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Volt Gauge On Dash

Yahoo Message Number: 15391
While we were in Florida, the red light on the volt gauge came on just as we were pulling into the campground in St. Augustine. I left the coach running while I went to check-in. After checking in I had to move the coach foreward to take the car off. Being a creature of habit, I turned the coach off. When I went to restart I had nothing. Even using the house battery helper switch didn't help. We called our roadside service and they sent a mobile truck repair service out. He got us started and checked out the system and determined we needed a new battery. They installed a new on for us and everything is fine except that now my voltmeter is reading slightly below 12 volts and with the lights and wipers on seems to be about 11 volts. I know someone has some answers for me. Thanks.

John and Merilee Flynn
99 Intrigue 10877

02 Jeep grand Cherokee

Re: Volt Gauge On Dash

Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 15394
John,

Was that the original battery which came with the coach? I am still using my original chassis battery and in cold weather....20 degrees of or I have to use the boost switch to get help from house batteries to start. What brand of battery did you replace the old one with?
Ray

2000 Intrigue 11040

Quote from: tjf2000us
While we were in Florida, the red light on the volt gauge came on > just as we were pulling into the campground in St. Augustine. I > left the coach running while I went to check-in. After checking

in

Quote
I had to move the coach foreward to take the car off. Being a > creature of habit, I turned the coach off. When I went to restart

I

Quote
had nothing. Even using the house battery helper switch didn't > help. We called our roadside service and they sent a mobile truck > repair service out. He got us started and checked out the system > and determined we needed a new battery. They installed a new on

for

Quote
us and everything is fine except that now my voltmeter is reading > slightly below 12 volts and with the lights and wipers on seems to > be about 11 volts. I know someone has some answers for me.

Thanks.

Re: Volt Gauge On Dash

Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 15395
Ray,

Yes it was the original battery. The new one is an Interstate.
John and Merilee Flynn
99 Intrigue 10877

02 Jeep Grand Cherokee

Re: Volt Gauge On Dash

Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 15396
John,

The red gauge light would indicate the engine alternator is not producing enough current to charge the battery or a bad connection to the battery. Did the service guy check the alternator?

Another possibility is the new battery was not fully charged. The voltmeter should begin to rise soon after starting the engine. It could take an hour or more to reach the "normal" voltage depending on the initial charge level and how many other things are using alternator current, such as headlights, wipers, fans, etc. It can take 24 to 48 hours of "float" charging from your echo charger while on shore power to bring the new battery up to it's full capacity.
If the dash gauge continues to drop after engine startup, I would be checking the alternator, it's drive belt tension, voltage regulator, brushes, battery cable terminals, etc.

Dave

2000 Allure 36'

#30444 Blt. Sept. 99
2004 Honda Pilot

tjf2000us wrote:

Re: Volt Gauge On Dash

Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 15398
I'd have the alternator checked - first for a loose wire and then for output voltage.
Dave

'98 Allure 36 #30187 (currently for sale)

Quote from: tjf2000us

Re: Volt Gauge On Dash

Reply #5 –
Yahoo Message Number: 15401
John,

You might want to check your chassis manual. It has the process for checking the alternator's output. I haven't done mine for awhile, but I just followed the chassis manual procedure. It also gives you the acceptable range. Just takes a vom & is pretty simple.

Hope this helps..............
Steve

Intrigue #10673

Re: Volt Gauge On Dash

Reply #6 –
Yahoo Message Number: 15404
john do you only have one chassis battery? If not you need to replace the secound batt as soon as possible elsewise youl have two batts that are only as good as the older batt.

Ron

Innovative CoachWorks Inc.

Re: Volt Gauge On Dash

Reply #7 –
Yahoo Message Number: 15419
I concur. With the engine running you should read at least 13.5 volts at the dash. Have your alternator checked if you don't know how to do it yourself.
Mike

'95 Intrigue 10061

Quote from: Dave Hills\[br\
]
John,

The red gauge light would indicate the engine alternator is not > producing enough current to charge the battery or a bad connection

to

Quote
the battery. Did the service guy check the alternator? >

Another possibility is the new battery was not fully charged. The > voltmeter should begin to rise soon after starting the engine. It

could

Quote
take an hour or more to reach the "normal" voltage depending on

the

Quote
initial charge level and how many other things are using

alternator

Quote
current, such as headlights, wipers, fans, etc. It can take 24 to

48

Quote
hours of "float" charging from your echo charger while on shore

power to

Quote
bring the new battery up to it's full capacity.

If the dash gauge continues to drop after engine startup, I would

be

Quote
checking the alternator, it's drive belt tension, voltage

regulator,

Quote
brushes, battery cable terminals, etc.

Dave

2000 Allure 36'

#30444 Blt. Sept. 99
2004 Honda Pilot

tjf2000us wrote:

>While we were in Florida, the red light on the volt gauge came on > >just as we were pulling into the campground in St. Augustine. I > >left the coach running while I went to check-in. After checking

in

Quote
I had to move the coach foreward to take the car off. Being a > >creature of habit, I turned the coach off. When I went to

restart I

Quote
had nothing. Even using the house battery helper switch didn't > >help. We called our roadside service and they sent a mobile

truck

Quote
repair service out. He got us started and checked out the system > >and determined we needed a new battery. They installed a new on

for

Quote
us and everything is fine except that now my voltmeter is reading > >slightly below 12 volts and with the lights and wipers on seems

to

Quote
be about 11 volts. I know someone has some answers for me.

