Jackieboy
Registered User
Altenators are maintaining the charge, not for charging batteries from low to high. Buy a load tester and a decent charger. You will be glad you did.
Thanks for all that, really helpful. I chose deep cycle, though, for exactly this reason. I live in the vehicle, and it's inevitable I will forget to unplug something. Sometimes I'm sitting for a long time in one spot, and I just don't always think to start up often enough. I have a lot of solar but often not a lot of sun, and I've killed enough AGMs to know I need that deep cycle resilience. I have honestly had no problems starting with them until now.Some other thoughts
1) Deep cycle batteries are not strong starting batteries. In the the future you may want to go with AGM batteries. Deep cycle batteries are designed for being slowly drained and for their resilience to be drained down and charged dozens of times. Also you need to keep the water level up as they gas off and loose water. Low water in the battery cells can cause the battery voltage to drop.
Well that would certainly kill some batteries.It seems they were pretty much shot. It's been about 2 years and with them sitting in the cold all this time without being used or put on a charger or removed, then with my running them down using my diesel heater continuously for two days, I think they were done.
I would have to say yes. even the 13 volts while driving isn't high enough. They should be at 13.5+ volts while the engine is running. This would be a good excuse to do a 3G swap.Both batteries are new. They take a charge very well, obviously. I took off the maintainer yesterday and had 13.5 volts. As soon as I tried to start - down to 12.2. I was able to get started, and was getting 13 while driving, but if I so much as plugged in the USB phone charger - WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING - voltage dropped instantly to 11.5.
Does that sound like alternator?
Could also be the external regulator if you have one. Not sure what they had in 91. (Internal or external.) My 88' has an external regulator and alternator. But when say the engine is at +2,000 rpm or more it should be charging as IDIBronco said at +13.5 volts.Well, I couldn't get the batteries to take much and then I took them down to be tested. It seems they were pretty much shot. It's been about 2 years and with them sitting in the cold all this time without being used or put on a charger or removed, then with my running them down using my diesel heater continuously for two days, I think they were done. But... I also think I need an alternator (or something).
Both batteries are new. They take a charge very well, obviously. I took off the maintainer yesterday and had 13.5 volts. As soon as I tried to start - down to 12.2. I was able to get started, and was getting 13 while driving, but if I so much as plugged in the USB phone charger - WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING - voltage dropped instantly to 11.5.
Does that sound like alternator? All the cables have been checked by me and double checked by somebody smarter than me.
Right, what I'm saying is, the batteries are not holding the charge. I have a load tester AND a decent charger, thanks.Altenators are maintaining the charge, not for charging batteries from low to high. Buy a load tester and a decent charger. You will be glad you did.
I don't know what that means, unfortunately!!!Absolutely time to do a 3G swap!!!
Think more modern/newer style alternator being put on a old truck. Bolts right in, just requires a little wiring kit and deleting/tying off some of the current wiring. It has a regulator inside it, so you do not need the external one on the fender well. (Or where ever your bus has it.). Your bus likely has a 70amp alternator give or take a few amps. A 3g charges at as much as 100amps as I recall. The 3g just needs two wires As I recall. Charge wire to the stater solenoid to charge the batteries. A wire to the warning lamp to energize the alternator so it can charge. You do not need the field, ground, or stator wires as I recall. You can do a search for more info. Simplifies the charging system while making more power.I don't know what that means, unfortunately!!!
Ahhhh! This sounds awesome, thank you!Think more modern/newer style alternator being put on a old truck.