901F.jpeg

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I am running a Balmar duo charge for the 2 sets of batteries charged from the original engine alternator (a grunty Leece Neville takes care of the house bank )

https://balmar.net/products/digital-duo-charge/

the alternator's output goes straight to the battery for the electric halyard/anchor winches and centreboard hydraulic pump, which draw some serious current. The duo charge keeps the start battery topped off. Remember under normal circumstances the start battery only requires minimal charging.

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20 hours ago, Guest said:

The definition of "normal" output here is how % increase claims can be made

You have to understand how an ALT works in a normal situation and how one is controlled by an external reg. As I said above, there are two main ways of controlling.
In a non external reg situation, the ALT simply produces a continuous current into a battery. But as the Voltage rises, which is actually quite quickly, the current also quickly (proportionaly) drops. So the actual regulation is caused by the Battery load itself.
By using an external reg, the maximum output if the ALT is maintained no matter what the Voltage point of the Battery is. There are two ways of controlling the ALT in this situation.
First is to simply run the ALT at a full output mode and sense Battery Voltages. To ensure the bank does not overheat, a remote Temp sensor is used. Some cheaper units use a temp sensor inside the Reg and simply consider the Ambient temp only and allow a current to be produced by the ALT relating to the Ambient Temp, assuming the Bank is also at that Temp. The more technical Regs use a remote Temp sensor and are monitoring the Bank itself and will reduce the current to tailor the temp of the Bank. this stops the Bank form being overheated and boil.
Then the third way is to use a charge Algorithm and follow charge laws. If you go to the smart reg info, you will see among the info a picture of the waveform controlling the output of the ALT. It is a high frequency swtiching waveform and that switching complexity varies as the Voltage of the Bank rises. It does this till a threshold point is reached and the Reg then goes into an absorbtion charge for a set period of time and after that set period of time, the unit then triggers to a float charge.
It's simple in how it works and the proof is that it does work well.
Yes there are more complicated ways of doing it and there are units that use those more complex ways. But they are hugely more expensive. It is as simple as that. The Smart Reg does the job for a resonable price. You could spend 10x more and have a bank more accurately taken care of. But at the end of the day, I am not sure you will see a great deal more life from the bank.
On my Boat, I had the Heart Interface system using the LINK 2000 Charge controller. It was pretty much the first type of system that used the algorithm to charge a bank. The most important algorithm was Pukets Law. The only difference being that the user had to pre set many parameters of the Link to correctly charge the Bank based on the Battery manufacturers information. The system was Shore Power and Generator powered. I had no external ALT control at the time till the day I got the Smart reg. I found that the Smart reg took care of the Batteries just as well as the LINK system did without requiring all the minute details of paramateres having to be programmed into it.
 I was friends with the designer of that Link system. He sent me the system all the way from the US free of charge. He taught me what I know about battery charging and he also showed me how to alter charge patterns to show me how paramaters like Temp and what not changed how a FLA accepted a charge. My only problem today is, with the more modern batteries available, I am slipping behind because I mostly know the old FLA scenarios.

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