Ford Wiring/Electrical :: Charging RV Batteries While Driving?
Jul 29, 2014
I have a F250 towing a Big trailer and the RV folks have told me that while the factory seven prong will supply power to the RV, it would take a days to charge the RV batteries. So...
1) Does the connector not really significantly charge the batteries?
2) Is there a faster way to charge the RV batteries while driving?
3) Would instructions something like I found at How to Charge Two 12 Volt Batteries on an RV Towed by a Ford F-150 | etrailer.com work?
4) Would #3 eventually tax my alternator so badly that I kill it?
5) Would #3 fry the electronics in the trailer?
I'm trying to charge 2 6-volt marine deep charge batteries in series.
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This evening I drove our Subaru Legacy Wagon (1999) about 3 miles or so to the gym. When I pulled into the lot, I noticed my radio (tuned to NPR, no less) had gone off. Curious! A few seconds later, dashboard lights come on (ABS, maybe others). After that, engine goes quiet, car is dead -- turning the key does nothing at all, and the car is completely without power. Only the dome light works, and barely. I get a jump, and eventually the car starts back up --- but it took a while, and several tries, before I could get the engine going.
On the way home, I kept a careful eye on the RPMs -- when I was close, I noticed the ABS light pop back on, and the RPM needle go down to zero. I tried my best to keep the RPMs up by staying in first, and managed to park. Of course, the car was unresponsive when I immediately tried to restart it. Some quick internet searches suggest alternator, bad connections to the battery, and some other ideas. We've never had this problem before. The twist is that we're literally on the brink of selling this car -- we've got one more than we need. Thus, we'd be pretty bummed if we had to put much, if any, cash into the car just so we can get rid of it days later.
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My 2001 F350 Super Duty diesel keeps draining my batteries for some reason, wouldn't crank on Friday. Put my battery charger on for a few hours and it started fine. The rest of the day fired up fine, on Saturday it happened again. Had both batteries charged and load tested today, they are good. Short???
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My F250 is acting like the battery is almost dead but its not. I've checked all the grounds I can think of, used jumper cables and clamped right to the body and still nothing. I put my battery charger in place of the battery and my charger almost caught fire! Where are all the ground points at and points to check? It was doing fine then this. I only found 3 ground points on the block and I bypassed all of them and nothing. There are 2 large on the front of the block, I was able to get one loose and "clean" it but not the other. The block to firewall is currently off so I can clean it in the morning.
But it didn't do anything. I can clamp anywhere are get the same results. There are a few threads about this truck and trying to get it back into shape. When it worked, when I turned the key on, gauges worked, RABS, Engine, and Battery light came on, GPs kicked on, etc... now, I get a very faint Batt light, Erie dinging, and not even the stereo now. This truck has been an electrical nightmare since day one. Spent 4 days on just under hood electronics alone. Haven't even moved towards the back. Also, Instead of using a 2/0 AWG wire to the starter, Can I use two 1/0 AWG wires to it instead since they used two separate grounds? It also still has a 2G alt.
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I bought a truck recently and I am attempting to get the alternator to charge. A previous owner hacked up the wiring pretty badly. We found that they had connected the voltage regulator to the horn relay for some reason. Anyway, I am trying to get it rewired and have searched existing threads for info and I thought that I had the wiring sorted out, however it is still not charging the battery.
The alternator has been tested and works. The voltage regulator is new. This is how it is currently wired.
Regulator A Terminal --> Battery side of started solenoid --> Alternator Batt Post
Regulator F Terminal --> Alternator Fld Post
Regulator S Terminal --> Alternator Sta Post
Regulator I Terminal --> Empty
Regulator body --> Radiator Support --> Alternator Ground Post --> Neg batt
When running, the battery is showing about 11.8 and slowly dropping as it runs. The truck has an ammeter in the dash, however it looks like it is no longer connected. Does it need to be connected in order for the alternator to charge the battery?
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I *think* I'm having trouble with the alternator on my 2002 Navigator with the 5.4L DOHC engine.
A year ago in Feb 2014 the alternator quit charging. I thought the headlights were a little dim, but when the radio turned itself off and then the heater fan did the same, I noticed that the alt light was on. Then the engine shut down about 1.5 miles from home.
