Voltage Gauge Readings...Help!

[Scott Forman]

Is the reading on the engine voltage gauge of any use when the engine
isn't running?

I have four 2-month old T-105's and an IntelliPower converter/charger
with the Charge Wizard option that makes it a three-stage charger.
My engine voltage gauge seems to work accurately. The dash amps
gauge does not work at all, I cannot find why. The amps gauge in the
step well seems to work accurately.

Enough background...does the voltage gauge reading matter when
parked? When on shore power or gen, it shows accurately the voltage
being delivered to the bat's whichever stage the charger is in.
Likewise, the step well amp gauge will show charging as appropriate.
When in "dry" mode, though, the voltage gauge will fall down to 12 or
even slightly below within a matter of a few minutes of the power
being disconnected without any 12v items on. The step well amps gage
does NOT show discharge at this point, and when power is reconnected,
the indicator lights on the charger will still reflect fully charged
batteries.

So...is this voltage gauge reading showing me something that matters
or not? And if it is irrelevant when parked, is there a way I can
determine how far down the bat's are without pulling out the
multimeter?

Thanks
Scott Forman
82 FC25RB
Memphis

[Tom Warner]

Scott the Bluebirds have a problem with low voltages in the dash. One
of the best things you can do is to get all of that current OUT of
the dash. I have added Bosch relays to control the Chassis A/C
blowers. Now the A/C dash switches only "trigger" the Bosch relays
that now give full voltage to the blower motors. They now blow like a
hurricane. Same with the headlight switch, now the "dimmer" switch
triggers the Bosch relays for hi and lo beam. Full battery voltage to
the headlights and they are really BRIGHT! Same with the heater
switches. Then run a larger 12VDC line to the dash and everything
will work fine. The odometers on the speedometer are notorious for
not keeping accurate mileage because of this low voltage.
TAke a reading on the dash voltmeter and then take a good voltmeter
and read the voltage across the battery terminals. The battery
terminals will be the correct reading. If its alright at the battery
terminals dont worry about it.

Tom Warner
Vernon Center,NY
1982 FC35 (for sale soon)
1985 PT 40 (not for sale )



At 07:14 PM 4/6/2006, you wrote:
>Is the reading on the engine voltage gauge of any use when the engine
>isn't running?
>
>I have four 2-month old T-105's and an IntelliPower converter/charger
>with the Charge Wizard option that makes it a three-stage charger.
>My engine voltage gauge seems to work accurately. The dash amps
>gauge does not work at all, I cannot find why. The amps gauge in the
>step well seems to work accurately.
>
>Enough background...does the voltage gauge reading matter when
>parked? When on shore power or gen, it shows accurately the voltage
>being delivered to the bat's whichever stage the charger is in.
>Likewise, the step well amp gauge will show charging as appropriate.
>When in "dry" mode, though, the voltage gauge will fall down to 12 or
>even slightly below within a matter of a few minutes of the power
>being disconnected without any 12v items on. The step well amps gage
>does NOT show discharge at this point, and when power is reconnected,
>the indicator lights on the charger will still reflect fully charged
>batteries.
>
>So...is this voltage gauge reading showing me something that matters
>or not? And if it is irrelevant when parked, is there a way I can
>determine how far down the bat's are without pulling out the
>multimeter?
>
>Thanks
>Scott Forman
>82 FC25RB
>Memphis

[Scott Forman]

I added the headlight relays...unbelievable difference.



