temp fix to front non charging battery

[choll]

I have been trying to get issues worked out with my front battery not charging for a couple of months now. I have tried EVERYTHING in the TM's this issue even has Warthog stumped. Any way I have given up and am going to do a 12volt conversion. I was going to do it today and I went and had the starter that I had, checked before I put it in, it does not work and I have no cash right now to buy a new one. So my question: is there anyway to get the passenger side alt to charge the front battery. I only ask as I am hoping to go on a trip where about 5 hours of it will be night driving. I saw a post a while back where someone did this and then every couple of days hooked the rear battery up to a charger. I currenty hook up a charger to the front battery every night. Any help anyone
Thanks

 

[bigbossi]

Hi,

my truck is very similar to yours. I am planning to switch the alternators. Letf to right and right to left.
BUT you have to be carefull. This will work only in case when you have on both sides alternators with a separte ground cable. They call these alternators: with isolated ground (iced ground). If you do not have the thick black wire on the left one, it will not work on the right hand side.

Another idea is to do a 24V conversion of the charging system. When you are able to get a 24V alt, you just put it over both batteries. But those alts are as rare and expensive as new starters. Try to switch the alts from side to side.

You will not be able to drive much more than 3 hours with full light during night, with out left alt, until the front batt will say good bye. Excatly this happend to me on my drive home after purchase.

good luck

Marcel

 

[kcbbqguru]

I am having the same problem! I removed and had Both alternators tested and the tested fine, I replaced both batteries, but the front battery is not charging? rear battery is keeping a charge, anyone have any ideas? thanks

 

[Warthog]

You have to check the wiring.

When I was in Vegas looking at Cholls truck, we didn't have time to check everything (9 oclock in the Tacoville parking lot in a not so good part of town)

Standard testing of the excitor wires, fusable links on the feed wires.

You need to read the first few pages of the troubleshooting section of the -20 or -34 tech manual and then look at the wiring diagrams for the charging system.

There is no magic bullet, so you will have to do some testing.

Does your heater fan work? If not then replace the very top fuse and then GEN1 may start working.

 

[kcbbqguru]

Thanks Warthog, yes the blower is working, looks like I will spend my saturday tracing wire!!

 

[choll]

warthog
which fuse do you mean very top my fan does not work

Chuck

 

[Warthog]

The heater fuse at the top of the fuse box, controls the GEN1 excitor. It is not listed in the diagrams. Discovered it lastweek after taking apart a fuse box. I had heard people talk about it but never understood why.

 

[doghead]

So, is the gen 1 exiter feed "fused" or "unfused" on that curcuit

 

[choll]

at the top of the fuse box is a blue 5 amp fuse which I replaced is that the one we are talking about or is there one I cant see

 

[Warthog]

The gen1 excitor is fused with the heater fan. There two wires on that circuit. One to the heater switch and the other to the GEN1 bulb in the cluster.

If you look at the fuse box, it is the very top fuse below the seatbelt buzzer.

I can't access my diagrams now but will post later today.

 

[doghead]

The heater fuse is supposed to be a 20 amp fuse, as per the TM.

 

[choll]

Is that the same circut that would make the volt meter gauge work. Mine is in op. Best guess bad gauge or wiring??? Going out now to look for fuse if I cant locate I will wait on your diagram

 

[Warthog]

Heater is the very top and the voltmeter is the very bottom.

The fuse box layout is in the FAQ stickey or the -20 TM

 

[choll]

Thanks. Change both fuses still not charging front batter, no fan and no volt meter. Tomorrow is the day 12v conversion