Nice one Bolty! You're starting to talk like me!
Hey, I need to correct/clarify my previous missive.
According to the AMM, the deciding factor is NOT MLG WOW, but at least two ground spoilers commanded to extend. That may be parsing things a bit as the ground spoiler command comes from MLG WOW (and well, face it, auto spoilers armed, although that is left out of the AMM text), but hey, we're trying to be technical.
Anyhoo, here's the deal....
A/B LO or MED will apply after a preset delay (don't ask me, they don't specify, it's a "preassigned value") provided there is a command for two ground spoilers.
A/B MAX will apply after a command for at least two ground spoilers <AND> NLG WOW
<OR> (here's the gotcha)
A command for two ground spoilers plus eight (8) seconds.
The choice is either LO or MED and get stopping action from the brakes fairly quick, or select MAX and wait 8 seconds (how much runway behind?) and get either the nose gear dropped like a rock, or you plant the nose gear yourself to get the quick stop. (Your spine, your choice)
I don't know. Unless you have a serious need for it, A/B MAX would not be a good idea at the end of the day.
Any scenario, whether manual or auto shouldn't cause you to get seriously overheated brakes unless you were landing on a severely short runway as A/B MAX is nothing more than you stomping on the brakes and saying "I WANT TO STOP RIGHT NOW!!!!
However, the A/B system never panics, it's computer controlled, don't ya know....
PB