No Charge

rampeyboy · March 30, 2011, 05:39:40 PM

there was a post I think on this skoolie person's site about the isolator interfering with the charging on his conversion. Something about the typical wiring not being compatible on his bus. Might look into it a bit....

http://www.vonslatt.com/bus-main.shtml

Boyce

thomasinnv · March 30, 2011, 05:41:38 PM

did you check for voltage at all 3 terminals on the isolator? It's been a while since i fooled with isolators but if memory serves me correctly you should have voltage at battery post 1 and battery post 2, provided there is not a relay or switch in the off position between the isolator and the 2 sets of batteries which there should not be. the regulator you replaced i assume is built into the alternator? the larger wire on the alternator will only have voltage if the smaller wire is "seeing" voltage (only when engine running obviously). the smaller wire is the "field" wire and should have voltage when the engine is running or ignition in on position. if you're not getting any voltage on the field wire with engine running then you need to start there.

you'll have to forgive me if I'm not 100% accurate on this, it's been a long while since i messed with that kind of stuff.

luvrbus · March 30, 2011, 05:52:14 PM

That is not a Eagle setup,they run the wire from the solenoid to a relay in the rear the power from the switch activates the relay he should be able to run a wire from the hot side of the solenoid to the output terminal on the alternator then he should have a ignition terminal on the alternator 2 hot terminals he should lift off.
I am thinking they wired from the solenoid through the original charging relay because he has good voltage on the battery side of the isolator and only a 1/2 volt coming from the alternator side of the isolator and that is just leaking from the battery side of the isolator
It is going to be a simple fix they always are just to make you look dumb happens to me all the time lol

good luck

thomasinnv · March 30, 2011, 06:09:49 PM

There now, you've gone and done it AGAIN Clifford! Just when a feller thinks he might know something you come along and show him he don't! Note to self...remember BUS,BUS,BUS,BUS....being a BUS it will be different than anything else in the world.

Melbo · March 30, 2011, 06:16:57 PM

I don't have an eagle so this may not apply --- my voltage regulator has a setting that is for a set up with the isolator -- before I learned about that I connected a wire from the batteries to the center connection on the solenoid with a momentary switch --- touch the switch when the engine was running and it would start it charging -- now with the proper setting on the regulator I no longer need to use the switch.

HTH
YMMV

Melbo

robertglines1 · March 30, 2011, 06:21:57 PM

where does the white wire go?

? Does it have BATT stamped in the Alternator housing

chart1 · March 30, 2011, 06:23:18 PM

Quote from: luvrbus on March 30, 2011, 05:52:14 PM
That is not a Eagle setup,they run the wire from the solenoid to a relay in the rear the power from the switch activates the relay he should be able to run a wire from the hot side of the solenoid to the output terminal on the alternator then he should have a ignition terminal on the alternator 2 hot terminals he should lift off.
I am thinking they wired from the solenoid through the original charging relay because he has good voltage on the battery side of the isolator and only a 1/2 volt coming from the alternator side of the isolator and that is just leaking from the battery side of the isolator
It is going to be a simple fix they always are just to make you look dumb happens to me all the time lol

good luck

Could it be the isolator that is bad and couldn't he just connect the alternator cable direct to the Battery 1 cable to see if it is charging that way? I have a 12v and a 24v belt driven on my MCI and I have 1 hot cable that goes from the alternator direct to the Battery on each. and thats it.

thejumpsuitman · March 30, 2011, 06:25:21 PM

Quote from: robertglines1 on March 30, 2011, 06:21:57 PM
where does the white wire go?? Does it have BATT stamped in the Alternator housing

I think the white wire might go to an idiot light inside. The idiot light is hooked up to the wrong lens, so "low air" comes on which I think was supposed to say "No Charge".

Van · March 30, 2011, 06:26:05 PM

Start at the batts ( both banks)1st, Voltage and holding a charge? Next as was mentioned, cables and connections, I'm sure DD disconnected the Batts before starting work (good safety practice to remember by the way

) and did the hookup (hopefully) after wards, and check for bad leads as they have a way of hiding inside the heavy insulation as I just found out last week. Battery cut off switches leading to the isolator/starter and rear elec box. this should get you going in the right direction, and usually leads to the fault some where along the line. good luck and keep us posted as to what you find. Good luck!

Van

dickegler · March 30, 2011, 06:34:47 PM

Clifford and Cable are on the right track

Down and dirty is to hook 12 volt ignition source to the top terminal (currently empty). the terminals where the wires are presently landed is the relay terminal.

don't have any idea if the relay wire is used or not. hard to tell how the po wired it.

well crap, the picture is upside down may have to stand on your head to view correctly.

dick egler

gus · March 30, 2011, 06:51:28 PM

You can always go directly from the starter cable post to the large +12v post on the alt and run a smaller wire from that to the exciter terminal - but as posted, you will need to be able to switch the smaller wire off when parked. You don't need a real heavy cable to do this unless you have a really heavy charging load.

thejumpsuitman · March 30, 2011, 06:58:02 PM

So can I jump the large alternator cable to the battery side of the isolator? If so, do I need to find an ignition wire to connect with the empty terminal?

dickegler · March 30, 2011, 07:03:24 PM

you need to connect 12 volts to the unused terminal. I,m wondering if the Willliams tech, hooked the red wire to the wrong terminal.

is it possible the red wire is switched by the pressure switch shown in the picture.

If you jump from the bat terminal to the unused terminal on the alternator, it should charge. I would remove the wires on the other post before trying.

when you shut down the bus, just disconnect the jumper.

should get you home.

Tom Y · March 30, 2011, 07:05:50 PM

Like Gus said, Just brush a 12v source to the large term on the alt. This will excite it and as long as you keep it running you should be able to remove it. I called Delco remy tech support on one of their alts before and asked if it would self excite and 2 of the engineers said yes. NO it would not, so much for tech support. Tom Y

thejumpsuitman · March 30, 2011, 07:10:36 PM

I called Williams and asked if they did anything with the alternator. The mechanic assured me they had no reason to go near it. So the way it is wired is the way it has been since leaving Texas. It charged fine up till now... What would have changed and how was it working correctly if wired wrong?