Don't like the adverts?  Click here to remove them

Over charging.

The 14.4 will be the bulk charge that the charger puts in if its happy with what is coming back from the battery. 13.7 isn't bad. How long was it on for? It may benefit from partially discharging and another charge. If it's gone flat a few times it all depends on how flat and if any damage has been caused by doing so.
It was on for about 20 hours.
The second spare battery has just finished. It started on 12.28V and is only 13.27 now and is falling as I measure it?
 
After 12 to 24hrs their voltage should not drop. They should settle at 12.7/12.8v or thereabouts. If you have a local auto factors or battery store then it's probably a good idea to get them to put their computerised tester on them to give you a readout, even a printout of their state of health. The voltage dropped with a given loading is what is most important.
 
Ok, so nearside battery charged with the ctek and measures 13.9v when reinstalled.
New battery earth and bridging cables installed as mentioned earlier.
There were 6 wires directly fed off the near side battery. These were stereo, aeriel amp, reverse camera, one for rear tow bar electrics (not fused) and two going to a relay to do with the front wipers.
The idea is to remove all of these so nothing can drain the left battery.
Having said that, i have installed a pair of volt meters so i can see whats going on. The left meter is the left battery, the right is the combined circuit at the right hand battery +Ve terminal.
0C455409-0E1C-4F6B-83B7-D8BCA7C3FB0E.jpeg
With the new voltage regulator fitted the alternator output seems steady at 27.6v regardless of revs.
Will report any relevant observations of the meter values in use.
I just need to decide how to rewire the wiper wires, otherwise, everything else is being connected to a dropper from the 24v taken from the cigar lighter.
Once this is completed I will post pics of the electrics all tidied up - currently a mess of wires in the passenger footwell.
Still have a spare pair of batteries in the boot in case problems return but progress is being made and confidence is returning.
 
Now that the olive harvest has finished I've had time to play with the VR and had spent hours looking at the alternatives available to me as well as long discussions with Dave2000.
The VR has been on and off (and adjusted) more times than proverbial lady of the night's draws and now we have 27v at tick over but the problem still persists - as the revs climb so does the voltmeter. I have yet to check what is actually happening at the batteries (they are mounted under the floor behind the transfer case!) but I did find a very useful thread on I8mud regarding the adjustment of the old type VR that I have. 40s a have single coil VR,
So based on the premise that I'm trying to get an ancient. 3-pin VR to work with a 2H which requires a 6-pin VR I have decided to invest in a later type IC alternator and modify the wiring to eliminate the external VR. Saving up begins now! Thanks for the part number Ben.
There are numerous alternator options in Oz but all the HJs over there are 12v and use reduction starters and I cannot afford to go that route (poor pensioners!). However there are certain measurements that I could do with...
Are the mounting brackets the same for both alternators?
Are they both clockwise rotation?
Is the vacuum pump interchangeable?
Is the pulley size the same on both?
Why this route? I have a 41 year old wiring loom and everything, with the exception of the charging system works fine and is very reliable so'don't fix if it's not broke' comes into play. And it needs to be simple for me (as stated up front on this thread - I am a dummy with electrics) so a route that fits the engine and cuts out the problem area appears to me to be the best solution.

Regards,
Rodger
 
Forgot to mention that the extra wire on the VRs (both types) is for noise reduction so I guess some sort of suppressor fits
 
Have a chat with Mike at Robson and Francis, have the alternator numbers to hand. Best route could be a complete replacement alternator or to send yours in to R&F for test and rebuild/repair but I think the old external Regulated units are obsolete now. Talk to Mike in the first instance.

You do need to be testing at the battery terminals with a reasonably accurate multimeter. I wouldn’t be surprised if the voltage climbed to 28.8v which would be fine. Much more than that and there’s a problem somewhere. Don’t rely on a dash gauge.
 
Don't like the adverts?  Click here to remove them
Omg what now??........
Nearly home today and noticed the wipers get really fast and the needle on the voltmeter maxed out. The electric windows were suddenly really fast even the ones that hardly move in the cold and damp weather.
Got home and disconnected the batteries.
So potentially what could be the issue?
Voltage reg failure?
???
Ideas please??
 
Omg what now??........
Nearly home today and noticed the wipers get really fast and the needle on the voltmeter maxed out. The electric windows were suddenly really fast even the ones that hardly move in the cold and damp weather.
Got home and disconnected the batteries.
So potentially what could be the issue?
Voltage reg failure?
???
Ideas please??
Oh bollocks!! Im guessing reg failure.
 
Having adjusted the older VR we took the 40 for a run today. It's better but still not right so I'll adjust the later version and try again, but ultimately the plan is to change the alternator for an integral VR one. If its not raining over the next few days I'll test the charge at the batteries and contact Mike as suggested, but need to check the number of splines on the vacuum pump drive first.
@Ben - that doesn't sound good. we control the overcharge with the headlights and the heater fan. You have a load more electric powered items on your 60.

regards,

Rodger
 
image.jpg An early start today and changed the voltage regulator. No visible signs of any issue in the old one but all is now back to normal.
Need to get another spare VR now.
 
View attachment 141441 An early start today and changed the voltage regulator. No visible signs of any issue in the old one but all is now back to normal.
Need to get another spare VR now.
As I often tell my wife, I like self answering questions. :)

Nice easy fix. Good job you had the spare regulator. Might be worth testing battery voltages again just out of curiosity.

If it was a short overcharge it might have given the batteries a bit of an uncontrolled equalising charge. :lol: Hopefully it wasn’t long enough to do damage, they don’t like it up ‘em as someone used to say.
 
I do that more often these days Rich as my wife likes to ignore what I say coz im always talking about the effing cruiser!

Yes the overcharge was about 2 mins and the internal voltmeter went up to 17.6v fir the left battery and over 32 combined.

Will keep measuring every saturday morning an logging the history.
 
That shouldn’t have done too much harm Ben. It may have done some good but your logs will show.
 
Well, finally, thanks to redoing the cable with 6mm and waiting for the rain to stop!!
Mostly in. Need to run the switch wire to an on with ignition circuit, any tips on a nice easy one to latch on to?
Then connect up the underbonnet wiring, drop the fuse in and hopefully hey presto!! The surplus of cable is because this isn't it's finally resting place, once I have the gullwing lockers I have planned it will be fitted to those, hence the excess of wiring. That will be tidied up when the time comes.

IMG_1736.jpg
IMG_1741.jpg
IMG_1739.jpg
 
Teeing into the cigar lighter may be suitable Andy, thats what I did to add the dropper for various needs so I could remove all the wiring from the near side battery.
Since this was done the batteries are much happier and havent needed charging for 4 weeks now which is promising
 
Teeing into the cigar lighter may be suitable Andy, thats what I did to add the dropper for various needs so I could remove all the wiring from the near side battery.
Since this was done the batteries are much happier and havent needed charging for 4 weeks now which is promising
Good plan, that would be reasonably accessible I guess
 
Fairly easy for mine as there is a lower central dash panel held on with 4 screws that reveals the cigar lighter wiring. Presumably you have the earlier dash andy?
 
Phew, finally finished connecting it all up!!

Decided to run the switch wire to the fag lighter as above, getting the lower dash panel off, what a mission!!

It appears my dash has vomited everywhere!!

IMG_1856.jpg


IMG_1856.jpg
IMG_1857.jpg

Never quite sure if you've got all the screws off and you just need to pull harder to release any clips, or if your going to break it! Seem to have managed it without breaking anything, even better, I appear to have managed to put it all back together again!!

Now, the question for today is.....you see that round hole on the panel for the heater controls, what is it?
 
Back
Top