Sterling Alternator to Battery Charger

[Wood]

Does anyone here know if these devices have a phantom load?

[Wood]

No one knows if this has a phantom load?

[Flod]

I have one and it works great. It’s a install and forget kind of device. However I don’t know what a phantom load is. If you elaborate a little someone might be able to help. Otherwise sterling is famous for customer service and I’m sure you can email them and ask

[Wood]

Thanks Flod. I have contacted Sterling without response.

A phantom load is a draw on the batteries when the alternator is not operating. If it can be programmed when the alternators are not working it is using battery power. I'm interested in knowing if it consumes power on a 24/7 basis, and if so, how much.

I'm not going to be on shore power and want to quantify all power consumption.

[paralog]

have you tried asking Sterling themselves -they have good customer service.

[Wood]

^^^
I have, without response. I have also thoroughly read the manual.

[Sternwake]

Have you tried to measure it?

My AC/DC clampmeter agrees with an inline dmm ammeter on a 0.06 amp LED.

It's Incredibly useful and enlightening tool to own.

The high resolution ones for low currents are $$$, but others can be had for ~35us$

[Wood]

Don't own one yet. I'm assembling a lithium system and am considering this to protect the alternator.

[Sternwake]

I just asked an electronics guru friend who owns a relatively inexpensive dc clampmeter which can read down to 0.001 of an amp, and he believes it to be accurate, and says he will try to confirm it in the near future with a calibrated Fluke DMM inline on the same tiny load.

I found a couple online for the 50$ range which claim accuracy to amperage levels that low.

I now get that you don't own one yet to test for parasitic draw. I imagine that those who do own one would notice any significant parasitic load. if you go ahead, I'm sure the data would be appreciated by someone else, and the DC clampmeter is a great tool to have.
Out of curiosity I checked Renogy's spec sheet for their 20 and 40 amp dc to dc chargers, and it says :
Idle Power Consumption: <0.4A

https://www.renogy.com/12v-dc-to-dc-...ttery-charger/
pretty high and I've no idea how it relates to Sterling's product

[Flod]

I don’t think it have this kind of draw. It need a power at the alternator side to start. If the alternator current/voltage is gone for a while it shuts down. I tried to route all my charge sources via the Sterling and it works fine with my old battery charger which I connect to the shore power but it didn’t work with my solar charger because I have too low current from solar some times. Then the sterling shut down. My guess is that it draw nothing when there is no charge source. I have had mine connected the whole winter and can’t see any kind of change of charge state on my lifepo4 batteries

[Q Xopa]

Originally Posted by Wood

Thanks Flod. I have contacted Sterling without response.

A phantom load is a draw on the batteries when the alternator is not operating. If it can be programmed when the alternators are not working it is using battery power. I'm interested in knowing if it consumes power on a 24/7 basis, and if so, how much.

I'm not going to be on shore power and want to quantify all power consumption.

Sounds easy enough to check yourself if you have a Ah shunt style Batt monitor or even a clamp on DC Ammeter.

Simply turn everything off and see if there is any Ah's flowing out of your Batt leads.

[Wood]

^^
Yup If I owned the AB charger I would already know the answer

[Flod]

I’ll probably be at the boat in the next week. I can measure then with my Ah meter but as I earlier stated it shuts down when no charge current is present