Thanks.

Re: Volt Gauge On Dash

Reply #8 –
Yahoo Message Number: 15420
One more thing....You might check your ignition relay. It is most likely under the dash behind the panel on the passenger side. Mine went bad and my voltmeter was all over. Others on this board have had the same problem. So if your battery is sitting in the mid to high 12 volt range and your alt is putting out 13.5ish volts then put a VOM across that relay. It should read near zero ohms resistance. Anything more and it's bad. Easy fix....just a Ford starter relay.

Good luck
Mike

95 Intrigue 10061

Quote from: faa_engineer
>

I concur. With the engine running you should read at least 13.5 > volts at the dash. Have your alternator checked if you don't know > how to do it yourself.

Mike

'95 Intrigue 10061

[quote author=Dave Hills

> John,
>

> The red gauge light would indicate the engine alternator is not > > producing enough current to charge the battery or a bad

connection

Quote
to

> the battery. Did the service guy check the alternator? > >

> Another possibility is the new battery was not fully charged.

The

Quote
voltmeter should begin to rise soon after starting the engine.

It

Quote
could

> take an hour or more to reach the "normal" voltage depending on > the

> initial charge level and how many other things are using > alternator

> current, such as headlights, wipers, fans, etc. It can take 24

to

Quote
48

> hours of "float" charging from your echo charger while on shore > power to

> bring the new battery up to it's full capacity.
>

> If the dash gauge continues to drop after engine startup, I

would

Quote
be

> checking the alternator, it's drive belt tension, voltage > regulator,

> brushes, battery cable terminals, etc.
>

> Dave

> 2000 Allure 36'

> #30444 Blt. Sept. 99
> 2004 Honda Pilot
>
>

> tjf2000us wrote:
>

> >While we were in Florida, the red light on the volt gauge came

on

Quote
>just as we were pulling into the campground in St. Augustine.

I

Quote
>left the coach running while I went to check-in. After

checking

Quote
in

> >I had to move the coach foreward to take the car off. Being a > > >creature of habit, I turned the coach off. When I went to > restart I

> >had nothing. Even using the house battery helper switch didn't > > >help. We called our roadside service and they sent a mobile > truck

> >repair service out. He got us started and checked out the

system

Quote
>and determined we needed a new battery. They installed a new

on

Quote
for

> >us and everything is fine except that now my voltmeter is

reading

Re: Volt Gauge On Dash

Reply #9 –
Yahoo Message Number: 15426
Thanks for the tips. Will be in Tucson in a couple of days. Will get it checked.

John and Merilee Flynn
99 Intrigue 10877

02 Jeep Grand Cherokee

Re: Volt Gauge On Dash

Reply #10 –
Yahoo Message Number: 28703
Steve,

I have a new to me 97 Intigue and have some sort of issue with the alternator. We ran to town to fill the fuel tank and the voltmeter was showing y=under 12 ....then under 11.....I might have an alternator problem.

Is it possible to get a brief procedure for checking the alternator.
I have no manuals for the coach, but CC is working on some for me.
Any help on the altenrator check procedure would be appreciated.

Thanks
Tom

97 Intrigue 10468

Quote from: rheavn
John,

You might want to check your chassis manual. It has the process > for checking the alternator's output. I haven't done mine for

awhile,
 

Re: Volt Gauge On Dash

Reply #11 –
Yahoo Message Number: 28712
If you just need a quick and dirty check here's what I have done in the past.

Using a VOM, check the voltage across the chassis battery, with the engine turned off, and as little of a load on the battery as possible. You'll probably get about 12.0VDC to 13.5VDC reading depending on the state of the battery.

Then, start the engine and put on fast idle. Again measure the voltage across the chassis battery. If the alternator is working the reading should go up to about 14.2-14.5 VDC.

Once you receive the manuals, they give a more complete way to test the alternators.

If your gauges are "bouncing" around, check the wiring to the gauges, and the connections on the alternator.

Hope this is helpful

Ray and Rue

05 Allure 31176.

- In Country-Coach-Owners@yahoogroups.com, "sandydepottey" wrote:

Quote
Steve,

I have a new to me 97 Intigue and have some sort of issue with the > alternator. We ran to town to fill the fuel tank and the voltmeter > was showing y=under 12 ....then under 11.....I might have an > alternator problem.

Is it possible to get a brief procedure for checking the

alternator.

Quote
I have no manuals for the coach, but CC is working on some for me.
Any help on the altenrator check procedure would be appreciated.

Thanks

Tom

97 Intrigue 10468

[quote author=rheavn"

>
>

> John,

> You might want to check your chassis manual. It has the

process

Quote
for checking the alternator's output. I haven't done mine for > awhile,

> but I just followed the chassis manual procedure. It also gives

you