--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, Tom Warner
wrote:
>
> Scott the Bluebirds have a problem with low voltages in the dash.
One
> of the best things you can do is to get all of that current OUT of
> the dash. I have added Bosch relays to control the Chassis A/C
> blowers. Now the A/C dash switches only "trigger" the Bosch relays
> that now give full voltage to the blower motors. They now blow like
a
> hurricane. Same with the headlight switch, now the "dimmer" switch
> triggers the Bosch relays for hi and lo beam. Full battery voltage
to
> the headlights and they are really BRIGHT! Same with the heater
> switches. Then run a larger 12VDC line to the dash and everything
> will work fine. The odometers on the speedometer are notorious for
> not keeping accurate mileage because of this low voltage.
> TAke a reading on the dash voltmeter and then take a good voltmeter
> and read the voltage across the battery terminals. The battery
> terminals will be the correct reading. If its alright at the
battery
> terminals dont worry about it.
>
> Tom Warner
> Vernon Center,NY
> 1982 FC35 (for sale soon)
> 1985 PT 40 (not for sale )
>
>
>
> At 07:14 PM 4/6/2006, you wrote:
> >Is the reading on the engine voltage gauge of any use when the
engine
> >isn't running?
> >
> >I have four 2-month old T-105's and an IntelliPower
converter/charger
> >with the Charge Wizard option that makes it a three-stage charger.
> >My engine voltage gauge seems to work accurately. The dash amps
> >gauge does not work at all, I cannot find why. The amps gauge in
the
> >step well seems to work accurately.
> >
> >Enough background...does the voltage gauge reading matter when
> >parked? When on shore power or gen, it shows accurately the
voltage
> >being delivered to the bat's whichever stage the charger is in.
> >Likewise, the step well amp gauge will show charging as
appropriate.
> >When in "dry" mode, though, the voltage gauge will fall down to 12
or
> >even slightly below within a matter of a few minutes of the power
> >being disconnected without any 12v items on. The step well amps
gage
> >does NOT show discharge at this point, and when power is
reconnected,
> >the indicator lights on the charger will still reflect fully
charged
> >batteries.
> >
> >So...is this voltage gauge reading showing me something that
matters
> >or not? And if it is irrelevant when parked, is there a way I can
> >determine how far down the bat's are without pulling out the
> >multimeter?
> >
> >Thanks
> >Scott Forman
> >82 FC25RB
> >Memphis
>

[Tom Warner]

Add the relays to trigger the fan motors on the heater and chassis
A/C if you really want to see a difference.

Tom Warner
Vernon Center,NY
1982 FC35 (for sale soon)
1985 PT 40

At 08:51 PM 4/6/2006, you wrote:
>I added the headlight relays...unbelievable difference.
>
>
>
>--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, Tom Warner
>wrote:
> >
> > Scott the Bluebirds have a problem with low voltages in the dash.
>One
> > of the best things you can do is to get all of that current OUT of
> > the dash. I have added Bosch relays to control the Chassis A/C
> > blowers. Now the A/C dash switches only "trigger" the Bosch relays
> > that now give full voltage to the blower motors. They now blow like
>a
> > hurricane. Same with the headlight switch, now the "dimmer" switch
> > triggers the Bosch relays for hi and lo beam. Full battery voltage
>to
> > the headlights and they are really BRIGHT! Same with the heater
> > switches. Then run a larger 12VDC line to the dash and everything
> > will work fine. The odometers on the speedometer are notorious for
> > not keeping accurate mileage because of this low voltage.
> > TAke a reading on the dash voltmeter and then take a good voltmeter
> > and read the voltage across the battery terminals. The battery
> > terminals will be the correct reading. If its alright at the
>battery
> > terminals dont worry about it.
> >
> > Tom Warner
> > Vernon Center,NY
> > 1982 FC35 (for sale soon)
> > 1985 PT 40 (not for sale )
> >
> >
> >
> > At 07:14 PM 4/6/2006, you wrote:
> > >Is the reading on the engine voltage gauge of any use when the
>engine
> > >isn't running?
> > >
> > >I have four 2-month old T-105's and an IntelliPower
>converter/charger
> > >with the Charge Wizard option that makes it a three-stage charger.
> > >My engine voltage gauge seems to work accurately. The dash amps
> > >gauge does not work at all, I cannot find why. The amps gauge in
>the
> > >step well seems to work accurately.
> > >
> > >Enough background...does the voltage gauge reading matter when
> > >parked? When on shore power or gen, it shows accurately the
>voltage
> > >being delivered to the bat's whichever stage the charger is in.
> > >Likewise, the step well amp gauge will show charging as
>appropriate.
> > >When in "dry" mode, though, the voltage gauge will fall down to 12
>or
> > >even slightly below within a matter of a few minutes of the power
> > >being disconnected without any 12v items on. The step well amps
>gage
> > >does NOT show discharge at this point, and when power is
>reconnected,
> > >the indicator lights on the charger will still reflect fully
>charged
> > >batteries.
> > >
> > >So...is this voltage gauge reading showing me something that
>matters
> > >or not? And if it is irrelevant when parked, is there a way I can
> > >determine how far down the bat's are without pulling out the
> > >multimeter?
> > >
> > >Thanks
> > >Scott Forman
> > >82 FC25RB
> > >Memphis
> >
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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