charging system

An article i read on  alternator upgrades/replacement...Thought it was interesting, so i thought i would pass it on...

In order to achieve optimal performance from your charging system, it is essential to determine the capacity your

charging system is capable of supporting. In general, the size rating of the alternator should mirror the acceptance

rate of the batteries being charged. Differing battery technologies will vary in terms of their acceptance rates. For

example, a deep-cycle flooded battery is typically capable of accepting roughly 25 percent of its available capacity

at any given time. As a result, we want our alternator’s rated output to equal the acceptance rate of the battery

being charged when it reaches its full discharge rate. In other words, a deeply discharged 400 amp hour deep cycle

flooded battery would require an alternator rated at 25 percent of 400 amps, or 100 amps to support that bank.

In simpler terms, a deep-cycle flooded battery bank will require 25 amps of alternator output for every 100 amphours

of battery rating. Some newer battery technologies, such as AGMs and spiral wound batteries can accept up

to 40 percent of their available capacities, as such, alternator output should be increased to reflect the optimal

ratio between alternator and battery capacity.

Failure to meet recommended alternator-to-battery ratios will commonly result in slower charge times, increased

alternator heat and wear, and reduced alternator life.