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Sat Dec 06, 2003 3:41 pm

Well this is a little hard to explain without a photo but I'll try.My charging set-up consists of a solenoid and isolator,my prob is that my batteries are not charging right or they seem to be draing on one.I've heard this can happen on initial start up with the solenoid switch in the wrong position.I just recently found the switch he had hiiden in the engine compartment.I checked my batteries yesterday for charging and they where both getting equal charge at the same time.I'm wondering that we only really do short drives 5-10 minutes around town and this type of set up does not allow the starter battery to charge up enough or there is something wrong elsewhere.It is a brand new isolator in there,the solenoid is most likely ten years old from PO.Should the set-up be giving more current to the starter batt. and then once its at full charge move on to the aux.It's weird cause I went for a small cruise last night and I have a AC gauge with switch to show the batt. levels and they were reading 12.5M an 11.5 AUX then this morning the aux was dead and main at 12.I'll attempt to post a pic sorry for goin on so long...If someone has a similar set-up or anyone has input that would be great thanx Mike.

Sat Dec 06, 2003 7:40 pm

Assuming that you have a '73 Bus, as I think I read on your post at the bottom, I can tell you that these alternators can lose a diode and keep on charging enough to keep the alternator warning lamp off, but still do an inadequate job charging one battery, not to mention two. Get both batteries charged with a trickle charger, 24 hours at one amp, do a load test on the batteries at Auto Zone or any flap, and if the batteries are both declared healthy, you might want to investigate your alternator output. My stock alternator was not able to maintain a charge with only short local trips. My new stock alternator, 55ah, can.
Colin

Sat Dec 06, 2003 7:48 pm

Colin,I know for sure that both batteries are good and today I went to the garage and they put the multimeter on both batts and they were getting about 13.2-+,when we reved up the engine up to about13.8.And yes its a 73 bus but many mods especially the electrical,it's owner from from b4 the previous was an electrical engineer with alot of time on his hands looks like.Is it necessary for a solenoid and isolator do you know?

Sat Dec 06, 2003 7:51 pm

It is a good idea, and accepted practice with two batteries. Why do you have two batteries?
Colin

Sat Dec 06, 2003 8:11 pm

Because the bus is fully camperized,not only that it has every possible gadget you could think of,including a microwave!!It has every possible gauge goin,with switches in every area of the bus ,you can be lying in bed and turn on/off the interior lights,front and rear floods and stereo,same thing when the bech seat is up at a different local,and a pop down roof/dash with everything there,oil pressure,water temp,for the hot water tank!,AC gauge with switch for both main and aux,driver control unit for everything from eta and all that AMP gauge for alt and batts,There is also a 12V converter,funky blue running lights placed around floor of bus,there is a block heater,added aux blower for heat,uuuummmmmmmm...ya and a couple other things as well,if I can figure out what to do to post a pic on here I'll show ya.

Sat Dec 06, 2003 8:37 pm

Well here the set-up,the main batt is out right now being charged,the middle prong on the iso is the alt coneection and that is going on the pos terminal of the main batt,I just put it there to try and see if that was the prob,but it did not solve things.

Sat Dec 06, 2003 8:42 pm

Sat Dec 06, 2003 8:47 pm

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Sat Dec 06, 2003 8:48 pm

Ok I give up for now,but if you want to see the iso/solenoid combo its in the gallery,under 68 and up camper

Sat Dec 06, 2003 10:58 pm

Couldn't they fit any more wires in there?

Mon Dec 08, 2003 11:15 pm

Mike,

Anything electrical in the bus and I am hooked. I have done alot of work on my bus in that area. I think I may be able to help. I can send some pics and diagrams if your interested, but here are some basics that may help to solve your problems. If you understand the why, its easy to figure out the how (wiring) part. There are a few key issues you need to understand while charging a battery, especially a deep cycle batter used for camping. Two things to charge a battery correctly. 14.5+ volts and a consistent flow. Most chargers aim for almost 17volts of charging and assume some voltage drop along the way before it gets regulated and sent to the battery around 15. I have an generator in mine, but the principle is the same. My regulator supplies the consitent voltage I need, which shouldn't be the problem. What is most likely the problem is that you are not going to get enough voltage to the batteries. I switched out the puny 8guage wiring from my generator to 2 OT. I run that wire from the generator to the regulator then onto my isolator, which is 90amp throughput and then onto the batteries, all 2 OT. My generator can only output 38amps so I dont get a whole lot of power to them. My house battery is now a spare spare house battery but is hooked up to my generator for charging.

So, rip out the crappy wiring from the alternator through to the batteries and put in something larger. This will help cut down on voltage drop and increase your charging power. I haven't had a problem since I did this, although it takes forever to charge completely once Ive drained it. My battery has a usable 110Amp Hours (AH) which means at ~10AH of charge its gonna take me at least 11hrs to charge the house batter.

What I have done to solve all my battery woes is put in an 80W solar panel that charges two 6V batteries set in series (which almost doubles the usable AH's). The batteries (Trojan T105's) could last two weeks on their own running my fridge, lights and stereo!