Hi Guys,

               O.K.  WT modification and did the 150 Amp circuit breaker modification 6 months ago followed up with the Fuse in the field wire.  Got in the truck and drove to the post office 98 deg. AC on full.  Come out of the post office and cell phone charger is flashing Low voltage.  Volt meter is to 0.  Stop get out and reset the circuit breaker, it had tripped.  Get on to freeway and drive to next town for dentist app.  Bam the voltage drops to 0.  Pull over after getting off the freeway, reset circuit breaker.  Turn off the AC, roll the windows down.  Start Truck and we get 14 volts.  Drive for a bit and the Faulty gauge idiot light comes on, still haven't fixed the oil pressure sending unit.  90 seconds later the volt meter is diving.  12.5 12.3  12.1  Bam 0  Breaker reset.  Made it home after the dentist.

 

So did I blow a diode pack or what.  This is a rebuilt Alt that has worked perfect until today. 

 

TIA

Michael

Hey int3man, do you have your own volt meter? I'm wondering at what level the AC ripple is.

 

I know M73M always says, ''take it out and have it tested on a test stand'', but if you have a good volt meter what is the benefit if you can test it yourself? And the guys down at Oreilly's still say, ''Huh'' when I ask to test for AC voltage level. They still don't understand the importance.

 

My experience is limited so I have to ask..... wouldn't a poorly grounded alternator charge at higher rates? Often they ground thru the mount bracket and as W-T pointed out, that connection is often weak from rust and corrosion. IBMobile and me run a wire ground from the Alt casing/ frame to battery neg. I was reading some benefits to that years ago.

Hi All,

            So truck no start this morning.  I put the trickle charger on it (10 Amps) and went off in the wife's car.  Came home and it was still sucking down 3 amps.  Found the clamp-on Amp meter and fired up the truck.  At idle the Alternator was putting 23 amps out.  Turned on the AC to Max and output jumped to 46 amps.  Still short of the 150 amps that is tripping the breaker.  So I'm going to extend the wires to the Clamp on so that I can drive the truck and measure the Amp output.  Drive the truck and see what is what.

 

Any other suggestions?

 

Michael

 

Oh the Test stand did not have an amp meter it just reported the min / max voltage dumped into a carbon load I assume.

Alt Bad Ground:  Voltmeter has never indicated an issue until this event. rock solid.  I have a Phone charger that is also a Digital volt meter that runs the Quadzilla tablet.  Always 13.9 +.

Edited July 18, 20195 yr by int3man

11 hours ago, int3man said:

Oh the Test stand did not have an amp meter it just reported the min / max voltage dumped into a carbon load I assume.

 

Need a another test shop. New test stands report max voltage, max amperage, max AC ripple, and even a sine wave of the ripple. Most NAPA stores have a quality test stand.

O.K.  Fully charged Batteries.  Truck running 14-19 amps 13.9 volts.  A.C. on Max 33 amps  13.9 volts  Brake lights No A.C. 23 amps 13.9 volts.

 

So I have to agree with Mopar1973Man that too high of a heat area, in front of the battery.  I will be carrying tools so that I can bypass circuit breaker in the future.  And if it continues to false trip I'll replace it with a Brand name Chinese Resettable circuit breaker!!

 

Thanks 

Michael

@JAG1 had told me about resettable circuit breakers tripping falsely so I put something like this in with a 150A fuse mounted to the right battery tray.

 

Like myself and @mr.obvious both have the circuit breaker and mounted behind the passenger batter neither is having an issue. Same manufacture as well I've already seen 106°F summer day in traffic and no issues as of yet. 

18 hours ago, IBMobile said:

@JAG1 had told me about resettable circuit breakers tripping falsely so I put something like this in with a 150A fuse mounted to the right battery tray.

 

Yes my search showed that one breaker tested, a 150 amp breaker was tripping at just 75 amps. Others wrote in and said a couple other brands were tripping at lower than the rated amps as well. I trust Blue Sea Systems fuses so went with that instead. So far so good on both trucks I have

I opted away from fuses. If you have something go wrong and it blows you got to carry a few extras. At least a resettable circuit breaker you can at least reset many times over. I've seen the old 140A stock fuse blow and some just rotted away or cracked. Fun is when you look and the fuse looks fine but actually its cracked.

1 hour ago, Mopar1973Man said:

I opted away from fuses. If you have something go wrong and it blows you got to carry a few extras. At least a resettable circuit breaker you can at least reset many times over. I've seen the old 140A stock fuse blow and some just rotted away or cracked. Fun is when you look and the fuse looks fine but actually its cracked.

No fun is when you spend a week in freezing weather, out doors, troubleshooting your nephews Toyota Station wagon.  Only to finally learn that the Fuel Pump relay gets it's power from the Rear Defroster fuse.  That was a chore.

 

Michael

1 hour ago, Mopar1973Man said:

I opted away from fuses. If you have something go wrong and it blows you got to carry a few extras. At least a resettable circuit breaker you can at least reset many times over. I've seen the old 140A stock fuse blow and some just rotted away or cracked. Fun is when you look and the fuse looks fine but actually its cracked.

Okay now.... argument starting here today .......Now them fuses have a big enough gauge link to see the burnt / melted part. And them breakers the more often you reset them things the more apt they are to trip. In other words, the more often it trips the lower the amp rating they become.

 

Also carrying extra fuses in the glove box, it still has enough room to have your factory operators manual. 

I put mine on the firewall. Hasn’t tripped yet.  

 

4 hours ago, JAG1 said:

Also carrying extra fuses in the glove box, it still has enough room to have your factory operators manual. 

and a Colt 1911

 

I have the same fuse set up in my 5th wheel between the batteries and a power invertor; 15 years now and no problems. 

You carry spare fuses for the two fuse boxes so carry one more fuse for the alternator, not hard to do.

 

@Threadzy I like the fuse block and where you put it

Edited July 19, 20195 yr by IBMobile

@Threadzy 

 

Clean install. That spot is taken on my truck with the exhaust brake control valve. 

 

 

Didn’t like my Quadzilla being hardwired into the battery. Running a 5 amp fuse for it now. If I have to jumpstart anyone I can pull the fuse. Much simpler.