Originally Posted by
EarmarkMarine
Regardless of whether you have a bad ACR or not, as your audio system current draw and your depleted batteries current draw and your boat operations current draw collectively exceed your alternator output, you have also excceded the functional limitations of your ACR. Its an issue I have been observing and speaking to for years now. Its not unusual. Remember that your alternator output is generally rated at a high rpm and for intermittent use rather than continuous duty. Amplifiers with higher current draw compound the issue and an ACR by nature increases your dependency on shore AC charging. As your ACR doesn't combine when expected this will in turn dominoe into deeper battery cycles, less battery lifespan, decidedly less audio output and can contribute to thermal problems in the peak heat of summer.
Also, consider that an ACR is NEVER used on a fishing/bass boat to combine the alternator or stator with the depleted trolling motor bank. They know that a current draw this large and battery bank this large will exceed the limitations of both the alternator and ACR as designed.
There are designs that circumvent theses problematic issues but they must be done in the context of a total audio system and total charging system instead of a collection of random parts. As you increase one part of the equation it will trickle down into the other components.
David
Earmark Marine