Alternator info needed!

[FIRE UP]

Originally Posted by deandec

My alternator charges both chassis and house batteries, when the engine is running.

deandec,
Well yes, your alternator's doing the job but, it's voltage and amperage is routed through whatever kind of control system that was designed into your coach.

Originally Posted by MSHappyCampers

I couldn't see a label on it but the build sheet a partial part number that Leece-Neville tech support said was the 2824LC. Any idea if there's some way to tell if it's charging both sets of batteries?

Joe,
Not knowing your particular coaches wiring and or any history of your make/model, I can't tell you specifics on how your alternator is getting to your batteries and/or how it's divided up. But in short, yes, you can do some simple tests to see just what's what, in a given situation. Here's some simple tests for you:

1. Without the coach plugged into shore power and, no generator running, take your trusty volt-ohm meter and set it to the 12VDC scale. Then, take a reading of both your house batteries voltage and, your chassis batteries readings. Note the readings.

2. Plug your shore power in. Let things settle in for a minute or two. This is done because, based on whatever kind of separation (BIRD, Relay, Solenoid etc.) system you may have, there may be electronics that have timers in them. Now, take another set of readings, from both banks of batteries. Note the readings.

3. If, there's an increase in house batteries voltage, after plugging into shore power, then whatever kind of house battery charging system you have, it working and working correctly. For most Diesel pushers, that system is normally the Inverter/Charger and, it's the charging side that's doing that job and has absolutely nothing to do with the Inverter side.

4. If, after you have plugged into shore power, you see an increase in CHASSIS batteries voltage, then you have some sort of link, that links your house battery charging system, to your chassis batteries. For many of us, it's a unit called a Trik-L-Start unit. For others, it may well be a hard wired, stand alone, aftermarket installed, battery charger specifically for the chassis batteries.

5. If you see NO increase in chassis battery voltage AFTER you've plugged into shore power, you have one of two situations.
A. You have NO link from you house battery charging system, to your chassis batteries.
B. You have a link in the house battery charging system to your chassis batteries but, it has failed. Investigation is needed.


6. Now, on the alternator side. Do step 1 above. Take readings WITHOUT the engine running and note readings.

7. Start the engine, let things settle for a minute. Again, take the voltage readings of both the house and chassis batteries. Note the readings.

8. Compare the readings of your tests.

9. If you have increased voltage in your chassis batteries, your alternator is working as it's supposed to.

10. If you have increased voltage to your house batteries, then whatever type of link that is wired into your coach, to link that alternator to your house batteries, is working correctly.

11. If you DON'T have an increase in house battery readings AFTER you have started the engine, you have two situations.

A. You have NO link from your engines alternator to your house batteries, which, in todays (and the last 30 years +) world of RVs, would be highly unlikely.

B. The link (again, whatever your coach was/is designed with, i.e. BIRD, Relay, Solenoid etc.) is or has failed and, no alternator voltage/amperage is getting to your house batteries when the engine is running. Let us know how things turn out.
Scott

[railtrailers]

Our 2001 Dutchstar carries the same alternator as your motorhome. Two years ago we developed the symptom where the alternator came up to proper voltage when cruising along a down grade, but lost output when pulling up an up grade. It is my suspicion that the alternator was being adversely affected by the stronger vibration of the engine when powering up the up grade compared to the relatively smooth running when coasting down the down grade.
We replaced the alternator with the "New USA Leece Neville Type" offered on E-bay by "dcpros" at a price similar to yours. It appears to be mechanically identical to the 2824LC on our motorhome, but does not have a Leece Neville product label. However, it works just fine and maintains 14.1 volts both up hill and down.
Be warned, it is a heavy beast and was quite a challenge to remove and replace, working solo thru the bottom of the closet in the rear of the motorhome.
Following a recommendation from "mexicowanderer", I purchased a "Transpo 79000HD" voltage regulator for around $15.00 from E-bay and also a set of replacement brushes. After replacing the voltage regulator and brushes, the alternator charges quite nicely on my homemade test stand. Prior to the replacements, I got no output from the alternator on my test stand. It is in no way a "like new" alternator, but should serve as a spare in the event that the new one stops working.
The rear of the DUVAC terminal block has two small terminals. One is connected to the ignition circuit and "wakes up" the alternator when the ignition is switched on. The other is the voltage sense input and on mine is connected directly to the battery+ output terminal of the alternator. Our motorhome uses the BIRD device to control the "Fat Boy" relay to connect the coach batteries in parallel with the chassis batteries once the chassis batteries are charged to a sufficient voltage by the alternator.

[MSHappyCampers]

