Everything was working great and then ...

[wallew]

In preparation for particpating in a parade tomorrow, I disconnected both batteries and put them both on the battery charger for about an hour each.

I always remove BOTH cables from BOTH batteries before I ever start to charge either battery. Especially since I've put my M1009 BACK to 24 volts.

After charging both batteries seperately I reconnected everything.

Now the Gen2 light doesn't come on and I'm only getting about 19 volts into the front battery. Yesterday I was getting between 26v - 28v.

So, did my pulling the cables off cause a problem? It did rain a gully washer yesterday afternoon, so could THAT have caused a problem?

I mean yesterday before I charged the batteries EVERYTHING seemed to be working great.

The 24 volt gauge is showing just below the green when it's running. So for some reason it appears my alt on the passenger side is no longer putting out 26 volts + for some reason.

ANY IDEAS?

I have removed and retightened all the battery cables. I may do the same on the Alt 2 - remove all the cables, clean them AGAIN and then reinstall them.

I'll gladly take all suggestions.

 

[mangus580]

First of all, if everything was so great yesterday, why did you mess with it???

It sounds to me like you have a crummy connection. Get a battery terminal brush, and clean them up.

 

[msoumas]

First of all, if everything was so great yesterday, why did you mess with it???

It sounds to me like you have a crummy connection. Get a battery terminal brush, and clean them up.

If it ain't broke, fix it till it is!

 

[papercu]

Did you look at your manuals? From the -20
Step 1. Start engine. Check voltage at left and right alternators at positive (+) terminals.
Voltage should not exceed 16.0 at left alternator or 31.8 at right alternator.
If voltage is over 16,0 at left alternator or 31.8 at right alternator, replace
alternator. (See paragraph 4-2)
If voltage is correct, replace voltmeter. (See paragraph 4-9)
Like mangus580 said, I would recheck and clean the posts, cables and grounds first. Wayne

 

[wallew]

Actually, while everything was working great, my batteries had been run down when I took it in to my power steering guy. I thought I was having issues with the PS pump. Turns out the belt was about to break. So he fixed that.

But in the process, he forgot to plug in one of the alternators, the double wire (red/black) that plugs in.

This is my first parade of the year and the LAST thing I wanted was a dead battery. You folks know how it is at a parade. Hurry up and wait. We start our vehicles several times to be moved from our staging area to where we line up. Then shut it all down and wait for the parade to start.

So I was just trying to be proactive and make sure my batteries were fully charged before heading out tomorrow morning early.

After the parade, I've got two cables I want to replace anyway, so I'll have them made, put them on and see what happens.

But why would my alt2 reduce output from 26 volts to about 20? Not a complaint, just curious.

I've got two alts that I will be taking in to get rebuilt. So I will always have spares ready to go.

Thx for all the input.

 

[wallew]

After following ALL the suggestions made (except the one of 'if it ain't broke...'), I now have everything 'in the green' battery/alternator wise.

Thx folks.

I'm going to replace all but one of my battery cables (two for the batteries - two to the nato slave plug). I replaced the one I'm not replacing now about three or four months ago. So I'll have all new battery cables and a working Nato slave plug.

Next step is diving into my dashboard problems. SEVERAL ISSUES.

Ah the vagaries of owning old vehicles. Gotta love big green.

 

[motormayhem]

After following ALL the suggestions made (except the one of 'if it ain't broke...'), I now have everything 'in the green' battery/alternator wise.

Thx folks.

I'm going to replace all but one of my battery cables (two for the batteries - two to the nato slave plug). I replaced the one I'm not replacing now about three or four months ago. So I'll have all new battery cables and a working Nato slave plug.

Next step is diving into my dashboard problems. SEVERAL ISSUES.

Ah the vagaries of owning old vehicles. Gotta love big green.

What was the fix? New cables? Just curious.

 

[cooterfrmhazzard]

my gen2 light comes on and off every once in awhile, any suggestions? i have loosened and retightened all bat and alt connections, the flickering on gen2 light also a little bit of studder with motor......i have changed oil and filter as well as fuel filter

 

[wallew]

MM,
Actually the fix was just going back, removing the connections one at a time and then cleaning both the cable and the post. Then reconnecting and tightening everything back up.

I have not even replaced the wires yet because it started raining on Memorial day and just about has not stopped since (only a week or so, but this is Denver and we just don't get that much rain).

Anyway, after cleaning and tightening everything back up, it's all good to go.

The battery wires are being made as we speak and I'll probably put them in sometime in the next week, if it STOPS raining long enough. As I only have a car port (my wife's car is new so she gets the car port), I have to work on my truck in our driveway. No big deal, but when it rains, I just woosie out and wait for a nicer day.

I'll report back after the new cables are all installed. YES, I will also take pix as well.

cfm,

If you are having those types of problems I'd look one of two places.

First would be the alt belt for gen 2 (pass side). If properly tightened, you should only be able to rotate them about a 1/4 of the way. I found mine were a little looser than that. I retightened them and that eliminated that as an issue.

The other possibility is either bad alt OR bad connections. Do what I did. Disconnect ALL the cables one at a time. Clean both the cable end and the post. Then reconnect them. ONE at a time.

If that fixes it, then that means you just had a bad connection, which is certainly possible. If it doesn't, chances are you need a new alt. Conctact Mike at OD Iron. I got two rebuilt ones from him and they both work great. Plus I can now go get the two original alternators I took off over to get them rebuilt and I'll put them on the shelf, in case I ever need them. Never hurts to have a spare (or two) laying around just in case of a problem.