Hold Your Fire
One way or another we now have batteries in the marketplace that can absorb very high levels of charging current, enabling us to optimize electrical systems in ways not previously possible. However, this high charge acceptance rate has the effect of forcing charging devices (alternators and battery chargers) to maximum rated output for extended periods of time. It also subjects the cables in the system to high continuous currents, creating some installation challenges.
No charging device is 100 percent efficient, nor is any cable 100 percent efficient at conducting charging currents. Inefficiencies translate into heat, which in turn translates into damage to sensitive electronics and a potential fire risk for windings, cables and connections. Conventional alternators are the worst, because the average alternator is, at best, only 60 percent efficient at converting mechanical energy into electricity (although there are some specialized alternators that are considerably more efficient than this), with the
