M1165 400 Amp Generator questions

[theairguy]

So I have a 6.5 with the 400 amp generator. Had the Hmmwv for a few months. So for the last several months when you start the machine the battery gauge goes up to the green area with a little white line in a few seconds. So one day I started it and it took quite a while to come up like 20 seconds instead of 2 seconds. This is the common thing now, I start it and wait till the gauge reads in the Green. So the other day when starting it never came up to the green just stayed in the yellow. When this happens if you try to turn on the fans for the A/c they don't come on. So I shut it off started again and it came up to the green. Seem like it is slowly taking longer and longer to get to the green. So today went to start it, wouldn't come out of the yellow, fans would not come on. If I throttled it up it would go to the green but fans still not working and would drop right back to the yellow.. So I shut it off and got a meter out to do some checking. I started it back up and working good again, fans and all. So new batteries, new belt and tensioner. no obvious problems. It may or may not do it again when I am home or have a meter handy.. Is this as simple as the regulator going out?

 

[Mogman]

Check the voltage at the IGN. terminal on the regulator, I think you will find an answer there.
The EESS box excites the alternator using the same relay it powers the fans with and it has likely failed.

 

[theairguy]

Check the voltage at the IGN. terminal on the regulator, I think you will find an answer there.
The EESS box excites the alternator using the same relay it powers the fans with and it has likely failed.

Which one is the IGN terminal? Are you saying the EESS box is failing or a relay is failing?

 

[Milcommoguy]

Might tell us what controller you have or shoot a picture. There's a good chance it is contributing to the flakey condition you describe. Next time hit it with a hammer...Really, but not to hard. Rubber mallet

Gremlins and pixies not playing nice it the Brain BOX, CAMO

 

[theairguy]

Might tell us what controller you have or shoot a picture. There's a good chance it is contributing to the flakey condition you describe. Next time hit it with a hammer...Really, but not to hard. Rubber mallet

Gremlins and pixies not playing nice it the Brain BOX, CAMO

I have the NARTRON smart start MFR-32498. The same one that Black Dog Customs sell.. I think is a new style

 

[Mogman]

Which one is the IGN terminal? Are you saying the EESS box is failing or a relay is failing?

It will be marked IGN or SENSE and the wire tag will be 5A, the relay/relays are IN the EESS/PCB box, hence the hammer suggestion

 

[theairguy]

I have the NARTRON smart start MFR-32498. The same one that Black Dog Customs sell.. I think is a new style

 

[theairguy]

It will be marked IGN or SENSE and the wire tag will be 5A, the relay/relays are IN the EESS/PCB box, hence the hammer suggestion

Ok so If it does it again, check that sense wire witch I thin is the red one, and if it has no voltage that means the EESS box is not sending. So possibly knocking on the box will shock the relay and it may get the voltage.. I can check that no problem, It seems strange to me that that same relay would operate the ac fans.

 

[Mogman]

Ok so If it does it again, check that sense wire witch I thin is the red one, and if it has no voltage that means the EESS box is not sending. So possibly knocking on the box will shock the relay and it may get the voltage.. I can check that no problem, It seems strange to me that that same relay would operate the ac fans.

Why? it is the "run" relay.
Just turn the run switch on, if your fans will not run even before you start the truck tap the box and see if they come one, if not that still does not guarantee the relay is not bad, if it does it pretty much confirms it.
REMEMBER to always wait 90 seconds EVERY time you turn off the run switch before turning the run switch back on.

 

[theairguy]

Why? it is the "run" relay.
Just turn the run switch on, if your fans will not run even before you start the truck tap the box and see if they come one, if not that still does not guarantee the relay is not bad, if it does it pretty much confirms it.
REMEMBER to always wait 90 seconds EVERY time you turn off the run switch before turning the run switch back on.

Well Which replacement EESS box would be the best to replace it with?

 

[Milcommoguy]

Ok so If it does it again, check that sense wire witch I thin is the red one, and if it has no voltage that means the EESS box is not sending. So possibly knocking on the box will shock the relay and it may get the voltage.. I can check that no problem, It seems strange to me that that same relay would operate the ac fans.

