Charging issue on 1983 Jamboree Class C
Hello, all. I have gotten some great help on other issues, but here is a new one. My main battery is not charging, but when the engine is running I see 17 volts at the heat sink/regulator looking ...
Forum Discussion
"...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.
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.
