Alternator / charging problem

[SteveQ]

Steve / Gary

I do not think that it is a metering problem. The problem first surfaced last
December the morning I was leaving for Texas. I pulled the coach out of the
warehouse and noticed that the headlights were dimmer than normal, indicating
lack of charge. The meter was showing no charge. By the time I unhooked the
toad to back it in to the warehouse to check things it selfhealed and the
headlights returned to the proper intensity. I could not get it to replicate
the problem so I left for Texas. It has worked perfectly until last night.

If I have to locate the shunt for the gauge any ideas where I would find it?

Thanks
Steve Quandt
1993 PT-40
Iron Mountain, MI


--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, GARY MINKER wrote:
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> You need the ammeter to check the metering
> How else do you easily check to see if the ammeters really work right.
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> --- On Tue, 10/6/09, cape0001 wrote:
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> From: cape0001
> Subject: [WanderlodgeForum] Re: Alternator / charging problem
> To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com
> Date: Tuesday, October 6, 2009, 6:27 PM
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> or check the wiring before investing in any toys
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> Stephen 77fc35
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> --- In WanderlodgeForum@ yahoogroups. com, GARY MINKER
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> > Do you have dual ammeters? Do they both crap out? Vibration is the ticket
it seems. The alternators to not have have a common ground but the battery bank
does. The alternators use shunts to meter with and you may actually be charging
but your metering may be bad. Go on Ebay or Grainger and purchase a DC clamp on
ammeter and drain the batteries a bit and high idle the rig and measure
everything and compare it to all the metering plus use a good quality DC
Voltmeter. Don't get fooled in to thinking you have a problem until you verify
with alternative metering that you really have a problem and not just a metering
error.
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> > Gary
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> > 1958 PT-40
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> > --- On Tue, 10/6/09, SteveQ wrote:
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> > From: SteveQ
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> > Subject: [WanderlodgeForum] Alternator / charging problem
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> > To: WanderlodgeForum@ yahoogroups. com
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> > Date: Tuesday, October 6, 2009, 7:15 AM
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> > Last night I moved the coach from home to work. When I
started it there was no alternator charge, usually there is about a two second
delay from start to charge showing on the gauge. On the trip I hit a bump and
there was charge for about 30 seconds then none. Both alternators are new as of
three years and about 20,000 miles. To me it sounds like a ground problem.
Also I ran the generator and the coach charge came up to about 10 amps
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> > Where to start to solve the problem?
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> > Thanks
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> > Steve Quandt
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> > 1993 PT-40
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> > Iron Mountain, MI
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