electircal issues

[VTCruiser]

Well, I went to pick up my cruiser last night and there was no power to turn it over. Alan and I checked the batteries (note this is a 24v truck, two 12v batteries in series) and the low side battery was completely dead. We put the weak battery in its place hooked up to some jumpers and the tundra and Alan gave me a good battery from his '79 and put it on the high side. It cranked right and drove home fine, and the volt gauge reading around 30v charging. When i got home I shut it off, and turned the key back to accessory, and the gauge read 24V and it started right back up.

Well I went out tonight to start it and the batteries were again too weak to turn it over. I have lights and it'll trn slow so it's not completely dead.


So, Maybe I have a bad draw? Alan said he started it once a month while I was gone and it always fired up with no problem. The last time was about a month ago, could a draw have srung up so suddenly? Bad batteries? I'm going to get the vole meter out and check the batteries and see which is low.


Anyway, its not looking good for this weekend.


EDIT: Alan, if you read this, is that other battery taking a charge at all?

 

[cruiser4life]

Gehn - Don't know if you saw the other thread but if you can't get your cruiser on the mend in time and still want to go, my brother and I are meeting the crew on Friday in Clemson to convoy from there. You're welcome to squeeze in my wagon with us.

Good luck with the fix!!

 

[VTCruiser]

i was mistaken in my first post. upon reinspection Alans battery is the low side and my old battery is the high side. On the multimeter his is reading in at a full 12v and the high side is down at 9.5. maybe it just didn't charge enough on the way home, or maybe the battery is on its way out. I think I might pull it and have it tested at autozone tomorrow....I really don't feel like hunting for a draw.

 

[Hard40]

Well, I went to pick up my cruiser last night and there was no power to turn it over. Alan and I checked the batteries (note this is a 24v truck, two 12v batteries in series) and the low side battery was completely dead. We put the weak battery in its place hooked up to some jumpers and the tundra and Alan gave me a good battery from his '79 and put it on the high side. It cranked right and drove home fine, and the volt gauge reading around 30v charging. When i got home I shut it off, and turned the key back to accessory, and the gauge read 24V and it started right back up.

Well I went out tonight to start it and the batteries were again too weak to turn it over. I have lights and it'll trn slow so it's not completely dead.


So, Maybe I have a bad draw? Alan said he started it once a month while I was gone and it always fired up with no problem. The last time was about a month ago, could a draw have srung up so suddenly? Bad batteries? I'm going to get the vole meter out and check the batteries and see which is low.


Anyway, its not looking good for this weekend.


EDIT: Alan, if you read this, is that other battery taking a charge at all?

The battery charged up fine. I will keep it on trickle.

 

[CruisinTiger]

Hope that it is a minor problem....if you can drive the 60 get the alternator tested also....my of gone bad and isn't recharging the batteries...good luck

 

[erymer]

from my experience when you run batteries in series, the battery with the lower charge tends to drain the other battery down to it's level. So if you have one battery that's bad or going bad, it will run the other down as well. just my experience.

 

[Capt. Jim]

from my experience when you run batteries in series, the battery with the lower charge tends to drain the other battery down to it's level. So if you have one battery that's bad or going bad, it will run the other down as well. just my experience.

x2. They also should both be replaced with identical batteries each time they are changed out. Hope you get it worked out, Ghen.

 

[VTCruiser]

i am aware of the balancing that takes place, unfortunately they are different types, it was always meant to be temporary, like my shackles

I had the battery I have tested and its bad, so when I trade Alan his battery back for my other one, i'll test it too. Eitherway, the cruiser will be staying here, and if I stiil go, i'll drive myself in the other car. I i'll just pull the cruiser off the the road for the rest of the winter.