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Old 01-05-2011, 03:20 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RRE70 View Post
Great story, sounds very, very familiar..... Is there any way we can 'prove' the X5 alternator is too small? i.e. can we calculate out 'total' current with all devices running, and do we know the maximum output current of our alternators? I am going to see if I can find this info.
I don't think the alternator is too small. If it was, then everybody would have a flat battery after starting the car a few times.

The problem is that it doesn't charge often enough and strongly enough, because of a computer program that tells it to disengage or operate with reduced parasitic load, so that the driver can get to 100 km/hr a fraction of a second quicker, or so that the vehicle gets better mileage on a test cycle.

It isn't a peak charge problem, it is an average charge problem.
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