High output alternators are an important part of your system for battery care, but they are definitely not the only part. Without proper voltage regulation, battery charging can be a slow process, or even worse, an ideal recipe for early battery failure.
All commercial alternators come with an internal rectifier/regulator circuit that:
(1) Converts AC current generated by the alternator to DC current, and (2) Fixes the voltage output to a static level – typically 14.6 volts.
There are several deficiencies with internal regulators:
(1) Not all battery technologies want to receive 14.6 volts. (2) All battery types have an optimal charging “profile”, which means they want different voltages and currents at different stages of their charging cycle, as well as variations when battery temperatures change. (3) Once fully charged, batteries can overheat if they are supplied with continuous current at a fixed charge voltage.
Balmar’s patented Max Charge and ARS-5 Voltage Regulators provide a dynamic method for monitoring battery condition and apply the correct level of alternator control (voltage and current) to ensure that your batteries are charged quickly and safely.
-5 Selectable Programs for Marine Batteries
-9 Amp Maximum Field Current
-Appropriate for 6-Series Alternators (150A and below)
-Single Engine, Single Alternator Applications Only
-All the Same Programming Functions as the MC-614
