New member & new M1079

[poultrydoc]

I joined SS a while back while researching a 1079 purchase. After 2 years of searching we finally pulled the trigger and bought a '98 model out of Fort Hood with less than 5K miles on it.
To all of you frequent posters - many thanks! Your help has been extremely valuable and I look forward to learning more.
A little background info about the 1079 and trailer - my best friend and I are avid fisherman and our preferred stomping ground is the TX coast. We compete annually in a catch and release shark tournament (www.sharkathon.com) and have won several times. With those winnings we first bought the M1101 almost two years ago and I built the custom aluminum fishing platform that's mounted on it. This year we bought the 1079 and now the possibilities are endless, as long as diesel is cheap.
We have plans to add the A/C kit to the van - does anyone have any experience with this kit. I haven't seen one on any of the surplus sites...
The truck is great shape for the most part. However, the alternator is only throwing ~23 volts (one red LED lit - haven't had the chance to TS yet) and I've got a short in the lights somewhere - no head lights or marker lights. In the fuse/breaker box I put the volt meter on the 12V and 24V posts on the left hand side and I'm getting 23V on both... Thoughts???
This is a pic from this weekend - the maiden voyage with my daughter and fishing partner!

 

[mkcoen]

Welcome from the San Antonio area. Can't help with the specific questions but hope to see you at some of the area events.

 

[Suprman]

Possibly batteries wired wrong. 24 volts on the 12 volt side is probably causing your issues. Don't run the truck until it's resolved. Battery diagram should be on the inside of the batt box cover. Then make sure someone didn't switch the 12 and 24 volt outputs at the alternator. Seen that before. Pull up the power panel make sure nothing shorted across the power wires coming up to the panel. The panel has breakers for the different circuits but there isn't any protection up to there so be careful or disconnect the batts prior.

 

[poultrydoc]

When I picked the truck up it only had two (not OEM) batteries wired in series. It fired right up and I didn't think twice until I got home and started checking things out. The voltage reading was reading ~23V from the time i picked it up (it shows up on the auction site pics). On the third or fourth short trip all of a sudden the transmission readout was showing a flashing 'X' and not shifting and the CTIS lights were flashing. Turns out one of the batteries failed. A couple days later I dropped the cash and bought 4 new 6TLs. I had to have two linker cables made custom to tie them all together, as the extras weren't left behind. When I finished the install it fired right up. I'm pretty certain I have them all wired in per the diagram, but maybe I have something wrong. In any case, I'll check the alternator too and run through the TS. Hopefully it's a simple fix. If there's no 12V and only 24V power would that explain the the headlight breaker tripping?
Looking forward to meeting up with the folks in the San Antonio area, we actually keep the truck at my buddies in Canyon Lake.

 

[mkcoen]

I'm actually just south of Canyon Lake in Spring Branch. If you want to bring the truck over to my place we can compare things side by side. One of the big things a lot of guys are finding is that the circuit breakers and relays are in the wrong spots. You can check the CB cover against what is actually in the slots to make sure things weren't swapped or pulled and just put back any place they felt like sticking them (12v CBs in 24v slots or vice versa). Knowing someone who is handy with a multi-meter (I'm not that guy) with these trucks is invaluable.

 

[Suprman]

If there is no 12 volt the truck wont work. 24 volts on the 12 volt side will trip breakers and cause damage. Something is wired wrong. There are 2 24 volt leads one direct to the starter one to the protective box under the spare tire then going into the cab to the panel. 12 volt lead comes from between the two battery banks. It's easy to accidentally tie that into 24 volts if the bridging cable is missing. Closest to the frame is 24volt. So the 12 volt goes to the protective box them into the cab to the panel.

 

[poultrydoc]

Cypress pass rd? Our truck is actually in Spring Branch and my buddy made the comment he has a neighbor with a 1078...
I misspoke earlier - my in laws have a place in canyon lake

 

[mkcoen]

Grand Oaks Dr in Cypress Springs Subdivision

 

[coachgeo]

Go with what Superman says........ Check to make sure 12 and 24v is wired properly so you don't burn something up.

UPDATE: Ignore my below comment. His AC questions apparently are on the Box not the Cab. My bad

As to AC there is 3 to 4 popular threads in here on the topic that are on the top couple pages of this forum cause they are posted into almost weekly. My humble suggestion is to read thru them...... which will educate you a god bit and totally confuse you a lot . Consider after that posting up in one of those your new AC questions.

 

[gimpyrobb]

I agree, I haven't spent much time with LMTVs but you'll need to check your batt box wiring. From what I saw, you really can't go with just 2 batts.

 

[mkcoen]

As to AC there is 3 to 4 popular threads in here on the topic that are on the top couple pages of this forum cause they are posted into almost weekly. My humble suggestion is to read thru them...... which will educate you a god bit and totally confuse you a lot . Consider after that posting up in one of those your new AC questions.

I believe he's talking about adding AC to the van body not the cab. That's something that hasn't come up on any of the LMTV threads.

 

[coachgeo]

I believe he's talking about adding AC to the van body not the cab. That's something that hasn't come up on any of the LMTV threads.

My bad, your probably correct. Did miss read his post. See now he did specifically say AC kit ... "for the van". Good Catch.

That will be an interesting discussion for everyone.

 

[mkcoen]

Had the truck in my driveway this afternoon and we got the alternator issue resolved (one of the negative cables was hooked to the positive side). We didn't have time to flesh out the headlight issue but appears the CB was in the correct slot. Need to take a multi-meter to it to see if there is power at the headlight (bad bulbs?) or maybe an issue with the switch. A pleasure to meet your fishing partner and his dad and get to climb in the truck.

 

[poultrydoc]

mkcoen, we appreciate the help and I look forward to meeting you. When we break down 60 miles down PINS we now know who to dial up on the sat phone
Maybe I can get more discussion going on this van AC. This is the most recent reference I can find in regards to the AC kit for the van :
On another note, Duke checked the alternator and the two LEDs are alternately blinking - is that normal?

 

[gimpyrobb]

Great members on this board, I must say!

 

[coachgeo]

mkcoen, we appreciate the help and I look forward to meeting you. ....
Maybe I can get more discussion going on this van AC. This is the most recent reference I can find in regards to the AC kit for the van :View attachment 640249
....

mkcoen does seem to be a great guy. No arguments there. Now that you've done a "new member thread"... look forward to your starting a thread on the Van/Box AC.

User Suprman has mentioned the LED lights on the Alternator several times. If you've not done so yet, might find an advanced search in this forum for "Alternator" by member Suprman will net you an answer on that question if he does not pop in soon. Usually he does though. Like Mkcohen is a great supporter of members here.