Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
RV Trip Planning Discussions

Go Back   iRV2 Forums > THE CHASSIS CLUB FORUMS > Workhorse and Chevrolet Chassis Motorhome Forum
Click Here to Login
Register FilesVendors Registry Blogs FAQ Community Calendar Today's Posts Search Log in
Join iRV2 Today

Mission Statement: Supporting thoughtful exchange of knowledge, values and experience among RV enthusiasts.
Reply
  This discussion is proudly sponsored by:
Please support our sponsors and let them know you heard about their products on iRV2
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 09-26-2015, 02:26 PM   #1
Senior Member
 
Fleetwood Owners Club
Workhorse Chassis Owner
Join Date: May 2015
Location: DeForest, WI
Posts: 187
Alternator Amps/Volts

How many volts should my alternator be putting out to charge chassis battery and house batteries. According to my Scan Guage II mine is showing 14.0 - 14.9. At start up it shows 15.0 - 15.1 then drops into the 14 ranges shortly thereafter. It then varies between 14.0-14.9 never really settling on any one point. Just continually moves up and down regardless of idle or driving.

Problem is my chassis battery is cool and seems normal but my house batteries are hot and boiling. I have posted on the Class A forum about this problem but have not solved it yet.

I called a workhorse repair shop and they seem to think alternator was working within specs. They as well as I just don't understand how house batteries boil and chassis battery does not if alternator may be the problem. All should be boiling if alternator is the problem. All tests say both 6V's are good and fully charged.

Any thoughts anyone ??
__________________
Tom Lopez, USMC Retired
2004 Fleetwood Southwind 32VS
DeForest, WI
Tom Lopez is offline   Reply With Quote
Join the #1 RV Forum Today - It's Totally Free!

iRV2.com RV Community - Are you about to start a new improvement on your RV or need some help with some maintenance? Do you need advice on what products to buy? Or maybe you can give others some advice? No matter where you fit in you'll find that iRV2 is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally FREE!

You are currently viewing our boards as a guest so you have limited access to our community. Please take the time to register and you will gain a lot of great new features including; the ability to participate in discussions, network with other RV owners, see fewer ads, upload photographs, create an RV blog, send private messages and so much, much more!

Old 09-26-2015, 04:31 PM   #2
Senior Member
 
edgray's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Madison, MS
Posts: 10,527
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tom Lopez View Post
How many volts should my alternator be putting out to charge chassis battery and house batteries. According to my Scan Guage II mine is showing 14.0 - 14.9. At start up it shows 15.0 - 15.1 then drops into the 14 ranges shortly thereafter. It then varies between 14.0-14.9 never really settling on any one point. Just continually moves up and down regardless of idle or driving.

Problem is my chassis battery is cool and seems normal but my house batteries are hot and boiling. I have posted on the Class A forum about this problem but have not solved it yet.

I called a workhorse repair shop and they seem to think alternator was working within specs. They as well as I just don't understand how house batteries boil and chassis battery does not if alternator may be the problem. All should be boiling if alternator is the problem. All tests say both 6V's are good and fully charged.

Any thoughts anyone ??
The OE alternator is 145 AMP (max) and the 14+ volt output is normal.

Unless you have a bi-directional relay device that connects the chassis battery to the house batteries (sometimes called a "bird") I doubt the alternator is boiling your coach batteries, unless there is something amiss with how you wired the 2- 6 volts batteries into the setup.

IF your "emergency start" solenoid or your "bird" is keeping all three batteries connected together constantly MAYBE that could explain your boiling, but it may also be that one or both of the 6 volts has gone bad. I would have them load tested to determine if the batteries are the problem.
edgray is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-27-2015, 06:44 AM   #3
Senior Member
 
Fleetwood Owners Club
Workhorse Chassis Owner
Join Date: May 2015
Location: DeForest, WI
Posts: 187
I have had the batteries load tested and hydrometer tested by several folks and all say batteries are good. My chassis battery is always cool and seems normal with normal volt charge. All seem to think my alternator is good also.

What are all of you with a 8.1 with just a chassis and two 6V batteries showing for alternator output while at idle as well as driving?

Info will give me something to compare mine to. THANKS.
__________________
Tom Lopez, USMC Retired
2004 Fleetwood Southwind 32VS
DeForest, WI
Tom Lopez is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-27-2015, 06:50 AM   #4
Senior Member
 
Denniscw's Avatar
 
Workhorse Chassis Owner
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Cumming, GA
Posts: 414
Are the 2 - 6 volt batteries wired in series? What voltage are you reading across each 6 volt battery with the engine running?
__________________
Denniscw
2011 Serrano 31X, 2006 CR-V
Denniscw is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-27-2015, 07:38 AM   #5
Senior Member
 
