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charging issues with generator

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by rocknrolldaddy, Apr 10, 2013.

  1. rocknrolldaddy
    Joined: Aug 24, 2006
    Posts: 336

    rocknrolldaddy
    Member

    A few years ago, I rewired and converted the '54 Dodge Royal form 6V positive ground, to standard 12V. It charges at about 12.6v at idle, and around 14.3 at higher rpms. If the car doesn't run for more than 2 weeks, the battery will die. I took it back to the guy that converted the gen to 12v, he said there's nothing wrong with it. He then asked if I was running a stereo and amplifier, and that IT could be draining the battery. I removed the amp when I moved back to Cali but still had the same problem. I even pulled out the stereo and bought a new battery since I the problem wouldn't go away. But, the problem is still there.

    A friend recommended to hide a capacitor somewhere. He thinks I don't drive it enough to keep the battery fully charged. I didn't have time to have him explain how it all works. He said custom cars with multiple amplifiers and fancy electronic crap, run capacitors to lighten the load on the battery.

    The reason I haven't gone to an Alternator is that, my generator, also runs as a power steering pump. I also like how it looks. :D

    Anybody running capacitors in their ride? Or, am I over looking something?
     
  2. You replaced the battery, still have the problem I suspect a draw. Take one of your cables off and put a test light between the cable and post if its lit you have a draw. bad ground- short etc. then pull your fuses one at a time to find the source.
     
  3. F&J
    Joined: Apr 5, 2007
    Posts: 13,222

    F&J
    Member

    You need to check for a parasitic draw when the car is off.

    Get a $5 multi-meter from HF, and take off one battery cable connection...run the meter on "volts DC" and put one probe to that battery post, and the other to the cable you took off.

    It should read zero. If you don't check for a draw, you are wasting time with gadgets added on.

    Do this first.
     
  4. Dane
    Joined: May 6, 2010
    Posts: 1,351

    Dane
    Member
    from Soquel, CA

    That's your problem. You need at least 13.2 at idle. Can you adjust the voltage regulator? If not what about messing with pulley sizes?
     

  5. F&J
    Joined: Apr 5, 2007
    Posts: 13,222

    F&J
    Member


    He has a problem with dead battery after sitting.

    Idle voltage has nothing to do with solving his problem
     
  6. BootleggerMatt
    Joined: Aug 17, 2011
    Posts: 258

    BootleggerMatt
    Member

    Yup, and generators don't really charge at idle, they have to be spun up before they work. Easiest way to check for a short, like others have said, disconnect the negative cable, put a test light between the post and cable, if the light comes on you got something drawing current. I like the light rather than a meter for this because its simple and you can watch it from the other side of the car as you mess with things.
     
  7. rocknrolldaddy
    Joined: Aug 24, 2006
    Posts: 336

    rocknrolldaddy
    Member

    Thanks, guys. I'll try the disconnecting the cable test first. Can anything still be drawing current if nothing electrical (radio, courtesy light, etc....) is hooked up? I have all the basics, head and tail lights, brake, signal and dash lights, but that's about it. I've never adjusted a regulator, is that easy to figure out? And I certainly never thought about pulley sizes. Learn something new every day.
     
  8. tommy
    Joined: Mar 3, 2001
    Posts: 14,757

    tommy
    Member Emeritus

    14.3Vs at high rpm means that there is nothing wrong with your generator.

    I have had batteries that "wont hold a charge" Charge them up and they go dead with no load. Only cure for that is a new battery Batteries are expensive now. We would use a dieing battery for weeks before we finally bit the bullet. Jump start it in gear and keep on truckin.
     
    Last edited: Apr 10, 2013
  9. blackcreek
    Joined: Apr 3, 2013
    Posts: 22

    blackcreek
    Member

    Generators do not charge at low rpm. You need at least 14.4 volts to keep your battery charged. This is the main reason alternators replaced the old ineffiecient generator voltage regulator set up. Did you ever notice on older gen/reg equipped cars at uidle the lites were very dim rev it up and you can see. Unless you have a period correct nos matching etc restore convert to a single wire alternator. If you must have a gen use a smaller pulley to increase the gen rpms; this also can be a cause of the gen overcharging and melting the solder from the armature windings. You can also install a rheostat into the field circuit to the voltage regulator to increase charge rate but you can also overcookthe whole works by doing this.
     
  10. F&J
    Joined: Apr 5, 2007
    Posts: 13,222

    F&J
    Member

    This is nonsense; where did you learn that?





    This is a blanket statement. It does not apply to all factory generator equipped cars. My daily has a 12v gen, it puts out 14.2 at idle. Idle speed is 800. It also has EFI...all factory equipped.





    This is the hamb. Period hot rods & Customs are what this site was built for. BTW, one wire alts are nowhere near as precise as standard alternators. This one wire advice is just to make the installation "easy"....just like s10 frame swaps...easy, so easy...but not the best solution.
     
  11. tommy
    Joined: Mar 3, 2001
    Posts: 14,757

    tommy
    Member Emeritus

    Modern people don't understand how a generator and a regulator work, When you start an engine you drain the battery. The amp gauge will show a big charge at speed until the battery is back up to full charge. (That is what battery tenders are for in the winter.)

    Generators do charge at idle unless you are running at night with the heater blowing full blast. The generator is just not putting out enough for the load but it is charging. As soon as you pull away from the light the ammeter will show that the rate of charge will go up for a block or two until it replaces what was drained. The needle of the amp gauge will rest on the charge side of the scale. It's not an all or nothing thing. The RPM of the armature determines the out put that is regulated by the regulator.
     
  12. Petejoe
    Joined: Nov 27, 2002
    Posts: 12,264

    Petejoe
    Member
    from Zoar, Ohio

    You should also have a battery shutoff on your car when it is setting. Don't learn the hard way. You have a battery drain find it and fix it. Simple.
    Too may people here spend too much time on keyboards and not enough time in the garage. I've never heard so much hogwash in my life.
     
  13. BootleggerMatt
    Joined: Aug 17, 2011
    Posts: 258

    BootleggerMatt
    Member

    Haha, I got a chuckle from the decimal points. I don't know the exact volts you need to charge a battery, but it doesn't sound like its a charging issue anyway guys. He said the battery doesn't die until its been sitting about two weeks. Definetely a slow current draw somewhere.
     

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