Re: 99' Dash Gauge interesting discovery
Reply #3 –
After checking with Alan the 240 amp alternator will work fine with the 210 amp A2B charger. The alternator is only going to put out 240 amps occasionally and likely for only a short while. Alan says the A2B Charger is very conservatively rated and should have no problem with 15% over amperage. The Delco is a brushless alternator. Wiring is a but different, not much but enough that you need to pay attention. I used 4/0 wire from the alt to the isolator and 4/0 from the isolator to the boost relay. OEM 3/0 wire to the start and house batteries from there. I am making enough cables that I got a proper crimper from Bay Marine as well as lugs. And heavy wall adhesive lined shrink tube. I have enough 4/0 left to go from the start batteries to the + and - sides of the starter leaving the OEM 3/0 cables to the + and - distribution posts. When I add the third set of batteries and the A2B charger one leg will go to the Sterling Isolator and then split to the house batteries and the refrigerator batteries. The Sterling Charger has one leg going to the start batteries and the other two combined to go to the refrigerator battery bank. I will also add in a "boost" solonoid (or a combiner) between the house and refrigerator battery banks so that if they need to be linked they can be. Then I have a 1000 watt pure sine wave Magnum inverter for the refrigerator battery bank to drive the refrigerator and a couple LR outlets that have USB charger ports built in for mobile devices. I am thinking about adding a 400-600 watt pure sine wave inverter in parallel to the big inverter with appropriate switching to power the front overhead 120v circuit that drives the TV, Bose, DirecTV, Sat Dish, my dedicated coach PC (an Intel I7, 64 bit, 500 GB SSD, 4K video NUC powerhouse in a very small package), the internal coach network wired/wireless router, the Verizon MiFi device and some more mobile device chargers. All on at max draw is about 400 watts, with some overhead room probably a 600 watt. Then I can power critical systems and shut off the big inverter with it's significant static no output load.
I sort of carried on here but I know you think about this stuff in much the same way I do. Peter Fleming has been a great sounding board and resource thinking this whole thing through. John Haygarth has helped out with some great practical ideas too.
I think about adding some solar at some point too. But many of the places we go have forest cover so it is lower on my priorities. Just don't think we are interested in an endless no generator boondocking thing. Maybe if we lived in the SW.
Keep thinking, keep doing.
Topic: 99' Dash Gauge interesting discovery