whiteboyslo
FNG
***short version*** Truck was over-charging. Replaced the voltage regulator but had to jump it to start it. Now it's charging 13.5V-13.8V but batteries are draining FAST when sitting. Likely that I fried a diode or two in the alternator?
***long version*** Driving home from work Thursday, I glanced down at the voltage and saw it was pegged. I have a combo USB adapter / voltage meter plugged into the cigarette lighter, and it showed 18+ volts. I threw on all possible loads but could only get it down to 15ish volts. Thankfully, the commute is short (~5 miles) so it wasn't like this for long. FWIW, I've had the truck spike close to 16V every once in a blue moon over the last year, but it usually comes back down after a second or two and otherwise charges at just over 14V at idle (13.8 with loads on).
I ended up parking the truck Thursday and didn't have a chance to pop the hood until yesterday (Saturday). I replaced the voltage regulator, but I had to jump the truck (combo of a jump pack and another family vehicle) to get her started. The voltage on my handy cigarette lighter meter showed 13.8V, which I confirmed across the battery terminals with a voltmeter. I let it idle for about 20 minutes, came back, shut it down, and cranked it right back up no problems. But, when I came back a few hours later, the voltage was at just under 12V (key off), and she barely cranked but did fire on her own. Again, once running, charge voltage was 13.5-13.8V (lower than it was with the old regulator, but still OK).
So last night I left both batteries on trickle chargers (still connected to the truck) thinking maybe the batteries were just low from not charging them all the way back up. It cranked fine this morning, but by lunch was back to how it was the night before.
BEST GUESS is that somewhere in this comedy of errors I blew a diode in the alternator and now it's draining when not running. Sound about right? 3G upgrade time?
For now, the batteries are unhooked but still in the truck with the trickle chargers hooked back up. Hopefully I haven't killed them, too.
Mike
***long version*** Driving home from work Thursday, I glanced down at the voltage and saw it was pegged. I have a combo USB adapter / voltage meter plugged into the cigarette lighter, and it showed 18+ volts. I threw on all possible loads but could only get it down to 15ish volts. Thankfully, the commute is short (~5 miles) so it wasn't like this for long. FWIW, I've had the truck spike close to 16V every once in a blue moon over the last year, but it usually comes back down after a second or two and otherwise charges at just over 14V at idle (13.8 with loads on).
I ended up parking the truck Thursday and didn't have a chance to pop the hood until yesterday (Saturday). I replaced the voltage regulator, but I had to jump the truck (combo of a jump pack and another family vehicle) to get her started. The voltage on my handy cigarette lighter meter showed 13.8V, which I confirmed across the battery terminals with a voltmeter. I let it idle for about 20 minutes, came back, shut it down, and cranked it right back up no problems. But, when I came back a few hours later, the voltage was at just under 12V (key off), and she barely cranked but did fire on her own. Again, once running, charge voltage was 13.5-13.8V (lower than it was with the old regulator, but still OK).
So last night I left both batteries on trickle chargers (still connected to the truck) thinking maybe the batteries were just low from not charging them all the way back up. It cranked fine this morning, but by lunch was back to how it was the night before.
BEST GUESS is that somewhere in this comedy of errors I blew a diode in the alternator and now it's draining when not running. Sound about right? 3G upgrade time?
For now, the batteries are unhooked but still in the truck with the trickle chargers hooked back up. Hopefully I haven't killed them, too.
Mike