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I connected the auxilliary charging cable to my house battery (2) awhile back on my F150. Should the charging volts be equal on both battery 1 and 2 with the switch selected to 1? Assuming perfect wiring and connections.
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an interesting question;
the sort of thing where actual experimentation is handy,
I think its safe to say that there is only one "voltage regulator"
so the same charging voltage is "offered" to both batteries
but since that is split, and the two isolated with diodes
could the measured voltage at each battery vary slightly
depending on battery state of charge, other loads, and wiring differences?
it would not surprise me if there was a measurable difference -
I am assuming there would not be an issue with the following: battery switch set to Both. Remove leads from each battery one set at a time and check voltage while running. I do know the aux lead is 14.4 volts.Comment
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you have the Aux lead connected, but are using the old 1-2-1+2 switch?Originally posted by pstephens46 View Post
so when set to 2, that battery is getting "both" outputs
on "1+2" both batteries are sharing both outputs
on 1, each battery gets a separate output
hmmm. too early in the morning to figure that experiment out
but I think so long as you have one r/r output - either one - connected to a battery you won't hurt anything
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I call the switch 1-2-Both. Newer model Blue Seas. I will check battery charging on "Both" setting with and without aux connected.
Something else I noticed. I assume my battery cables are original. No reason to think otherwise. The ground or black cables are a smaller diameter than the red. Is this normal?
Depending on my testing, I may strip all the damn cables and replace.Comment
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Although the F150 has but one set of on inputs to the R/R there are two separate circuits within the R/R. Given the tolerances for the devices used to control the output voltages I could easily see a situation where the two outputs are not at the same voltage.
Now if two batteries are in parallel I suspect that the voltage seen on either battery is going to be precisely the same. If the batteries are isolated from each other then I would suspect each battery to be at a slightly different voltage. Might only be 1/100 of a volt, which won't be seen on an average volt meter.
Set the battery switch so that only battery one is getting the main charge voltage. The other battery will be getting the isolator lead voltage. Measure the two batteries after the motor has been running for a bit of time so that both batteries are fully charged and let us know what you see on your voltmeter please.
The state of charge of any particular battery or perhaps the type of battery itself will result in different voltages that will be seen from the R/R.Comment
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Not exactly sure what you're asking but, two charging circuits, each isolated by a 1-2- both switch, 1 or 2 can and probably will have slightly different outputs, in "both" it will be the same, they are connected together, can't be different, it's kind of like if you connect (say) 2 seperate 12V battery chargers to one battery, you don't get twice the voltage, entirely different things when in series or parallel, and, you are talking voltage, not current.Comment
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Clearly in that drawing only battery no. 2 charge is regulated, so voltages will be different. I don't see the point to that circuit..Originally posted by boscoe99 View Post
An alternator usually has the voltage regulated at the rotor and the output is taken from after the rectified stator. Infinite banks of rectifying diodes can be added in parallel providing equal voltages to any number of batteries and in isolation of each other. So if there are two rectifying circuits in the F150 regulator, I would find it strange that they would not be at the same voltage and in isolation.Comment
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What lives inside the rectangle box/isolator?Comment
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Exactly. But it could only be sending voltage to turn off those SCRs when the voltage becomes to high. As SCRs tend to be one shot switches, that box must also contain detection for low voltage turning the SCRs back on, and thus cycling from one state to the other, using one for the other.Originally posted by panasonic View Post
I see the difficulty in regulating from a fixed magnet alternator generally, the simplest circuit would be one that bleeds off (shorts) excess voltage to earth. Maybe Yamaha were more creative with a design like that and didn't want to spend the money to do the same with the other output, so they concocted a "mixed" regulator. Mind you if you have a load on one, it will alter the other one anyway. Depending on the thickness of the wiring and heat dissipation a perfect current limit that causes no burning out can be achieved (magnets have limited voltage producing magnetism so to speak). But if both batteries are full No 1 might overcharge.Comment
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nope.
it is a simple AC to DC rectifier.
three phase full wave.
whichever battery needs the most to achieve a target of 13-14.8v gets it the rest is shunted to ground. that is why the larger RR devices are water cooled.
there is some good info in the NEETS book about constant voltage generation and constant current generators.
remember voltage is a simple measure of pressure.
current flows and makes the device work.
current produces heat.
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Just touching on what Rodbolt said, and I suggested way back, connected together VOLTAGE must be the same, its very hard to explain electronics in a simple text message, that's why electronics text books are usually thick and contain lots of diagrams, add to that the fact that terminology varies between people and everything gets slightly bent out of shape, remember the switch/sensor debate?Comment
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