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Lost dc amp charge
On a recent short trip I had the pleasure
Of my dc amp charge going to 0. I have
Been having some start battery issues where
2 of the 4 apparently unable to maintain a charge.
Replaced all start batteries. All is good there but
As you can see in the picture still no charging.
Someone mentioned a reset button on the Vanner.
I didnt find a reset there. Could there be something
As simple as a reset? Sure not wanting to replace a $1200
Alternator.
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9 Replies
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We need way more information. First, is this chassis or house DC voltage? Does the coach have one or two alternators?
Have you verified voltages at each battery set using a voltmeter? By voltages I mean with the engine off and the engine running.
All the ammeter is going to tell you is the amount of current you are drawing from the batteries. It is unlikely to tell you if the batteries are being charged.
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Based on the picture, the chassis battery bank is not being charged. The 24 volt is also not being charged. The 12 volt gauge indicates the 12 “breakoff” of the bank. The Vanner maintains this part. Check the alternator for output. If it is not charging check to be sure the alternator is being asked to charge, sense or “excite” wire. It may be hte alternator of a connection.
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vanner reset is on side of my vanner /is small push in button about 3/16 in diameter. May vary from yours. Also check main cable grounds for corrision battery and to frame. Along with what everyone else suggested. do simple first.
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Voltage at each battery is 12 idle & running. Voltage at alternator is 24. So I think I might be good with the new batteries. At Vanner I have appropriate voltage. I guess when buying a coach we should never believe a seller just because they tell you they replaced all start batteries. Didn’t ask for receipts for new batteries. The 2 weak batteries were a year older & after removal it was apparent they were.
At this point I still see no dc amps on the amp gage. Any thoughts on this lost signal?
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With the engine running you should be seeing about 14v and 28v.
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Probably the alternator or regulator, voltage should be as Don pointed out.
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Yep. Figured. Not seeing 14 & 28. Thanks guys
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I’ve been told (by Jeff Rowe and others) that if a battery in four battery chassis cluster fails within six months, you can replace just the failed batter. But if the batteries are older than six months and one fails, replace all four. This can be problematic when trying to replace the batteries under warranty. I’m sure the manufacturer/vendor/dealer will balk at replacing “three good batteries” when just one fails early.
Jeff put new Interstates in our coach in April/May of 2014. in early October of 2014 I couldn’t start the coach (batteries were dead) nor could I charge them. Pulled the four, took them to Milwaukee Interstate distributor where they charged and load tested them. One had a dead cell. They replaced it. Pretty much at the edge of six months.
In late February or early March of 2018 I had to charge the batteries with the Guest/Marinco in Mobile Alabama to start the bus after leaving the running/clearance lights on for about four hours. Then in Texas I had to twice charge the batteries to start the bus after sitting for a few days. Was hoping to get to Phoenix where I would try to load test them and probably replace them. But in Tucson they would not take a charge, period. Took them out and put in NAPA’s best (done with Interstate) during the first rain in 105 days. I never took the time to load test them in Tucson even though they were less than four years old. I figured at least one was bad, so they all would have to be replaced anyway.
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Batteries fail over time, and the length of time is completely dependent upon how well they are maintained. I do not mean how much distilled water was added, but how deep they were discharged, the charging protocol and how often they were kept fully charged.
When a set of batteries fails it could be one bad battery or it could be an entire set that has just gotten tired. I kind of cringe when folks brag about getting a zillion years out of a set of batteries because often that means they have been nursed in their later years and the charging current from a charger or inverter or even the alternator is going to be very high and often when it reaches that point the charger will never get out of bulk charge and into float.
So trying to squeeze every last bit of current out of batteries is working the inverters, charger or alternators very hard, maybe to the point the heat generated by them during the heavy charging loads is damaging them.
I do know from hundreds of posts on bus forums over the years bad batteries can appear as other problems, sometimes resulting in a lot of stuff being replaced that was not the issue at all. The bottom line however is we each have a different tolerance level for the problems or inconveniences of bad batteries. I just hope avoiding the expense of replacing batteries does not end up with the cost of replacing the batteries, plus an inverter or alternator.
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