Electrical and Fuel System Modifications for safety.

[uncle_bob]

Originally Posted by choctawmel

....... With 3 dead batteries it took out the alternator before we got home.

Hi

Most shops have some *really* big battery chargers. They will (if turned all the way up) put a couple hundred amps of charge current into the batteries. The gotcha is that they need a pretty hefty AC circuit to keep them happy.

The application (as you have found) is recharging "big" battery setups so that folks can get back on the road. Without the boost, yes, the alternator will fry at some point down the road. If three batteries works out to ~500AH of capacity, even with one of those monsters doing the job, it'll take ~4 hours to be ready to roll down the road.

Bob

[choctawmel]

Originally Posted by uncle_bob

Hi

Most shops have some *really* big battery chargers. They will (if turned all the way up) put a couple hundred amps of charge current into the batteries. The gotcha is that they need a pretty hefty AC circuit to keep them happy.

The application (as you have found) is recharging "big" battery setups so that folks can get back on the road. Without the boost, yes, the alternator will fry at some point down the road. If three batteries works out to ~500AH of capacity, even with one of those monsters doing the job, it'll take ~4 hours to be ready to roll down the road.

Bob

If I recall, they had it running when we got back from lunch. I could hear the alternator belt all the way home from Ft. Worth (to Choctaw). Had it rebuilt and it worked till I ungraded to the Cummins.

[uncle_bob]

Originally Posted by choctawmel

If I recall, they had it running when we got back from lunch. I could hear the alternator belt all the way home from Ft. Worth (to Choctaw). Had it rebuilt and it worked till I ungraded to the Cummins.

Hi

Well, if you ever get into this situation again, find a big charger and run it for at least 4 hours before you let the alternator do it's thing for a long period of time. A minute or three starting the engine and making sure it runs is not usually what kills them. It's the long haul putting out a lot of current forever and ever.

(There *are* other ways to kill them ... back at ...umm ...errr ... we ran a "load dump" test and then put them in the box. For whatever reason, there was no "full load" test after that load dump. Surprise !!! the load dump blew more than a few diodes ..... ummm .... errr ... )

Bob