Lately my alternator doesn’t start to charge the battery until it’s been running for 15 minutes or more. Connections are all tight and clean. It’s a Valeo 60A OEM alternator with internal regulator. Any suggestions?
Delayed alternator charging
- Thread starter Captain Larry-DH
- Start date
Have you been plugged in all week?
If so, your bank is FULL, and the regulator knows this, tells the alternator to take a break.
If so, your bank is FULL, and the regulator knows this, tells the alternator to take a break.
No, never plugged in. This boat lives between roughly 50 and 80% SOC on a mooring with solar power and working fridge.
That's usually an issue with "bigger alternators" then, say, 50 Amp Delco's. The bigger ones are harder to drive and need a better belt connection. Your engine probably is pretty clean and the belt is probably not very "worn" or old :^))).
I've seen some pretty fancy alternator/charge/battery setups on cruising boats, but I'm a lowly peasant when it comes to that. Just the stock 60A alternator with (5) Costco GRP24 wet cell batteries, and barely enough solar (250w) to keep them afloat (given the loads I use). I don't have the mindset for proper care and feeding of AGMs nor do I want to become an electrical engineer and roll my own Lithium battery house bank -- what I don't know about Li- batteries is what scares me.