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DaveBunker · 12-08-2018, 02:05 PM

I’ve been having some minor issues with my chassis charging system. Left on a 200 mi trip, Alt charge idiot light came on, my in dash volt meter was bouncing and dropping. By trips end I was down to 11v. Put battery charger on over night and got chassis bats back to 14v. Same thing on return trip home. Today I put my ohm meter on the batteries and got a reading of 12.6v, engine not running. Fired the Cummins up and meter went up to 14.7 and pulsated up and down from 12.4 - 15v. Of course the dash lights, head lights and other 12v system lights were pulsating. Should I assume my Leece Neville is bad and buy one and install it myself. Or have a garage do a test for $120 and possibly tell me my alternator is bad. I’m a decent mechanic but my electrical skills are below average. New Alternator on Amazon is $254. If I buy one before I confirm and it’s something else, I guess I could return it.
Also, last Q. Do people rebuild alternators or does a new one cost about the same. The one in question is a 14 year old OEM. Being a 2004, garage kept, Camelot with 30k miles and I’m the second owner. Immaculate condition.
Please give me your opinions, they are always welcome and very informative.
Thanks
Dave

CJScepter · 12-08-2018, 02:26 PM

To answer your rebuild question, yes they rebuild them, probably a little less than a new one but close. I bought a new one from Aj-elec.com 1 1/2 years ago, it was $239.00. He will put pulley on it, didn't charge me because he had a ton of them and has to put one on it to test it before he ships it. I had one rebuilt for my previous coach (1999 Diplomat) for around $180.00 about 10 years ago.
John G.

winniman · 12-08-2018, 02:27 PM

You can use your generator to charge the batteries in an emergency like having your alternator go. We drove several hundred miles running off the generator when the alternator went on the 5.9 cummins. Our charger doesnt charge the engine batteries, but we jumped the two banks to keep us going. The ecm shut down at around ten volts, and we rolled to the side of the hwy. We knew something was wrong, as the volt meter was telling us the engine batteries were losing power as we went. Im no mechanic, but if your voltage is fluctuating that much, probably the regulator is gone, which I believe is built in. We replaced the Leese with a Delco alternator. They were half price of the original oem.

twinboat · 12-08-2018, 02:27 PM

Option # 3 you pull the alternator and carry it in for testing.

Good chance it needs a rebuild.

DaveBunker · 12-08-2018, 02:52 PM

All good input, thanks everybody. Only question, since my shore power doesn’t charge my chassis batteries, (in my Camelot) why then will the generator. They both feet power to the house breakers and power control panel?

DaveBunker · 12-08-2018, 04:24 PM

Also, can I assume the system in my Monaco Camelot is a DUVAC system. From what I’ve read I’m sure it is.

VanDiemen23 · 12-08-2018, 04:27 PM

If I had to guess your shore power doesn't charge the chassis batteries because the house batteries never get up to the point where the follower charger sends current to the chassis batteries.

I had a reese-neville and got a much more powerful Delco for a much cheaper price - BUT, there was some re-engineering - the Delco required a separate switched wire to excite it and also a sense wire to the batteries that causes it to kick up the voltage to compensate for the isolator (if you have a diode isolator) and I bought a new isolator to handle the higher current available. He's how it turned out:

twinboat · 12-08-2018, 04:45 PM

Describe your shore power.

If its a 15 amp service, the charger may be cutting back its output to avoid tripping the breaker.

Papa_Jim · 12-08-2018, 08:28 PM

The only other comment that I can think to add is this.

If you have access to your original alternator, I would recommend that you have that alternator rebuilt and install it back into your motor coach. That will probably work well.

Jim

tinstar 1114 · 12-08-2018, 09:04 PM

I had my alternator rebuilt in my other coach a few years ago. It was $45 to fix it. That was me pulling it and reinstall. He didn't want to replace everything in it though. Seems like he replaced some diodes or something.

I would rebuild if it were me.

jacwjames · 12-09-2018, 05:56 AM

My alternator quit working, pulled it off and took it and had it rebuilt, they had it done in a day. Cost $180, ~4 years ago.

Your system is probably a DUVAC system. Can't use just any old alternator unless you redo some things. When mine failed I did a bunch of searching and most of the advice lead me to rebuild mine.

veraken · 12-09-2018, 06:12 AM

I replaced my 160 amp Leece Neville 2824LC with a 200 amp Delco Remy 28SI. The install was fairly simple, ( I have a side radiator) except on the DR you don't connect the excite wire since it is self exciting. I purchased mine with a extra pulley wheel at:

RV and Motorhome Alternators

I had my old LN rebuilt and carry it as a spare.

winniman · 12-09-2018, 06:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaveBunker

All good input, thanks everybody. Only question, since my shore power doesn’t charge my chassis batteries, (in my Camelot) why then will the generator. They both feet power to the house breakers and power control panel?

You missed the part where I said we had to jumper the two battery banks together. This allowed the house charger to charge both banks.

BigLar368 · 12-09-2018, 06:52 AM

We have a 2004 Camelot and from what I remember it was not the Duvac setup. We switched over to a Delco 180 Amp alternator. I just used the pully from the old Leece Neville alternator. I can't remember exactly about the wiring but I remember it was nothing difficult. It worked fine on our last big trip.