Re: [A/S] Argosy Newbie

["Mr. Joy H. Hansen" <joytbrew@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Jim,

I don't know a lot about most of this stuff, but experience forms pretty
strong opinions.
>
> Is this true? Isn't there some electronics in the tow vehicle charging
> system that prevents alternator overload/burnout?
>
I don't think so.  I'm guessing that the alternator can supply adequate
current to charge a partially discharged battery and supply sufficient
current to run the starter simultaneously.  However, when a second battery
or third battery is involved,  I think it's very possible to draw excess
current from the alternator and result in the alternator failure.  In my
experience, it doesn't happen during the event, rather a few days later.
>
> Wouldn't an  isolator in the tow vehicle prevent this?

Like the Geiko (Gecko) advertisement - Well, I guess .  .  .  ?  More
likely, the fusible
link would take care of the overload - maybe, I guess so.

>What is the  significance of the 10 minutes? What is happening during the
>10 minute delay?
>
It's my experience when a completely dead battery is combined with the
starting current, my alternator fails shortly there after.  Could be due to
poor
quality parts, but it happens.  It happens that a light or something drains
my battery completely every once in a while.  I make it a point to run a
charger for about an hour before I use the starting circuit of the charger
to start the car.  The starter gets most of it's current from the charger
without a heavy drain on the alternator.  Once the engine is running,
disconnecting the charger allows the alternator to do it's thing with
charging the battery without other load.

Trying to jumpstart another auto places the load of the dead battery and the
starter on the OK vehicle.  I've seen many auto tips that tell jump starters
to allow 5-10 minutes for the vehicle batteries to equalize before
attempting the start to protect the starting vehicle's alternator.

My assumption  is that a completely dead trailer battery could have the same
effect on the alternator.  True that there is an in-line fusible link in the
tow vehicle supply line, but 30 amps is a lot of current.  Anyway, the 10
minute hookup before starting allows the batteries to normalize so there
isn't such a huge instantaneous drain on the
alternator.

Others may disagree because they haven't encountered these
situations.

Also, this is pretty heavy thinking stuff for me .  .  .

                                                     Joy