Fleetwood Owners Club
Workhorse Chassis Owner
Join Date: May 2015
Location: DeForest, WI
Posts: 187
6 volts are wired in series. Batteries are boiling, left faster than right. Left temp is about 113 and right is about 105. Both are hot to touch. Can smell gasses.
Left Bat 7.07 Right Bat 6.90 Combined = 13.99 Chassis Battery 14.51
House monitor shows Main Bat 14.42 Aux Bat 14.33
SCAN GAUGE II shows Volts 14.2 to 14.6 at 601 RPM
__________________
Tom Lopez, USMC Retired
2004 Fleetwood Southwind 32VS
DeForest, WI
Tom Lopez is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-27-2015, 09:38 AM   #6
Senior Member
 
Arch Hoagland's Avatar
 
Monaco Owners Club
Workhorse Chassis Owner
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Clovis, CA, USA
Posts: 13,149
My dash alternator readout is always 14.2 volts at all speeds.

It does NOT charge my house batteries and is not supposed to on my Monaco La Palma.

And that's how I like it, I don't want the house and engine charging systems to be tied together in any fashion.
__________________
2004 Monaco La Palma 36DBD, W22, 8.1, 7.1 MPG
2000 LEXUS RX300 FWD 22MPG 4020 LBS
Criticism is easier than Craftsmanship
Arch Hoagland is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-27-2015, 11:06 AM   #7
Senior Member
 
Denniscw's Avatar
 
Workhorse Chassis Owner
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Cumming, GA
Posts: 414
I think your left battery has a short.
__________________
Denniscw
2011 Serrano 31X, 2006 CR-V
Denniscw is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-27-2015, 04:30 PM   #8
Senior Member
 
Workhorse Chassis Owner
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Northwestern Montana
Posts: 3,514
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tom Lopez View Post
I have had the batteries load tested and hydrometer tested by several folks and all say batteries are good. My chassis battery is always cool and seems normal with normal volt charge. All seem to think my alternator is good also.

What are all of you with a 8.1 with just a chassis and two 6V batteries showing for alternator output while at idle as well as driving?

Info will give me something to compare mine to. THANKS.
Tom,

I just checked the charging voltage on my 2004 Allegro. Here are the voltages for comprison (I did not take it on the road, but took a reading at 2100 RPM which is the speed I usually travel).

Idle speed

Actia dash. 14.3

Scan Gage 14.1 - 14.3 fluctuates

Across both 6V batteries. 14.71 (my digital meter reads a little higher)

Across left (first) battery. 7.79

Across right (second) battery. 7.31

At 2100 RPM, the voltage readings are identical to the idle readings. As noted my voltmeter seems to be reading around .4 high.

Hope you find your problem. I know you have had the house batteries checked, but it sure seems like one is bad, or going bad.

My batteries are from Costco, and are over eight years old. I do have to add water a couple times a year. They are charged by the onboard Teletec converter when it is connected to shore power. I store the motorhome at home, and it is always connected to 120 volt power. The charge rate from the onboard converter when parked is 13.4 volts.
__________________
Dieselclacker
dieselclacker is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-27-2015, 04:45 PM   #9
Senior Member
 
Duner's Avatar
 
Winnebago Owners Club
Workhorse Chassis Owner
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Camarillo, CA ---Back in the house after 7 yrs fulltiming
Posts: 1,652
How long have you owned the coach? Has it worked ok in the past and just recently started cooking the batteries? Has either of the 6 v batteries boiled out the water so much that the top of the plates are exposed to air?

If one or both of the 6v batteries show signs of swelling, the plates are probably warped from the heat. When batteries are low on water the plates flake off and the material basically creates a short at the bottom. Then when they are charged they create heat rather than charging.

The origin of the problem could be the regulator for alternator. A few tens of a volt too high. I haven't watched mine much but, I think low 14.x is good and high 14.x, like .8 or .9 is too high for extended charging. 14.7+ for a minute or two after starting is ok.

I have a scan gauge II and will watch volts next trip (6 days away).

Good luck,
Bill
__________________
Bill & dear wife Helen
Last of the Chieftains, 2004 39T, W22, UP tune, Banks, Koni's, Safe-T-Plus, SMI brake
2017 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid towed 4-down or my 2008 Jeep Wrangler JK
https://www.irv2.com/attachments/signaturepics/sigpic23522_1.gif]
Duner is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-28-2015, 10:57 AM   #10
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Yakima, WA
Posts: 546
Don't rush to judgement on the alternator if your coach battery is not under duress.

It's typical for the BCC to have the vehicle charging system charge the house batteries, and disconnect from the vehicle system when the alternator isn't charging (running), and thus prevent the house from drawing on the coach battery.

If the 6V batteries are not matched, you get parasitic losses. Matched in this case means similar capacities, of which age and condition will play a part. (you aren't getting truly "matched" batteries off-the-shelf, but that'll be close enough usually).

If you have one battery that is compromised in some fashion, then 2 things occur - using the batteries causes the "better" battery to bear an excess of the load, and the fact that the bad battery isn't coming up to the same level of charge necessary to pull it's share means the charging system voltage continues to exceed the combined peaked voltage of the 2 6ers.

