conflicting info

[airdvr1227]

Sorry about the cross post but I'm at home todayu and trying to figure out why I'm having problems with my charging system.

This is getting interesting. To double check the gauge on my dash I used a voltmeter at the battery. According to the meter at idle the alternator is putting out about 13.5 volts which should be normal right? WHen I start adding electical load the in-dash voltmeter drops to below 12 and is telling me things are discharging, yet nothing changes at the battery...still around 13.5v.

I'm wondering about the actual charge on the batteries and whether that is affecting the in dash gauge v. the meter.

 

[zbnutcase]

Re: conflicting info

How about above idle? You should see about 14.4V at the battery.

 

[airdvr1227]

Re: conflicting info

At 1500 rpm it's over 14v so I'm pretty certain the alternator is doing it's job.

 

[airdvr1227]

Re: conflicting info

Ok...here's the deal now. I had both batteires checked at autozone and both are good. Re-did all of the battery connections. Hooked both up in parrallel. I have 13.8v at idle and 14.5v at 1500 rpm. My in-dash voltmeter isn't agreeing. I might have a problem with my running lights. WHen I turn them on is when the voltmeter in the dash drops way down, but I also noted that all of the other gauges change off that switch. Just slightly but they do change. SHort in my running lights wiring somewhere?

 

[Eric 3.7LX Alpha 1]

Re: conflicting info

Maybe the wiring from the stern near the battery to the cockpit area either has corrosion on the ends and needs to be cleaned or the wire's gauge is either too small or is building up resistance and might need to be replaced.
Just my guess.

 

[Ted K]

Re: conflicting info

As an electronic tech working in the custom motor coach business, I would suggest looking at the grounds. From what you are describing, your dash grounds or accessory grounds (not sure how it is wired), at least one of them is bad and it is pulling a ground through your dash voltmeter and/or through other gauges hence the visual drop in voltage on the dash volt meter and intermittent gauge readings elsewhere on the dash. I have run into this often on older coaches where there is a bad ground.