Originally Posted by railtrailers

Our 2001 Dutchstar carries the same alternator as your motorhome. Two years ago we developed the symptom where the alternator came up to proper voltage when cruising along a down grade, but lost output when pulling up an up grade. It is my suspicion that the alternator was being adversely affected by the stronger vibration of the engine when powering up the up grade compared to the relatively smooth running when coasting down the down grade.
We replaced the alternator with the "New USA Leece Neville Type" offered on E-bay by "dcpros" at a price similar to yours. It appears to be mechanically identical to the 2824LC on our motorhome, but does not have a Leece Neville product label. However, it works just fine and maintains 14.1 volts both up hill and down.
Be warned, it is a heavy beast and was quite a challenge to remove and replace, working solo thru the bottom of the closet in the rear of the motorhome.
Following a recommendation from "mexicowanderer", I purchased a "Transpo 79000HD" voltage regulator for around $15.00 from E-bay and also a set of replacement brushes. After replacing the voltage regulator and brushes, the alternator charges quite nicely on my homemade test stand. Prior to the replacements, I got no output from the alternator on my test stand. It is in no way a "like new" alternator, but should serve as a spare in the event that the new one stops working.
The rear of the DUVAC terminal block has two small terminals. One is connected to the ignition circuit and "wakes up" the alternator when the ignition is switched on. The other is the voltage sense input and on mine is connected directly to the battery+ output terminal of the alternator. Our motorhome uses the BIRD device to control the "Fat Boy" relay to connect the coach batteries in parallel with the chassis batteries once the chassis batteries are charged to a sufficient voltage by the alternator.

Hi ! Welcome to IRV2! We're sure glad you joined the gang!



Thanks for the info!

Good luck, happy trails, and God bless!

[MSHappyCampers]

Originally Posted by FIRE UP

deandec,
Well yes, your alternator's doing the job but, it's voltage and amperage is routed through whatever kind of control system that was designed into your coach.



Joe,
Not knowing your particular coaches wiring and or any history of your make/model, I can't tell you specifics on how your alternator is getting to your batteries and/or how it's divided up. But in short, yes, you can do some simple tests to see just what's what, in a given situation. Here's some simple tests for you:

1. Without the coach plugged into shore power and, no generator running, take your trusty volt-ohm meter and set it to the 12VDC scale. Then, take a reading of both your house batteries voltage and, your chassis batteries readings. Note the readings.

2. Plug your shore power in. Let things settle in for a minute or two. This is done because, based on whatever kind of separation (BIRD, Relay, Solenoid etc.) system you may have, there may be electronics that have timers in them. Now, take another set of readings, from both banks of batteries. Note the readings.

3. If, there's an increase in house batteries voltage, after plugging into shore power, then whatever kind of house battery charging system you have, it working and working correctly. For most Diesel pushers, that system is normally the Inverter/Charger and, it's the charging side that's doing that job and has absolutely nothing to do with the Inverter side.

4. If, after you have plugged into shore power, you see an increase in CHASSIS batteries voltage, then you have some sort of link, that links your house battery charging system, to your chassis batteries. For many of us, it's a unit called a Trik-L-Start unit. For others, it may well be a hard wired, stand alone, aftermarket installed, battery charger specifically for the chassis batteries.

5. If you see NO increase in chassis battery voltage AFTER you've plugged into shore power, you have one of two situations.
A. You have NO link from you house battery charging system, to your chassis batteries.
B. You have a link in the house battery charging system to your chassis batteries but, it has failed. Investigation is needed.


6. Now, on the alternator side. Do step 1 above. Take readings WITHOUT the engine running and note readings.

7. Start the engine, let things settle for a minute. Again, take the voltage readings of both the house and chassis batteries. Note the readings.

8. Compare the readings of your tests.

9. If you have increased voltage in your chassis batteries, your alternator is working as it's supposed to.

10. If you have increased voltage to your house batteries, then whatever type of link that is wired into your coach, to link that alternator to your house batteries, is working correctly.

11. If you DON'T have an increase in house battery readings AFTER you have started the engine, you have two situations.

A. You have NO link from your engines alternator to your house batteries, which, in todays (and the last 30 years +) world of RVs, would be highly unlikely.

B. The link (again, whatever your coach was/is designed with, i.e. BIRD, Relay, Solenoid etc.) is or has failed and, no alternator voltage/amperage is getting to your house batteries when the engine is running. Let us know how things turn out.
Scott

Thanks for the info! I'm gonna have to digest all that for a little while!

[MSHappyCampers]

IMPORTANT UPDATE!

I got the new alternator in and immediately noticed there was not a label anywhere on it with the manufacturer's name and model number. That threw up a red flag!

Long story short, I found out that it was NOT made by Leece-Neville, but by the supplier, AJ Electric in Franklin, NC. I went back and read the description on the website. The main description reads "2824LC Duvac NEW 160 Amp Leece-Neville alternator", but the first line in the description below mentions the word "replacement".

AJ Electric also supplies these for Amazon, and has a lifetime satisfaction rating of 97%. Buying from Amazon you have a 1-year warranty. Buying direct from AJ Electric you get a 2-year warranty. It is a new alternator, not a rebuilt unit, and includes a new pre-installed pulley.

I talked with Jim Ferrari at AJ Electric and he offered to immediately refund my money and send a shipping label for the alternator.

I checked a few distributors for Leece-Neville and got prices from $350 to $390, plus shipping, for the alternator. I paid AJ Electric $239 w/free shipping.

After weighing out the pros and cons, I decided to keep it and take my chances. Time will tell if that's a mistake!

[veraken]

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.

[MSHappyCampers]

I finally got the new replacement alternator installed today! I bought the new replacement for the Leece-Neville 2824LC from AJ Electric for $239 and paid $120 to get it installed. Working great so far!

[96 Wideglide]

Joe, when I read one of your posts a while back, stating you had plugged your fridge into the inverter supplied, ice maker outlet, I wondered if doing this would eventually murder your alternator.
The heating element in these large two-way fridges, draw a fair bit of power! I often see 5A A/C when I'm plugged in at home, batteries fully charged, and only the fridge running.