That's why batteries are replaced in pairs. A reasonable matching of capacities. I don't know enough about your overall coach, BCC, etc. to go much further, but if it was me, I would first isolate the 2 systems by disconnecting the coach charging system from the house batteries. If your BCC is working properly, that just means unplugging the coach, and not running the engine. Depending on your model, you may be able to just turn off your inverter/converter, but in any case, just unplugging will also do that very effectively.

Now check your voltages resting. House pair, and coach. Run some 12v stuff in the coach for a bit. A few lights, whatever. Or watch TV and pull those puppies down a bit. Don't kill them or run them flat.

Now go do some measuring. The coach battery should be happy and ballpark 13v +/- or so. Precision isn't necessary - you just want to know that the coach bat is happy. Your twin 6ers should be noticably lower. How much? Doesn't matter, but enough that you know you drew them down using them. Note that value. Disconnect the 2 6 volt batteries. Measure them individually. Are they about even, or is one noticeably lower than the other one? If yes, investigate the lower one, for when you again plug in, the current delivered to these, in series, is going to be high to recover the "lower" battery, and is going to cause hate and discontent not only because it's discharged, but also with it's teammate as they are joined at the hip, so to speak.

If, however, they appear substantially equal (they won't be exact; even new ones off the shelf are not precision), then you will want to dig in and understand your BCC a bit, and also determine if they get boiling mad off the coach's charger when plugged in to shore power.

If ya want, run your headlights a bit after all this, pull your coach batt down (a few tenths max; it's a starting battery).

Reconnect your house batts you just checked.

Fire up the engine. Hang out at the BCC. Possibly you will hear the solenoid link the house batts to the charging system shortly after fire up. Check the house batts (connected up in series again as usual). Voltage should be up if your vehicle is charging them. Cool. Ditto the coach battery. If the house batteries were pulled down during your test, you will absolutely have voltage fluctuations in the vehicle system.

Here's the thing about the alternator fluctuations - your house batteries can and will take on a good amperage load when under duress and getting charged by the vehicle. As heavy duty as the cabling is, when you get up into many 10s of amps, there is some cable losses, and the alternator/charging system is far from precision. If you have a battery that is really straining the system, it can easily pull down the whole shebang and be visible as fluctuations. Check out the voltages at each battery during this charge up test as denniscw mentioned. I think the results of that are more relevant immediately after loading them down.

Have you done tests using the converter/charger? Which unit is it? Freedom 458?
__________________
GySgt USMC (Ret) '79~'99
2005 National RV Dolphin Limited 5342
Workhorse W-22
Civdiv99 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-28-2015, 06:22 PM   #11
Senior Member
 
Workhorse Chassis Owner
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 672
I agree with Dennis (Post #7). Your batteries in all likelihood have some dead cells. This will cause excessive heat and boiling.
__________________
Fred Kennerson
2003 Dolphin L/X 6320
Yucaipa, Ca
kennersonf is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-28-2015, 06:27 PM   #12
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 35,441
Swap the left 6 volt battery with the right. Do your tests again and see If the temp and volts follow the battery.
twinboat is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-29-2015, 08:45 AM   #13
Senior Member
 
Fleetwood Owners Club
Workhorse Chassis Owner
Join Date: May 2015
Location: DeForest, WI
Posts: 187
First "THANKS TO ALL" for your ideas and suggestions to solve my problem. They were all most helpful. I did try almost all of them and they all were logical and sound. After all was said and done and all the reading and research on the internet about batteries, alternators, and charging systems everything leads back to the batteries. Regardless of the batteries showing GOOD they must be BAD.

Therefore I purchased two new Duracell Ultra Golf Cart Pro 6Volt 20AH Cap 230 batteries and installed them. I ran engine for one hour with no heat, boiling, and only tiny bubbles that look to be normal. I then took the MH on a 130 mile trip and encountered the same, everything seems normal.

My scan gauge however still shows amps running up and down 14.4 - 15.1 never resting on any one number only momentarily. At the end of the trip the numbers seem to be at 14.3 - 14.6.

I will continue monitoring them as I have another 1,000 mile trip coming soon. Everyone please still send me your alternator charging numbers so I can compare mine with yours. Some say mine are high. Some say they are fine. I don't know which is correct. I need to compare.

THANKS SO SO SO SO MUCH for your wisdom and advice.
__________________
Tom Lopez, USMC Retired
2004 Fleetwood Southwind 32VS
DeForest, WI
Tom Lopez is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-29-2015, 09:39 AM   #14
Senior Member


 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 6,974
Tom-

I'm doing the happy dance with you!

I've got no motorhome now, so no alternator output values to share. Because of this thread, though, I know more about batteries and charging, for the next coach. Thanks for that.

All the best,
Mark
l1v3fr33ord1 is online now   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
alternator



Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 03:12 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.