Tam &Toby do Europe ...Take two

[tonyidle]

I did suggest he fitted a new regulator.

It's a good option but on ones I've done in the past with a bit of age on them I've found the bearings have been iffy too. Mind you that was ACR series .

 

[tonyidle]

OK so here we go

tonyidle Lenny HB
This morning as mentioned we are at 100ah 62% reading 12.3v

Start engine ....panel shows initial input at 16a and immediately starts to drop finally settling around 7-8amps

Reading at starter battery 13.9 at idle ....14v at 2000rpm
Reading at starter battery cable ebl 13.78v
Reading at habitation battery cable ebl 13.69v

Switch aircon and headlights on drops to 12.5v even at 2000rpm



The 17v thing was very weird and happened a day or so after I fitted the new control panel.
I had starter battery reading 7.8v but when van started I was getting 17+v from alternator when revving
Battery light on and a few other lights flashed up at one point

I hooked up to electric ...recharged batteries and it mysteriously has not happened since

If it's measuring 12.5v at the starter battery with headlights on you need to check under the same conditions at the alternator itself. Where is your earth clipped?

 

[jockaneezer]

What's the alternator drive belt condition/tension like ?

 

[Northernraider]

What's the alternator drive belt condition/tension like ?

All fine by the looks of it

 

[Northernraider]

If it's measuring 12.5v at the starter battery with headlights on you need to check under the same conditions at the alternator itself. Where is your earth clipped?

I've got it up on axle stands now so i can access the alternator.
Getting fed up with the bloody thing now......half the problem is getting access to anything as there's no room. Even getting in to the cables on the battery is a mission.

I think I may have to resort to an auto spark.
Definitely something not right somewhere.



I'm not sure which earth you mean?

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[tonyidle]

I'm not sure which earth you mean?

Where you have connected the black meter lead. When you test the alternator voltage clip the black meter lead to the alternator or engine metalwork.

 

[Northernraider]

Where you have connected the black meter lead. When you test the alternator voltage clip the black meter lead to the alternator or engine metalwork.

Cool ill check the voltage there tomorrow

 

[Northernraider]

Cool ill check the voltage there tomorrow

So at alternator im getting 14.28v at idle

Can't check alt revvs asl no one to rev it while I'm squashed under there.

So I'm not sure whats up but still only getting 5-7 amps showing on panel from engine charging

 

[Lenny HB]

I still think you need a full test on the alternator as if you spend £300 on an EBL and find it's the same you will be well pissed.

 

[Northernraider]

I still think you need a full test on the alternator as if you spend £300 on an EBL and find it's the same you will be well pissed.

Either way I'm gonna be pissed as the alternator is a complete bugger to access and to remove.

I don't understand what's wrong with it ....if the same voltage is leaving the alternator continuing all the way to ebl and out the other side and in to the hab batteries why am I still getting half the amps the 4 or 5 other vans with the same set-up are getting?

I've phoned apuljack and asked for one of their engineers to phone me to see if they've any idea.

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[Bognor Saint]

I'm still reading this thread but failed to understand it many posts ago. Keep going boys

 

[Northernraider]

I'm still reading this thread but failed to understand it many posts ago. Keep going boys

I'm having probs understanding it myself

 

[scousebird]

I'm still reading this thread but failed to understand it many posts ago. Keep going boys

Ditto

 

[Onemanandhisdog]

Me too, but looking forward to the Eureka moment!!

 

[Northernraider]

Me too, but looking forward to the Eureka moment!!

I'm not confident there's going to be one

I just spent 30 minutes on the phone with an engineer from apuljack who at the end of it was no help whatsoever

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[Lenny HB]

Oh dear.

 

[Northernraider]

Oh dear.

basically he said if the voltage is fine then its OK lol

Only it isnt

I then mentioned about fitting a b2b and he said I dont need one

But clearly if it is not charging my batteries enough to replace what I use then I need something

I'm just losing the plot with it and no idea what to do now

 

[Figaro]

Buy yourself a great big noisey smelly generator

You know you want to

 

[tacr2man]

The simple solution is fit a B2B you know it will work , and in long run probably most cost effective JMHO

btw at any point have you checked how many amps you can get out of the alt by switching everything on at once ?

