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05-14-2016, 07:33 AM
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#1
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Senior Member
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Central Illinois
Posts: 175
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Stranded!
Yesterday while driving North on I43 just north of Sheboygan Wi the ABS and Warning light came on. Noticed also that the voltmeter read about 17.5 volts. I pulled over and shut it down not wanting to fry everything. Called towing service and they towed us to a trailer repair service way out in the boonies which is closed until Monday. I've experienced this issue before (last fall) and had the alternator checked. It checked out fine. Checked all chassis grounds and cleaned them all up. No change. Replaced Trombetta and then problem went away. Then bought all new batteries since it was time. Thinking it may be the new Trombetta yesterday I got out the old one which I had cleaned up and installed it. Problem did not change. I think there is a PC board that controls the alternator output voltage. In the owners manual they call it a Battery Maintainer or Bi directional isolator relay delay. And I found it in the front run bay. Could this be my problem? Anyone familiar with this pc board? Since I had the alternator checked, cleaned all grounds, replaced Trombetta and all house/chassis batteries, this thing is about the only component left in the battery charging system. Appreciate any help and ideas.
__________________
Steve & Niki
2009 Monaco Cayman 35 SBD Cummins ISB 340HP
2011 Chevy HHR Toad
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05-14-2016, 08:40 AM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 227
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When this happened to me it was the regulator built into the alternator that shorted. In theory it is not supposed to fail in a "run the alternator wide open Max current/voltage" mode, but mine did. If it were me, I'd pull off the alternator and bench check it and its regulator before it cooks itself. I don't know what a Tombretta is, and Google didn't help me.
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Allen
07 Beaver Patriot Thunder (Winchester III)
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05-14-2016, 08:55 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 35,349
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You are looking in the wrong area. The high voltage is being produced by the alternator.
It has a built in voltage regulator that controls its output.
Some use a sense wire to read the chassis battery voltage.
If that wire is loose, corroded or broken, the Alt will try to charge the battery to reach the target voltage. Since it can't see that voltage it just keeps charging.
Find the brand of alternator and research the wiring diagrams.
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05-14-2016, 08:56 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Central Illinois
Posts: 175
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TXduo
When this happened to me it was the regulator built into the alternator that shorted. In theory it is not supposed to fail in a "run the alternator wide open Max current/voltage" mode, but mine did. If it were me, I'd pull off the alternator and bench check it and its regulator before it cooks itself. I don't know what a Tombretta is, and Google didn't help me.
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Thank you Allen. I will definitely consider taking the alternator to have it checked again. Will have to wait until Monday for that as there are no service facilities open around here on the weekend. A Trombetta is equivalent to the Big Boy relay on your Ambassador and it connects the chassis batteries to the house batteries so the alternator can keep them charged while you are going down the road.
__________________
Steve & Niki
2009 Monaco Cayman 35 SBD Cummins ISB 340HP
2011 Chevy HHR Toad
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05-14-2016, 09:06 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Central Illinois
Posts: 175
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Quote:
Originally Posted by twinboat
You are looking in the wrong area. The high voltage is being produced by the alternator.
It has a built in voltage regulator that controls its output.
Some use a sense wire to read the chassis battery voltage.
If that wire is loose, corroded or broken, the Alt will try to charge the battery to reach the target voltage. Since it can't see that voltage it just keeps charging.
Find the brand of alternator and research the wiring diagrams.
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The brand is Leece Neville and it does have a sense wire. I was under the impression the sense wire was connected to the battery maintainer pc board in the front run bay which regulated the alternators output. But you are saying that the sense wire is connected directly to the chassis battery bank? I will check this wire on the alternator end but it will be difficult to trace it through the loom to check the battery end and continuity from one end to the other. Will also get my pic out and try to find the sense wire on the schematic. Thanks for the tip!
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Steve & Niki
2009 Monaco Cayman 35 SBD Cummins ISB 340HP
2011 Chevy HHR Toad
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05-14-2016, 09:09 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2004
Location: cayucos, ca
Posts: 1,299
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Agree with those who said it's an alternator problem.
__________________
Ross Starkenburg
2017 Newmar Dutch Star 4369. Spartan chassis w/full disc brakes. 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee toad
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05-14-2016, 09:21 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 227
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My Leece Neville is internally regulated, and if not careful, could be mounted 180 degrees off putting regulator trapped next to engine block heat.
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Allen
07 Beaver Patriot Thunder (Winchester III)
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05-14-2016, 10:11 AM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 35,349
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You could jump the output terminal to the sense wire on the Alt. and see if the volts regulate. If not probable the regulator.
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05-14-2016, 10:38 AM
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#9
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Senior Member
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Central Illinois
Posts: 175
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Alternator wiring schematic says Leece Neville "self excite". What does that mean?
__________________
Steve & Niki
2009 Monaco Cayman 35 SBD Cummins ISB 340HP
2011 Chevy HHR Toad
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05-14-2016, 10:56 AM
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#10
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Senior Member
Country Coach Owners Club Texas Boomers Club Fleetwood Owners Club
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Snyder,Tx.
Posts: 144
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When engine is started the RPM will excite the alternator.No outside current is needed.
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05-14-2016, 10:58 AM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 423
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CaymanPilot
Alternator wiring schematic says Leece Neville "self excite". What does that mean?
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"self excite" means different things on different forums
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05-14-2016, 11:16 AM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 35,349
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No "key on" power needed.
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05-14-2016, 11:47 AM
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#13
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 8,777
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CaymanPilot
The brand is Leece Neville and it does have a sense wire. I was under the impression the sense wire was connected to the battery maintainer pc board in the front run bay which regulated the alternators output. But you are saying that the sense wire is connected directly to the chassis battery bank? I will check this wire on the alternator end but it will be difficult to trace it through the loom to check the battery end and continuity from one end to the other. Will also get my pic out and try to find the sense wire on the schematic. Thanks for the tip!
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CaymanPilot
On my coach the "sense wire" runs FROM the "sense terminal" on the internal regulator of my Delco 21SI alternator TO the "positive terminal" of my chassis battery, (through an inline fuse near the battery).
Mel
'96 Safari
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05-14-2016, 02:00 PM
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#14
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Junior Member
Join Date: Feb 2016
Posts: 19
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I would pull the trigger wire off the alt and make it disabled. Restart the engine and see what you have. In theory you could drive this way to get home or at least to a closer spot to where you destination is. Worst case scenario run the generator to recharge the batteries as you go.
__________________
1998 HOLIDAY RAMBLER IMPERIAL
2005 JEEP LJ (TOAD)
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