Heinz in Sacramento-2

[dave mumert]

Hi Heinz

A battery should be charged at up to 2.5 volts per cell, or 15 volts for a
12 volt battery.
(charge voltages vary according to battery types, see Hawker Energy page
www.hepi.com for details)

It could be that you have a shorted cell in your battery which will tend to
force the voltage to 2.5 X 5 = 12.5 volts, your alternater will still try to
get the voltage up to 13.8-14.5 volts by producing large amounts of current.
A good battery should sit at about 13 volts when it is not being charged.
If yours is 11 volts it likely has a shorted cell.

Dave Mumert
dave

- -----Original Message-----
From: heinz
To: gmcmotorhome
Date: Monday, March 15, 1999 9:36 AM
Subject: GMC: Heinz in Sacramento-2

>Sorry about the extra fluff. I sent this yesterday but it either went out
wrong format or is lost in cyberspace. Hope it's the latter
>
>Made it, but not out of the woods yet.
>
>Best output I can get out of my spare Alt is about 12.5 volts, which I
don't think is enough to charge battery. It's outputting 75 amps. Not sure
where it's all going, though I do have PC running, etc.
>
>Could be my batteries are shot... they been in there a couple of years.
>
>Going to start taking stuff off-line tomorrow as well as go shopping for a
'new' alternator, if they still make 'em that is. (100 amp).
>
>Just thought I'd drop a note in case anyone was wondering if I was on the
side of the road somewheres
>
>Heinz
>
>
>
>
>

 

[thomas g. warner]

You are reading the voltage across the battery terminals more or less. If
you are putting out 75A than you have a voltage drop inside the battery that
is reducing voltage from approx 13.2 volts. If you have more than one
battery connected disconnect one of them and find which one is the culprit.

>Sorry about the extra fluff. I sent this yesterday but it either went out
wrong format or is lost in cyberspace. Hope it's the latter
>
>Made it, but not out of the woods yet.
>
>Best output I can get out of my spare Alt is about 12.5 volts, which I
don't think is enough to charge battery. It's outputting 75 amps. Not sure
where it's all going, though I do have PC running, etc.
>
>Could be my batteries are shot... they been in there a couple of years.
>
>Going to start taking stuff off-line tomorrow as well as go shopping for a
'new' alternator, if they still make 'em that is. (100 amp).
>
>Just thought I'd drop a note in case anyone was wondering if I was on the
side of the road somewheres
>
>Heinz
>
>
>
>
>
Tom & Marg Warner
Vernon Center NY
1976 palmbeach

 

[mr.c]

Heinz... I found out that one time, my batteries in the back got low on water. The alternator nuts trying to charge them and thus the front battery suffered. You might want to check and see that all
your fluids are OK.
Al Chernoff

> Sorry about the extra fluff. I sent this yesterday but it either went out wrong format or is lost in cyberspace. Hope it's the latter
>
> Made it, but not out of the woods yet.
>
> Best output I can get out of my spare Alt is about 12.5 volts, which I don't think is enough to charge battery. It's outputting 75 amps. Not sure where it's all going, though I do have PC running, etc.
>
> Could be my batteries are shot... they been in there a couple of years.
>
> Going to start taking stuff off-line tomorrow as well as go shopping for a 'new' alternator, if they still make 'em that is. (100 amp).
>
> Just thought I'd drop a note in case anyone was wondering if I was on the side of the road somewheres
>
> Heinz