When my alternator first starts charging it’s pushing 1500 W, but as I continue to drive, it keeps dropping, as low as two or 300 W and my batteries are not nearly fully charged. Is this normal?
That’s really not enough information to help you.
What does your system look like? Victron Components ?
What kind of batteries do you use and how are they set up… I’m assuming it’s a motorhome.
How do you determine the SOC of the batteries?
PS … welcome to the Victron world
It roughly does the 15 min on and off but yesterday’s drive I was at 39% and when I reached 50% it dropped to roughly 500.
I feel like it should stay at the 1500 continuous but I really don’t know anything about how it should perform
Thank you
As said above nowhere near enough info, need to know battery type, battery capacity, alternator rating, are you charging through a DC to DC, do you have an external regulator, how are you measuring the SOC and during this first part of the charge how does the Voltage increase, is this a leisure battery you are discussing added to a Modern vehicle with a Smart alternator.
If you have a modern vehicle with a Smart alternator then often these only have the full 14.4V charge during the first 15 minutes or so to recharge the start battery then drop to say 13.4V or lower. This will hardly charge the leisure battery. In this case you need to add a DC to DC charger between the start and leisure battery to boost the voltage. See the Victron Orion XS.
Not sure if you got my pics but I don’t see anything that looks like the orion sx
I’ll bet that’s what I need. I’ll check with a dealer.
Thank you