| Author |
Message |
Dennis Tracy (Eagle10)
Registered Member
Username: Eagle10
Post Number: 17
Registered: 10-2006
Posted From: 74.75.127.129
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, August 28, 2007 - 2:18 pm: | |
I have been having problems recently with my three interior 8D deep cycle acid batteries. They charge 3 ways: 1.With the bus running with the 350 amp generator: 2. Running the 8kw gen-set:3. Plugging into the house current. With the bus running it charges at about 13.6 but with house or gen-set it only charges at 12.4 so it won't give it a full charge. I have a 75 amp charger on the bus. Any ideas for this problem? Thanks. |
Chuck Newman (Chuck_newman)
Registered Member
Username: Chuck_newman
Post Number: 230
Registered: 1-2005
Posted From: 63.145.177.245
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, August 28, 2007 - 3:46 pm: | |
Dennis,
Either the 75 amp charger is defective, or it is being "pulled down" by one or more defective batteries, which may not be seen as a voltage drop when running on the alternator due to the much higher capacity of it compared to the charger.
I would park with engine off and inverter off (if you have one) and check the specific gravity of each cell with no loads. A bad cell will generally show up if you have one.
If nothing shows up, beg, borrow or purchase a 10 amp "fully automatic" battery charger with tapered charge reduction ($30. to $40.) and put the batteries on charge. Having been fully charged from the alternator, they should not take more than a few amps (with no loads on). If after several hours the batteries are taking little or no current, the problem is a defective 75 amp charger, which will eventually ruin the batteries -- if it hasn't already.
If the 10 amp charger pegs the needle and it stays there for several hours (with all loads disconnected), then you have one or more defective 8D OR a current leakage from a connector. Make sure connector and battery case are all very clean to eliminate leakage current to chassis ground. |
George M. Todd (George_mc6)
Registered Member
Username: George_mc6
Post Number: 257
Registered: 8-2006
Posted From: 207.231.81.129
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, August 28, 2007 - 6:27 pm: | |
Dennis,
Chuck is just up the road from me, and we West Coasters agree that the problem is with your 75 amp charger. It could be in the 120 VAC switching to it, as it sounds like the charger SHOULD get 120 from either the gen or shore power. A fully charged lead-acid battery should read 12.56, depending on temperature, so 12.4 is a slightly discharged battery. A shorted cell will read MUCH lower spgr than the others, and may run all three batts down in a day or two. I would like to add to Chuck's diagnosis, that a 75 amp short will let all of the smoke out of wherever the problem is. So, IMNSHO, your charger is either dead, or not connected properly.
HTH, George |
Dennis Tracy (Eagle10)
Registered Member
Username: Eagle10
Post Number: 18
Registered: 10-2006
Posted From: 74.75.127.129
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, August 28, 2007 - 8:06 pm: | |
Thanks for the ideas. Is there a way to check to see if the charger is working or not? |
James Smith (Tomcat)
Registered Member
Username: Tomcat
Post Number: 60
Registered: 8-2005
Posted From: 207.200.116.13
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, August 28, 2007 - 10:07 pm: | |
Dennis,
Measure your battery voltage with your charger off, then turn your charger on and measure again. If you have a higher voltage with the charger on, it is likely operating in some capacity.
Jay
87 SaftLiner |
Luvrbus (Luvrbus)
Registered Member
Username: Luvrbus
Post Number: 99
Registered: 8-2006
Posted From: 74.33.42.56
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, August 28, 2007 - 10:15 pm: | |
Dennis, what brand is your charger i had a marnier may not be the correct spelling, but the nuts on charger where the leads connect would back off and i would not get a charge
(Message edited by luvrbus on August 28, 2007)
(Message edited by luvrbus on August 28, 2007) |
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