winch split charge question

[GW8IZR]

The one everyone seems to hate is the marine split charge diode pack. Can't see why, as mine has worked as soundly as they do on boats.

The big wire from the alternator goes to the pack, and two big wires go to each battery. Current can't back-flow, so one battery cannot charge the other. I have Anderson plugs permanently fitted if I need to link them.

Yes the pack drops 0.7 volts. No, it doesn't make it low on charge. I could fit a different regulator to compensate, but I could also fit a boat regulator to change the charge curve completely? I haven't needed to yet. It just sits there and does the biz

Again this is a generalisation but the Ideal boost charge voltage at 20c for your SLA battery is 14.4v which is there or thereabouts what the alternator is set to, but the ideal maintenance voltage at the same temperature is just13.4v.

So your 0.6v drop caused by the diode isn't the end of the world, charging somewhere in the middle of that range.

*If* the battery was in a hot engine bay it might actually be a little kinder to it.

[zardos]

It does, but only does it for a couple of seconds. It's only intended to bridge the gap at tickover, when the aircon kicks in, to prevent stalling before the IAC can respond to the drop in RPM. It essentially just moves the IAC out a couple of steps at the moment the aircon compressor is engaged then control is handed back to the closed loop IAC control. On the plus side though you can use the input and connect it to the winch so it automatically increases the engine rpm when you start winching, allowing the engine to cope with the extra load without stalling.

Interesting, this is not how this mod to my old landrover behaved, it was a permanent increase in revs (I did not make the mod myself though)