Quote:
Originally Posted by JamieGeek
Typically what happens in systems that can't provide enough current is that the voltage drops. When the voltage drops below the BIRD's set point it will disconnect the battery bank.
The question is: When that happens is it already too late?
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Exactly what I'd expect if battery bank overwhelms alternator's excess capacity, which could be less than 100 Amps if running other chassis needs -- lights, A/C fan, engine electronics, etc...
I would guess that after the house batteries are disconnected due to low voltage, the chassis battery voltage would increase fairly quick, at which point the BIRD may try to reconnect again after a time delay. And because the house batteries would still be in same state of charge, or lower, the same thing "could" happen over and over again. That's what I meant by short cycling. It may not happen at all, but it's worth checking before it could cause an issue.
This is one reason I like a dedicated alternator for "large" systems with high capacity battery banks. That way if something goes wrong (and it should be much less likely due to simplicity) it wouldn't affect the vehicle's ability to be driven in any way.