Charging issue on 1983 Jamboree Class C

Have an earlier Ford with an alternator that uses a separate voltage regulator?

Ask your local rebuilder to look into the TRANSPO brand of voltage regulator for this series of alternator.

Direct replacement, bolt for plug. No modifications. Frank Oropeza and I tested the F540SP model by connecting jumper wires to 240 vac, and then testing the reg by touching the wires to any two different terminals including case ground. An impressive ADJUSTABLE set-point voltage regulator.

The TRANSPO 540XHD is also a voltage adjustable regulator with a 50 ampere power transistor, a ten ampere switching transistor, and a full one watt zener diode and voltage divider resistors rated 400% over-current.

I got the call that my combiner came in on Friday, so I picked it up, planning to install today. I also checked my alternator and it is the single lug kind, so I won't be in a hurry to change that out.

As I was looking at things before tear down, I noticed that the regulator was one big pile of rust, which got me to thinking the regulator might actually be the problem. However, when I last switched around wires on the isolator, the rusted posts stripped and new nuts wore them down further. Even if the $25 replacement reg. were to fix the charging problem, I still wouldn't trust the aging isolator, so I went ahead and installed the combiner to clean up the whole shebang and remove all doubt about what parts might be on their way out.

Here is a pic. showing how much cleaner than OEM this new install turned out.



Installation was really easy. First I pulled out the main battery and disconnected the coach battery. I removed the isolator and extra solenoid, then connected both batteries to the appropriate posts of the combiner. I left them loose, so I could find the ideal spot for the combiner. I marked and drilled the holes, then mounted the unit. I tightened down the battery connectors and connected the ground spade terminal to one of the mounting screws. You might notice that I opted to have the starter solenoid and main battery on the same lug of the combiner and the alternator connected directly to the main battery. For the starter bridging feature, I chose to wire it up to bridge automatically. You can see the 12V trigger lead is connected to the starter solenoid hot lead. The batteries are automatically bridged to start up the engine, then separated when I let go of the key. I also won't need to worry about manually switching or disconnecting batteries for storage or when boondocking.

With the engine running, I tested voltage, watching as main battery voltage increased until it hit the switching threshold. Then I could hear the combiner bring the coach battery online, the voltage would even out and the coach battery was pulled offline again.

I still need to test on shore power to make sure my coach inverter charges both batteries, but I am positive that will work as well. Bottom line is that the combiner works GREAT!!! I highly recommend this upgrade to anyone who still runs a multi-component isolator setup. This is SO much cleaner and easy to troubleshoot.

Thanks for all the help folks. I hope this thread helps someone in the future.

Jose

Brian In Michigan,

Now if you boast about your need to "Step On The Starter" you could earn that elusive "Fifth Gold Star"! ;)

Damn, I just fixed a 1942 Philco radio. One of the first with an FM band. And jez I still use my outside antenna with a rotor

Well, I am still waiting on the combiner. I also discovered during the paintball trip that the wood on the passenger side front of the cabover is completely gone. I will tell that tale of woe in a different thread and update here when the combiner finally comes in.

Jose

The 2G second generation Ford alternator was a piece of junk. Lots of fires caused by trying to pass up to 75 amps through a pair of Fast-On (spade) terminals. Transpo Electronics introduced a "retro kit" with stud rectifier so a rebuilder could drill a hole in the SRE case and use ring terminals on the brand new stud. Trying to heat sink the 2G plasma mounted rectifiers with that kind of surface area rivals the stupidity Ford used in designing V10 aluminum spark plug holes with 2-1/2 threads.

AWAY! Junk the garbage and replace with a bolt-on 3G alternator and new regulator harness plug. The 3G will outcharge the 2G 10 to 1 at idle and is ideal for RV use. The large frame 3G rated at 130 amps can replace the 70-90 amp large frame 1G and it's charge at idle improvement is even more impressive.

"...that broken wire..."

Sounded to me like wiring was at least part of the problem. Do you have a Rear Terminal or Side Terminal Alternator? Our '83 E350/460 had a small frame rear terminal alternator. In fact I still have a reconditioned spare. An OP here bought my spare starter but he had a larger frame alternator so he couldn't use mine. Anyhow... Ford tried a Side Terminal, Plug-In alternator. I believe it also had internal regulator. But my point here is that Ford had wiring failures between the main terminal of the alternator and the rest of the wiring. That heavy wire would look OK but be Open. The side terminal connector would also burn out.

I think somebody has highly modified your alternator/regulator/charging wiring. On ours, which was stock, the Starter Solenoid was on the inside fender well right next to the short end of the battery. The external regulator was on the back side of the radiator support, next to the long side of the battery.

I carried a spare Starter, Alternator, and Regulator. Relocated the Regulator to a spot near the Solenoid so I could change it without having to lift the battery out. On ours, the Alternator was mounted on the same bracket as the A.I.R. "smog pump." The long bolt through the Alternator into the Block was too long to pull out without damaging the back of the Radiator Core. I found that if I took the topmost bolt out of the Alt/AIR bracket out first and stuck a long drywall screw in that hole, I could remove all the other bolts. Then back the long bolt out of the block and swing the Alternator to the side enough to pull the bolt out. That kept me from having to dismantle the whole bracket or support the weight of the entire assembly in my hands. The threads of the drywall screw would snag on the bolt threads in the engine so it wouldn't slide out like a nail might.

I changed the Starter in a state park ranger station parking lot, the Regulator on a roadside, and the Alternator on a campsite.

Ok, folks. I re-connected that broken wire and bridged both batteries. I get a nice 14.4 volts. However, I connected them using the center bolt on the isolator and ..... now the isolator is giving 14.4 on both terminals. However, I am NOT going to give in to the siren's song of intermittently working, 30 year old electronics. I am changing it out anyway. The great news is that the RV is ready for the paintball weekend. WOOHOO!!!!!

Jose

That is some seriously good pricing. I'll stick with my local retailer for this one, though. I have a couple of items I have been holding onto for months and lost the receipt on. They let me return them for full credit toward this purchase. Plus I only have two shops like that in town and I like having someone local with odds and ends. Keep those locals in business, people!

Jose