I'd heard of war stories about rebuilt alternators so I sprang for a brandy new one. I also got a voltmeter that fits in the cigarette lighter so I can monitor the system voltage. All seemed good and the new alternator put out 14.2 to 14.5 volts. Except that the battery never seems to be fully charged. If I check the battery voltage with the engine off it typically reads 11.9 to 12.2 volts. I had Interstate Batteries check the battery. They thought it was okay, but offered to put a new battery in to keep me happy.
Six months and 8,000 miles later I'm up in Ontario back country (on vacation - no tools in the truck) and I notice the engine idles at 900 RPM instead of the usual 650 +/- RPM. Oh-oh, I also notice the volt meter is reading 11.9 volts and drops a tenth about every 10 miles.
Found a shop that was open and they installed a rebuilt alternator and it was putting out 14.2 to 14.5 volts. All was good (except for my wallet!).
Now, here we are six months and 5,000 miles later and the rebuilt alternator is struggling to put out 12.5 volts this afternoon. At a steady 50 MPH with the cruise Control on, the radio, and the heater fan on low, the voltage is bouncing between 12.2 volts and 12.7 volts.
Now to my questions:
1. Shouldn't an alternator put out 14.2 to 14.5 volts all the time? Not just when the alternator is new?
And
2. Is there anything on my truck that could be killing these alternators? Or am I just unlucky in the alternator lottery?
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I have a 63 Falcon that the generator went out on. I replaced the generator and the regulator and it still isn't charging. A friend of mine told me if I disconnect the FLD at the generator and connect a jumper between FLD and the battery + terminal it should start charging which it does. I have swapped out two different generators and regulators now and it is still doing it.
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We have a 1999 F-350 V10 super duty. The alt was over charging and the gauges stopped working. Replacing the alt, the guages still don't work, and the new thing is the charge light and selt belt light comes on. The fuses 29 (5amp)and 30(30Amp) which are supposed to be key on hot only are hot at the same time. With these on, it causes a drain killing the battery. Also if the truck is started, the lights go out, but when you try to turn the vehicle off, it stays running, one with the battery disconnected. The only way to shut it down is pull the fuse box power fuse, 50(amp)Some one had been in the dash before we got this vehicle and busted, burned out or removed the check engine light. I can read codes and their vehicle runs fair and does operate. Could this be a dash board? Also this problem appears when the truck is sitting, and the key removed nothing on. No fuses are blown either.
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I recently bought a 1969 chevy c10 pickup. I have been having problems with the electrical system, the battery consistently going dead despite a new battery and alternator installed by the previous owner. Is there a step-by-step for diagnosis of this problem?
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Start out, drive about 20 minutes, get on the Interstate and the battery light comes on 2008 F 150 5.4L 4X4 - 57K miles..... get to my destination, went about 20 miles, turn around to come home, without turning the truck off because of the battery light being on and I notice the charging gauge drifting down to the left, get back on the Interstate and the wipers are slowing down and lights on the dash are dimming.....go around 15 more minutes I lose all lights on dash, wipers, defroster everything, charging gauge is now pegged all the way down to the left and the truck is starting to act up running like crap so I barely make it off the Interstate and call a flatbed, I guess I was about an hour into the trip ..... battery is only about a year old and it started fine that morning and the day before when it was about 12 degrees ...... dealership had the truck, just gave me a call and said they can't find anything ?? ..... never a days problem since I bought it new in late 07' ....
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I have a 1981 F100, lately when I've been driving at night I notice my headlights, dash lights, and charging light will flicker at the same time, and even sometimes my headlights will flash on and off by themselves.
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Was driving one day, and when I came to a stop sign, the car just died.. I couldn't start it up, so I pushed it to the side of the road.. I tried to turn the key again, and it fired right up... No issues for about a week, but then I came outside one morning, and the car was completely dead. No interior lights, dash wouldn't light up, nothing. (no cranking noise when you try to turn the key) I assumed it was because the battery was old, and the car had just been sitting there for about a week without being started up. I was about to give it a jump, but when I opened the door, the lights came on. I put the key in the ignition, the dash lit up, and the car fired right up.. No issues for about a week, until again, came outside, car was completely dead..
I used my other car to run up to the store, and when I came back, decided I would try to start up the DeVille again. Randomly, upon opening the door, the cabin lights lit up, and sure enough, car fired right up... no one had touched the car while I was gone.. I drove the car up to a shop near my house, where they tested the battery, which tested good. Terminals are all clean, and he made note that the ground connection to the car was also firm and clean. He offered to run a diagnostic the following Tuesday for $125. I returned home, drove the car once more over the weekend, but when I went to start the car Monday, it was again, completely dead. It's been over a week now, and I haven't been fortunate enough to get it to start. I again tried this morning in hopes that I would get lucky, but it's still completely dead.