 

[SandraL]

Maybe this is a rubbish idea but here goes.

You want better charge at leisure battery. To me this means raising voltage at leisure battery to get more amps to flow.

Connect voltmeter to leisure battery with engine running. Watching meter connect jump leads from starter batt to leisure batt.

If volts at leisure batt go up then more amps are flowing.

Question then is where is the poor joint, thin cable or other problem between starter batt and leisure batt.

If voltage doesnt go up as jump leads connected then wiring starter to leisure via ebl is ok and this was all a waste of time.........

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[Lenny HB]

The simple solution is fit a B2B you know it will work , and in long run probably most cost effective JMHO

But you are only masking the problem, always best to cure a problem
Look at my figures in post #7526 from my van with the standard Hymer set up.

 

[tacr2man]

But you are only masking the problem, always best to cure a problem
Look at my figures in post #7526 from my van with the standard Hymer set up.

in an ideal cost no object world thats the answer I agree .
is your battery bank same as Northernraider ?

 

[Lenny HB]

in an ideal cost no object world thats the answer I agree .
is your battery bank same as Northernraider ?

No, I have 3 x 78a/h Gel's, if Gel's are low they will take a much higher charge rate than flooded. I would still expect to get 30 amps with flooded.

 

[Lenny HB]

I still think it is worth getting one of these and then checking current on a direct link between batteries.

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/710-...0001&campid=5338547443&icep_item=352505362968

 

[Just smiffy]

So at alternator im getting 14.28v at idle

Can't check alt revvs asl no one to rev it while I'm squashed under there.

So I'm not sure whats up but still only getting 5-7 amps showing on panel from engine charging

Put your phone on video and stand the camera videoing the meter while your revving it...
then review the video..

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[tonyidle]

I still think you need a full test on the alternator as if you spend £300 on an EBL and find it's the same you will be well pissed.

Why even consider the EBL? We've proven that what goes in comes out the other side which means the relay is doing its job.

 

[tonyidle]

Northernraider
Tam - I haven't asked but is your fridge on 12v whilst doing these tests? The alternator output is shared between charging the two batteries and operating the fridge. The fridge alone draws 8 - 10A.

 

[Northernraider]

The simple solution is fit a B2B you know it will work , and in long run probably most cost effective JMHO

btw at any point have you checked how many amps you can get out of the alt by switching everything on at once ?

But everyone ive spoke to that deal with these issues ie a&n caravans and apuljack...even the guy at gemcaravans today all say I don't need one the system fitted in my van is one of the best charging systems .

Only mine ain't doing as it should

 

[Northernraider]

Maybe this is a rubbish idea but here goes.

You want better charge at leisure battery. To me this means raising voltage at leisure battery to get more amps to flow.

Connect voltmeter to leisure battery with engine running. Watching meter connect jump leads from starter batt to leisure batt.

If volts at leisure batt go up then more amps are flowing.

Question then is where is the poor joint, thin cable or other problem between starter batt and leisure batt.

If voltage doesnt go up as jump leads connected then wiring starter to leisure via ebl is ok and this was all a waste of time.........

My voltmeter needs two hands to hold it on to whatever I'm checking lol

 

[Northernraider]

Maybe this is a rubbish idea but here goes.

You want better charge at leisure battery. To me this means raising voltage at leisure battery to get more amps to flow.

Connect voltmeter to leisure battery with engine running. Watching meter connect jump leads from starter batt to leisure batt.

If volts at leisure batt go up then more amps are flowing.

Question then is where is the poor joint, thin cable or other problem between starter batt and leisure batt.

If voltage doesnt go up as jump leads connected then wiring starter to leisure via ebl is ok and this was all a waste of time.........

From the tests we have already done it seems the wiring from starter to habitation is fine as getting similar volts all the way through

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