Gen 2 no charge when hot

[Trailhead 4x4]

so I guess I'm still chasing charge problems on the 1028. I got gen 1 working by cleaning all the connections and terminals and getting the belt installed and correctly tensioned, but now only a few days later I'm having Gen 2 issues. It has always required just a light tap of the throttle to get it to charge when starting up cold, and it still does, but now as the engine warms up, the Gen 2 light will come on at idle. At first it takes a while to come on, maybe after a minute or so of idle. As I drive more, the amount of idle time to cause the light to come on gets shorter until by the time I'm at work, the light is flickering on and off randomly as I drive. If I let the truck sit for a bit, it will charge normally again.

I do have a Banks turbo on the truck, and it sits very close to the alternator, could the excess heat load from the turbo be affecting the alternator performance? I'm going to look into building a heat shield, but i'm thinking the damage is done and it needs to come out to get rebuilt?

Both batteries are new, I've swapped their positions with no change in operation. All connections and grounds were cleaned during my battle with Gen 1. Thanks in advance SS!

 

[Warthog]

Sounds like the alternator needs a rebuild anyway. The internal electrical components don't last forever. And the extra heat may have zapped them.

The TM 9-2320-289-34 has a great step-by-step on how to rebuild it.

CUCVElectric.com has rebuild kist that are resonably priced.

 

[Trailhead 4x4]

Sounds like the alternator needs a rebuild anyway. The internal electrical components don't last forever. And the extra heat may have zapped them.

The TM 9-2320-289-34 has a great step-by-step on how to rebuild it.

CUCVElectric.com has rebuild kist that are resonably priced.

That's what I was afraid of. Unfortunate if that is the case, the alternator was replaced less than a year ago by the P.O. with a brand new unit.

 

[Trailhead 4x4]

I made a heat shield for GEN 2 today, ran some errands, and drove home and no flickering charge light. I.R. temp gun reads 145 degrees case temp on GEN 2 at idle, and 325 degrees on the turbine housing at idle. Maybe this will do it some good.

 

[Trailhead 4x4]

Charge light started flickering again at idle on the way into work this morning. The heat shield I think helped a little bit because it took longer for it to start acting up. I swapped it with a reman unit that came with the truck, only now the reman unit charges 15V at idle, and now I get a flickering charge light at high RPM instead of idle. Will the GEN lights come on if you have TOO MUCH voltage as well as too little? Needless to say, both of these alternators are going to the rebuilder today.

 

[Skinny]

Rebuild them yourself, it is a piece of cake. I have said it before, unless the PO has shown proof of the alternators being done or you have done it yourself...they should be rebuilt for piece of mind. If you can't afford the $100 which covers both alternators, you can't afford a CUCV or any other fuel powered hobbies

I just finished rebuilding both of mine and it feels good knowing I won't be stranded or my two brand new batteries won't be boiled over from overcharging.

 

[Trailhead 4x4]

both alts dropped off to get done. This guy does all of the starters and alternators for the reserve unit up the street so he is familiar with military stuff,and he has been doing my stuff for me for years. Can't wait to get this thing up and running as it should be!

 

[Trailhead 4x4]

Just an update, both alternators back from the rebuilder, everything is working well so far.

 

[MarcusOReallyus]

I'm thinking that heat shield is going to prolong the life of your alternator.

Or, to put it another way, it will increase the amount of time before the alternator's premature heat death caused by being too close to the turbo!


325? Way too hot for most electrical components!

 

[Keith_J]

Heat kills semiconductors, the diodes and regulator will die early deaths from heat. Some Audi vehicles had fresh air ducts to prevent heat soak, You might try something like this, ducting air from the radiator core support knock-out to behind the alternators.

 

[Trailhead 4x4]

Heat kills semiconductors, the diodes and regulator will die early deaths from heat. Some Audi vehicles had fresh air ducts to prevent heat soak, You might try something like this, ducting air from the radiator core support knock-out to behind the alternators.

A friend of mine had a Toyota Celica GT Turbo All-Trac that had a ducted alternator. The under hood temps on that car were insane, but never had alternator problems. Things are not exactly packed tightly under the hood of the 1028, I think the heat shield will provide protection from the direct heat source, and there should be plenty of air movement under there to keep it happy.