Stalin-ohaulic
Banned
So how is it that you think batteries charge?In the process of it now. Finding things like the following:
"Peak loads and prolonged idle conditions can result in battery discharge, since the alternator cannot keep up with the power usage. Idling for long periods of time with the lights, defrosters, heater, radio on can pull more amps out of the battery than the charging system can put back into it. You may think you have a charging problem, but there is nothing wrong with the alternator."
That definitely indicates that the battery is discharging and the alt's working to keep a charge in it, but high-draw applications such as audio will draw more out of the battery than the alternator can put back into it.
The voltage coming out of the alternator MUST be higher than the charge of the battery for it to charge!!! What does this mean?
It means that while the voltage of the system is higher than the batteries' charge it is charging and NOT discharging.
When the current draw reaches the limits of the alternator, the voltage drops to save the alternator. When it reaches the battery's charge, the battery begins to discharge. When the current is steady like this, the alternator cannot up it's voltage back to 14v+ and must stay below 12. The batt keeps discharging and since the alt cannot raise it's voltage it cannot charge the batt. That's all you just found out. You're actually helping to prove my point but you're not smart enough to know it.