Seems strange and not knowing the hours, use, abuse or it just is one of those electrical points of failure that can happen. As stated, the fan and wiper motors do work the way said. Anyway there is a lot of smart stuff going on in those boxes.

Strange design can be said about many of the HumV systems. In the end, most work well... MOST. After a quick study, things will start to make sense. Check what you can... simple testing with meter with fingers crossed you can catch the problem. Intermittent Gremlins are frisky. If not a loose, frayed wire, burnt connector pin... My guess is the puppy in the box is bad.

This a coded message to keep out of the dog house, CAMO

 

[Mogman]

Don't replace anything until you have done some trouble shooting, the EESS box would be very high on the suspect list but not the only possible cause.
Calling it a "run" relay may be slightly incorrect, it would probably be more correct to call it an "accessory" relay, power for starting and powering things like the shutdown solenoid in the IP, gauges and fan circuit come directly off of the run switch, that is why it will start and run with that relay being defective.

 

[theairguy]

Don't replace anything until you have done some trouble shooting, the EESS box would be very high on the suspect list but not the only possible cause.
Calling it a "run" relay may be slightly incorrect, it would probably be more correct to call it an "accessory" relay, power for starting and powering things like the shutdown solenoid in the IP, gauges and fan circuit come directly off of the run switch, that is why it will start and run with that relay being defective.

So I went out tried it again, I turned switch to run, hit the fan on high it delayed heard a click then the fans came on went off came back on and stayed on. I started it and it came up to green in a few seconds. wait light was on for a bit then went out but came back on went out again and stayed on very dim. I shut down waited 90 seconds did it again all worked normally but wait light on very dim never seems to shut off... I have driven it at night several times and it usually don't come on at all, and if it does It goes all the way off. its almost triple digits here in the day.

 

[Mogman]

So I went out tried it again, I turned switch to run, hit the fan on high it delayed heard a click then the fans came on went off came back on and stayed on. I started it and it came up to green in a few seconds. wait light was on for a bit then went out but came back on went out again and stayed on very dim. I shut down waited 90 seconds did it again all worked normally but wait light on very dim never seems to shut off... I have driven it at night several times and it usually don't come on at all, and if it does It goes all the way off. its almost triple digits here in the day.

The next thing I would do is disconnect the batteries, and remove and check both big "cannon" style plugs on the inside and outside of the EESS and the connectors on cables including the areas where the cables go into the connectors for signs of trouble, discolored pins heap dead burnt wires etc.
I can't speak on the dim light.

 

[Mogman]

You should also check/clean the common ground points, there is one behind the inst. panel that has a bolt that goes through the firewall with another cable attached on the outside of the fire wall on the same bolt, also there can be several on the back of the engine, on the heads etc.

 

[tgejesse]

I would just replace the box with a camoteksystems box for peace of mind!

 

[Retiredwarhorses]

So I have a 6.5 with the 400 amp generator. Had the Hmmwv for a few months. So for the last several months when you start the machine the battery gauge goes up to the green area with a little white line in a few seconds. So one day I started it and it took quite a while to come up like 20 seconds instead of 2 seconds. This is the common thing now, I start it and wait till the gauge reads in the Green. So the other day when starting it never came up to the green just stayed in the yellow. When this happens if you try to turn on the fans for the A/c they don't come on. So I shut it off started again and it came up to the green. Seem like it is slowly taking longer and longer to get to the green. So today went to start it, wouldn't come out of the yellow, fans would not come on. If I throttled it up it would go to the green but fans still not working and would drop right back to the yellow.. So I shut it off and got a meter out to do some checking. I started it back up and working good again, fans and all. So new batteries, new belt and tensioner. no obvious problems. It may or may not do it again when I am home or have a meter handy.. Is this as simple as the regulator going out?

First off, your generator has a soft start feature, it does not go to full charging in 2 seconds, it can be as long as 30 second before it settles into the green, its completely norma.
2nd, Dont turn on the AC until until the generator is in the green, the Newer gold label thermostatic flow control will not allow the AC compressor to engage until the voltage is in the green and stabilized. There was guidance on this from TACOM in PS magazine.