83 Pace Arrow Alternator charging batteys

[kartvines]

Again let me say I am not a mechanic but I can perform simple tests. I had to rewired my entire battery area,due to the rat nest the PO left me, and I thought I had everything correct, but now I wonder, due to my last failure.

So let me ask this. What is the easiest way to verify that the alternator is charging the battery? What battery cable do I test?

Understanding that when I said I rewired everything , it is true but I had to rewire what I found and I have no clue if it was wired correctly so it most likely not stock, and I pulled all of the bare wires off the battery and looped them thou a secondary fuse panel, then running a single heavy wire to the battery.

[ga traveler]

Start the engine. Go to the chassis battery. read the voltage on the chassis battery.
it will be in the 13 to 14 volt area if the alt. is working. If the alt. is not working, it will read about 12 to 12,7 volt area.

[bigskymt]

The output from the Alt. should go direct to the center tap (input) of your isolator (if you have the style with the blue or silver heat sink). If you have a DVM you should see approx. 12-13 vdc at the center terminal with engine off. Starting the engine should increase the voltage to 13.5-15 vdc at isolator input and approx .7 vdc less at the top and bottom taps (outputs). If that checks correctly then check the + cable of both house and chassis batteries ref. to ground.
If you don't have a DVM you can observe the voltmeter in the dash with engine off then start engine and look for an increase.

[kartvines]

Did that and it the voltage did go up once I started the engine, from just over 13 to just over 14 volts, but now I have to wonder why they all went dead, during that short 30 min trip, unless once the alternator belt came off it took all of the power in all of the batteries just to keep the engine running, and that was the cause of the all but complete drain.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ga traveler Start the engine. Go to the chassis battery. read the voltage on the chassis battery. it will be in the 13 to 14 volt area if the alt. is working. If the alt. is not working, it will read about 12 to 12,7 volt area.

[bigskymt]

But don't you have only one chassis battery? The house batteries only charge through the isolator, not draw (unless something is wired incorrectly or the boost solenoid has failed.)
I'd expect using dash A/C and various fans you were drawing a lot of current. If the belt was slipping for some period of time previous to it breaking it would not charge properly. I think you mentioned it was running OK untill you shut it down then not enough power to crank it over. I don't recall if you tried the boost feature.
Another cause of "flipped" belts is too narrow of a belt. Although the belt is correct for the vehicle one pulley may be incorrect, too wide. If the belt seats on the bottom of the pulley rather then the sides there is nothing to keep it running true.

[kartvines]

Yes only a single chassis battery but I had they all tied together so that the alternator also charges the house batteries while I am driving
My boost feature has never worked so that was not something I could use, I was ruining my reefer, a fan and the radio, once I saw the temp going up I also kicked on the electric fan to aid in cooling

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigskymt But don't you have only one chassis battery? The house batteries only charge through the isolator, not draw (unless something is wired incorrectly or the boost solenoid has failed.) I'd expect using dash A/C and various fans you were drawing a lot of current. If the belt was slipping for some period of time previous to it breaking it would not charge properly. I think you mentioned it was running OK untill you shut it down then not enough power to crank it over. I don't recall if you tried the boost feature. Another cause of "flipped" belts is too narrow of a belt. Although the belt is correct for the vehicle one pulley may be incorrect, too wide. If the belt seats on the bottom of the pulley rather then the sides there is nothing to keep it running true.

[bigskymt]

Your isolator (working properly) will charge both your chassis and house batteries. Fleetwood installs a diode isolator to charge both chassis and house but not allow them to drain from each other.......hence the "boost" solenoid that is activated by the dash switch. It joins the house batteries to the chassis to aid in either engine or gen starting.
I think you have a few minor problems here but nothing serious and certainly not worth allowing some tech to start "throwing parts" at it in hopes of an eventual cure.
JMHO