Alternator buggered (I think), flat battery with SC80

**Grizzly_Adams** · 3rd April 2008, 08:53 AM

G'day all,

As I mentioned in one of my posts it looks like my alternator died as I pulled into the driveway at home after getting down to Cooma and back.

It was only an educated guess that the alternator had died based on these facts:

the battery light does not come on when you put the key to ignition (like the handbrake and oil pressure lights do)
On my voltmeters you could quite easily see when the alternator kicked in and started sending charge as shortly after the vehicle was running they would suddenly flick up to something like 13.8 volts. Well that stopped happening at the same time as the battery light failed to test anymore...

Based on the above I assumed my alternator was shagged.

That was on the weekend. I checked before I left her until I could get her to the auto sparkies and the charges were as follows:

Main battery: approx 12.5 volts
Aux battery: full

This morning I went to take her to the auto sparkies and she was kaput, completely. No lights, no click, nothing. Even my volt meters wouldn't show even a flicker (they're wired in to work with the ignition).

So I figure now I'll drop her on charge over the weekend and see how that goes (I have a CTek 15000 that I use for keeping the camper charged).

My question is: with the SC80 is there anything I should be wary of? Is it ok to connect the CTek charger directly to the main battery and let her charge away or should I connect her elsewhere?

To be honest I'm a bit worried as to why the battery has gone flat, I'm hoping the SC80 has not been damaged or the like...

P.S. Before you mention it, yes I am taking the opportunity to uprate the alternator from the 65amp original to a 100amp replacement

**jimbo110** · 3rd April 2008, 09:09 AM

Have you checked the bulb? With most alternators if the bulb burns out they stop charging. Might be an easy fix...............

**incisor** · 3rd April 2008, 09:37 AM

not really helpful to you but i am REALLY wary of ctek chargers myself.

i have had 2 ctek 7000 chargers fry themselves and the batteries attached to them just past the 12 month warranty period on the charger..

i am never going to buy another.

**Utemad** · 3rd April 2008, 09:52 AM

Doesn't the dashboard charge light come on when there is no charge? So the opposite of what it is doing.

If your alternator was not charging then why would your 2nd battery be fully charged (unless you never used it) and your main battery be at 12.5v?

To me it sounds like your main battery is stuffed.

Charging it over the weekend (even just over night) and then trying to start it will soon let you know if that is the case.

Could be as Jimbo says. My brothers Land Cruiser does that (Ford engine and Bosch alternator).

**drivesafe** · 3rd April 2008, 09:57 AM

Hi Grizzly, the SC80 will have already isolated your auxiliary battery and considering the amount of driving you did to get back from Cooma ( lucky mongrel, wished I could have gone ) and if your alternator did spit the dummy as you pulled into the driveway, then your auxiliary battery should have enough power in it to start your rig to allow to get to a sparky.

Next, if you want to charge the cranking battery, you CAN leave the SC80 connected but you will be charging both batteries at the same time so it's going to take twice as long to charge your cranking battery.

My suggestion is to separate the plug and socket on the SC80, between the cranking battery and the SC80.

In either case, you will not damage or have damaged the SC80 ( and if you have, it’s under warranty ).

**Redback** · 3rd April 2008, 09:58 AM

Dissconnect the main battery then charge it.

Baz.

**drivesafe** · 3rd April 2008, 10:05 AM

Originally Posted by Redback

Dissconnect the main battery then charge it.

Baz.

Actually that’s not a bad idea, particularly if it’s the diodes in your alternator that have gone.

If it is, you will just be wasting your time trying to charge the battery while the alternator is connected.

Cheers and good one Baz, BTW Baz, heard you had a GOOD time at Cooma

**Grizzly_Adams** · 3rd April 2008, 10:16 AM

Thanks for the feedback guys

Will disconnect the battery this weekend and charge it - hopefully enough to get me to the auto sparkie across town

I've had batteries go "open circuit" on me before and am well aware of how quickly they can die.

Just worrying because I've got nothing in the cabin - it's like the main battery has been completely disconnected... this morning I was expecting something, not just completely nothing.

There may be a few more queries posted over the weekend whilst I am trying to get her up and functioning enough to get her to the auto sparkies

**Grizzly_Adams** · 3rd April 2008, 10:21 AM

Originally Posted by drivesafe

then your auxiliary battery should have enough power in it to start your rig to allow to get to a sparky.

btw drivesafe, can you expand on this comment further please? Should I have to reconnect my aux as my main to get the beast started or should the SC80 have done it automagically (if actually the main battery is completely shagged)? Should I try and jump start the main from the aux?

Just trying to clear it up in my head... and still pondering putting in some thumping anderson plugs to jumpstart from and getting a modified pair of jumper cables made up so I don't have to take the seat out to do it

**drivesafe** · 3rd April 2008, 10:32 AM

Hi again Grizzly, you can’t jump start via the SC80, it has no switch to allow you to activate it.

If you want to set up to do it on a regular basis, try fitting a marine battery switch on the base of your seat and just wire from the cranking and auxiliary batteries positive terminals to the switch.

Cheers.

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