>Phil
>Adding to Zak & Travis comments, which I agree with, is the following.
>The Diode Voltage Drop (approx. 0.8 v) is of no concern in charging
>batteries because the Vltage Sense Line to the Alternator is connected to
>the output of the Isolator & is therefore compensated for in the
>Alternator's output voltage. It would be crime, in my mind, to revert
>bach to an unreliable Electro Mechanical device in lieu of the solid
>state Isolator. Like going back to vacuum tube TVs...low reliability &
>high cost.
>
Duane,
You are generally right about the isolator. However, there are conditions
under which the 0.8 volt drop is important. For one, the isolator
dissipates heat proportional to the current flow. At full alternator
current flow the isolator diodes dissipate at most 80 watts or about 5
amps. For most MH uses you are right that the loss is a "don't care." But,
for those folks who rely on the alternator's full capacity, the lowered
loss through a relay is preferrable.
Most automotive type regulators do not provide the multistage high current
charge profile of smart chargers. Conversely, many marine applications
include the smart regulator so that the engine can be used to recharge the
batteries in significantly less time.
My view on the GMC isolator is that the diode circuit is preferred unless
you replace the regulator with a smart multi-stage regulator - in which
case you can really use all of the available current.
Henry
Henry Davis Consulting, Inc / new product consulting
PO Box 1270 / product readiness reviews
Soquel, Ca 95073 / IP reviews
ph: (408) 462-5199 / full service marketing
fax: (408) 462-5198
http://www.henry-davis.com/ http://www.henry-davis.com
>Adding to Zak & Travis comments, which I agree with, is the following.
>The Diode Voltage Drop (approx. 0.8 v) is of no concern in charging
>batteries because the Vltage Sense Line to the Alternator is connected to
>the output of the Isolator & is therefore compensated for in the
>Alternator's output voltage. It would be crime, in my mind, to revert
>bach to an unreliable Electro Mechanical device in lieu of the solid
>state Isolator. Like going back to vacuum tube TVs...low reliability &
>high cost.
>
Duane,
You are generally right about the isolator. However, there are conditions
under which the 0.8 volt drop is important. For one, the isolator
dissipates heat proportional to the current flow. At full alternator
current flow the isolator diodes dissipate at most 80 watts or about 5
amps. For most MH uses you are right that the loss is a "don't care." But,
for those folks who rely on the alternator's full capacity, the lowered
loss through a relay is preferrable.
Most automotive type regulators do not provide the multistage high current
charge profile of smart chargers. Conversely, many marine applications
include the smart regulator so that the engine can be used to recharge the
batteries in significantly less time.
My view on the GMC isolator is that the diode circuit is preferred unless
you replace the regulator with a smart multi-stage regulator - in which
case you can really use all of the available current.
Henry
Henry Davis Consulting, Inc / new product consulting
PO Box 1270 / product readiness reviews
Soquel, Ca 95073 / IP reviews
ph: (408) 462-5199 / full service marketing
fax: (408) 462-5198
http://www.henry-davis.com/ http://www.henry-davis.com
