Community Forums

toolster · 01-17-2014, 02:25 PM

My HR ambassador has been stored for 3 months, I started it today and now its not charging. New Batteries on chassis and house last year. last
year charging was intermittent when I first started it from cold, then would settle to a 13-14 amp charge once warmed up.
Is there a voltage regulator or similar that may be preventing the charge ?
Any advice would be appreciated.

palehorse89 · 01-17-2014, 02:44 PM

Hello, you are lucky that it never left you down while traveling........The regulators today are internal, take it out and have your local auto store test it, if no good replace it. That is about all I can tell you to do with it.
One more thing, if when in storage and not able to plug the Coach in to keep the batteries charged, if they are discharged and starting the engine is hard on the alternator having to go to full output charge......heats things up pretty good and takes the life out of the alternator. If been sitting not plugged in, start the gen-set and run it for a hour or so and let the converter do the bulk charge for a bit.

ChasA · 01-18-2014, 10:51 AM

Toolster. Are you sure you're seeing only 13 to 14 amps? Are you sure you don't mean 13 to 14 volts? Seeing 13 to 14 volts would be normal. What are you measuring and how are you measuring it?

al2ride · 01-18-2014, 04:55 PM

Not sure how many batteries you have. You may have a control box/charger that is not working. I think you meant to say volts instead of amps.

To make sure everything is working properly. First measure your batteries voltage with everything off. It should be ~12.6 when charged. I would then hook up to shore power and you should read between 13.8 and 14.4 if your charger is working. Disconnect from shore power and fire up your engine and you should read the same.

BFlinn181 · 01-18-2014, 05:31 PM

An alternator can be checked for output and proper operation in place. Most auto parts stores will test it, although access might be an issue. If not, you could remove it and get it bench tested, a service most auto parts places offer. If the alternator works, then you know the issue is with some other part of the system. Most alternators have an issue with diodes, not the internal voltage regulator.

toolster · 01-19-2014, 06:00 AM

Sorry I meant to say 13-14 volts not amps.
Are the chassis batteries being charged when plugged in to shore power ? I
know the house batteries are, but thought the chassis batteries were only
when the motor is running.
both my onboard diagnostics and the volt meter shows only 11.5 volts with the
shore power on or off, or the engine on or off, so it kinda points to the alternator is bad.
Also just incase I have to remove the alternator anybody got any tips on how,
I have looked and in appears pretty tight in there.

al2ride · 01-19-2014, 08:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by toolster

Sorry I meant to say 13-14 volts not amps.
Are the chassis batteries being charged when plugged in to shore power ? I
know the house batteries are, but thought the chassis batteries were only
when the motor is running.
both my onboard diagnostics and the volt meter shows only 11.5 volts with the
shore power on or off, or the engine on or off, so it kinda points to the alternator is bad.
Also just incase I have to remove the alternator anybody got any tips on how,
I have looked and in appears pretty tight in there.

IIRC the engine's battery is only charged by the alternator and not shore power. In other words, the alternator charges all batteries, but shore or gen power charges only the house batteries.

Not sure where you are taking the reading from. This is what I would do. Fire up the engine and measure across the engine's battery...it should be 13.8 volts or more. If not, you have a problem with the alternator or a connection. I would then turn off the engine and hook up to shore power. Measure across your house battery or batteries and if the charger is working you should also see 13.8 +. If not, then your battery control/charger has an issue. Our battery control/charger box has several fuses inside.

toolster · 01-20-2014, 05:31 AM

Took the readings as suggested and I am not getting a charge, so looks like the alternator needs replacing or at least has to come out. Anybody out there done this on an 06 Ambassador ? it looks like its difficult to get at so I looking to get some tips on how to !

al2ride · 01-20-2014, 09:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by toolster

Took the readings as suggested and I am not getting a charge, so looks like the alternator needs replacing or at least has to come out. Anybody out there done this on an 06 Ambassador ? it looks like its difficult to get at so I looking to get some tips on how to !

I understand that not all Class As are created equal and I don't know if your coach has a control box/charger. If it doesn't then the only means to charge your batteries is the alternator (or external charger) and there is a problem with your alternator...probably the regulator. However, if you have a control box or charger then that's most likely your problem. On ours, with control box/charger, the charge from the alternator goes through the box and then to each battery when engine. It's basically a switch system with a charger built in.