Ahmet, There are some features of the Balmar regulator that may have been overlooked. Such as: Automatically modifying the charging setpoints based on battery temperature, Automatically REDUCING charge current when the alternator temperature gets too high, not just shutting down the charging system. Allowing custom settings for switching between bulk, absorption, and float modes.
And, by the way, shutting down the charging system before attaining a FULL charge is a MAJOR CAUSE of the need for equalizing... It will also greatly reduce the lifespan of AGM batteries. My 2 cents. Eric Thompson Sunnyvale, California [email protected] ----- Original Message ----- From: "ahmet erkan" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Thursday, April 28, 2011 8:26 PM Subject: Re: [Liveaboard] AGM battery questoin ($300 Question) Hi Norm, Other than your Delco and Chrysler comments I don't agree with anything said on the list about this subject. Balmar is just a rip off outfit trying to take advantage of inexperienced folks willing to pay $300 for a product (ie: Balmar's stupid ARS 5 regulator) performing no useful functionality that a $20 Mopar regulator could not perform. One of your 80C thermal switches for the exhaust system or whatever you were using them for would work great to protect the alternator as well. (for a lot less than $300 too). The bottom line is, I do not know why but cruisers are not interested about equilizing their batteries. I asked this very list if anybody while underway would be interested in a product that would allow them to shut down their engine after a bulk charge when the alternator output drops to say 80% of bulk charge current yet still be able to equlize their battery? There was exactly zero interest to the question. So why should any cruiser invest $300 in the rip off company Balmar to equilize their batteries using the alternator? Fair question? Fair winds. Ahmet _______________________________________________ Liveaboard mailing list [email protected] To adjust your membership settings over the web http://liveaboardonline.com/mailman/listinfo/liveaboard To subscribe send an email to [email protected] To unsubscribe send an email to [email protected] The archives are at http://www.liveaboardonline.com/pipermail/liveaboard/ To search the archives http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] The Mailman Users Guide can be found here http://www.gnu.org/software/mailman/mailman-member/index.html
