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electrical:12v:power_mix [2024/04/13 18:17]
frater_secessus [alternator] |
electrical:12v:power_mix [2024/06/30 10:54] (current)
frater_secessus [alternator] |
| ===== alternator ===== | ===== alternator ===== |
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| [[electrical:12v:alternator|Alternator charging]] is usually the biggest bang-for-buck charging offgrid.((bulk stage charging, at least)) It is automatic((unless you are using a manual switch, not recommended)) and will charge whenever you are driving. **Consider the alternator as the backbone of your charging if you drive daily or near-daily**. | [[electrical:12v:alternator|Alternator charging]] is usually the biggest bang-for-buck charging offgrid.((bulk stage charging, at least)) It is automatic((unless you are using a manual switch, not recommended)) and will charge whenever you are driving. **Consider the alternator as the backbone of your charging if you drive daily or near-daily**, or live in an area of poor [[electrical:solar:output|insolation]]. |
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| For many people [[electrical:12v:alternator#combiners|a plain combiner]] (relay, solenoid, VSR, "isolator") will be cheap and highly effective for [[electrical:12v:charging#bulk_stage|Bulk charging]]. Direct charging like this will often be most efficient in early morning [[electrical:12v:alternator#charging_current_patterns|when bank voltage is the lowest]]. | For many people [[electrical:12v:alternator#combiners|a plain combiner]] (relay, solenoid, VSR, "isolator") will be cheap and highly effective for [[electrical:12v:charging#bulk_stage|Bulk charging]]. Direct charging like this will often be most efficient in early morning [[electrical:12v:alternator#charging_current_patterns|when bank voltage is the lowest]]. |
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| **Alternator-only charging** [[electrical:12v:mandatory_solar|can work with lithium banks]] but for technical reasons solar or shore-power charging is usually required with lead batteries. | **Alternator-only charging** [[electrical:12v:mandatory_solar|can work with lithium banks]] but for technical reasons solar or shore-power charging is usually required with lead batteries. |
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| | ==== the ciggy port ==== |
| | {{ https://www.motorbiscuit.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/A-typical-12-volt-car-power-outlet-socket.jpg?125}} |
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| | The vehicle's factory 12v outlet ("cigarette lighter") is typically fused at 10A, so it can provide ~120w of power before the fuse pops (12v x 10A = 120w).((Since chassis voltage will likely be at least 13.6v the actual power available is probably 136w or greater. But it's best not to push it unless one has a spare fuse handy.)) |
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| | **Consider the ciggy port as a backbone of your charging setup** if you drive enough, time-wise, to harvest enough energy to run your small loads. |
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| | 120w is much lower than the power a normal [[electrical:12v:alternator|alternator charging setup]] or [[electrical:12v:b2b|DC-DC charger]] can provide so we have to make maximal use of every opportunity to charge. To paraphrase [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glengarry_Glen_Ross_%28film%29|Glengarry Glen Ross]]: "ABC. A, //always//. B, //be//. C, //charging//." |
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| | If you are maxing the outlet at 120w and you drive for half an hour you an harvest 60Wh of energy from the ciggy port. (120w x 0.5 hours = 60 Watt-hours) For comparison, on the same drive a 50A DC-DC charger would harvest ~675Wh. |
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| | Still, it's present on most cars so it's free and no installation is required. DC-DC are $$$ and require some work to install. |
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