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Yet again my honda is doing some new. My mid dash lights don't come on at all anymore (even when i start the car), my power drive and winter drive buttons don't work, I can't stop/start on a hill, I have to get 2rpms going to get anywhere, and my battery volts are over 12 when driving.
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So I have a very confusing problem. In my 92 Chevy Astro the battery occasionally stops charging runs down and dies while I am driving and will not restart via jump but must be fully charged. This first happened a couple months and several thousand miles ago but has occurred 3 times in the last two weeks. Both the battery and the alternator have checked out good, and the alternator belt is tight as a drum. What could this possibly be?
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tonight at 1am: I put the key in and turn the ignition, no start, no click, no dashboard warning lights, no nothing. headlights don't turn on at allearlier in the afternoon - didn't check headlights, but no start, no click, no dashboard warning lights. Sliding 1 key into the ignition gave me a somewhat steady buzzing sound from the car, the kind you get to indicate something electrical is happening (I guess that's what it's for.
I wish I were mechanically inclined.) Sliding the other key into the ignition gave me a much more sporadic buzzing sound. Like metal wasn't making contact, when it should. A few hours previous in the morning - car wasn't starting as described above. Someone pushes the car back from the front so we can make way for another car, to come in and give me a jump. I put the car in neutral, and notice that the dashboard lights and buzzer is on, so on a hunch, I try to start the car in neutral and it starts right up. I drive it to the home driveway, no problem.
2 days ago, I bought the car. A 97 nissan sentra. What it could be? Again, never a clicking sound when starting the car to indicate dead battery. I'm familiar with that.
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So I bought my 1987 F150 XLT 4X4 (4spd) about two weeks ago and haven't had any issues with it so far... until now. As soon as I got it I did a full tune up. Changed plugs, cap, rotor, fuel filter, new battery, sea foamed it, fuel filter, ran a bottle of fuel stabilizer through it, new pvc valve, cleaned the throttle body, oil change, etc., ( all the usual things).
Was running fine up until two days ago when I was driving down the highway doing about 90km/hr in 4th when the truck suddenly lost power, sputtered and died. Tried to start it again and it will turn over but not start. So I get a nice expensive tow home and start to diagnose the problem. It is not a fuel issue. I can hear the pumps coming on, and fuel is coming out of the fuel filter so I cross that off the list.
Next I check for spark. No spark at all. So I run some tests. Battery is putting out 12V, about 10 when cranking. The solenoid is getting power and putting out power. No visible damage to any of the wiring, and all the grounds look good.
Next I just went ahead and swapped out the coil thinking that could be the issue. Didn't work. So I preform some more tests on the old and new coils. Both are grounded and having voltage pass through them. Next I take the TFI module off the distributor and check for resistance. Everything still checks out fine. Now I am thinking that the only thing left could be the PIP in the distributor. So instead of taking the dist apart and screwing around I go ahead a get a brand new dist and throw it in.
Now I am stoked and thinking that I finally fixed my truck and go to start it up and.... no spark. It still turns over but no start. I am trying to provide every bit of detail that I can. When I say I tested all the components I mean I REALLY tested them. I did both tests from the Haynes manual and from various sources off this site.
I am almost at the point of getting it towed to the shop, which I really do not want to do. A day before this happened I degreased the engine and VERY carefully sprayed it off with water. In the process I am thinking I may have damaged something?
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I have a 2004 Ford F-150 lariat with a bit of a problem. My running lights (not sure if correct term, I'm talking about the tail lights' illumination that stays on while you drive at night) are not working. My headlights and parking lights do work, and my brake lights and turning signals also work. I have put in a brand new brake light switch and checked every fuse and relay, but no luck.
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My '84 F150 4X4 inline 6 Died last night while driving. just conked out and died right there on the spot. no sputter... no gasping... just instant death...
after some investigation i found i wasn't getting spark anywhere. not at the plugs, not at coil. I have replaced the ignition module to no avail. still no spark I am going to swap in a the coil tonight. sure do hope this works.
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While driving along my Expedition will completely shut down, ignition, all accessories, everything, for a few seconds then come back alive. It happens generally up hills or around right turns.
It is like the main ground strap is loose and losing contact momentarily. I don't know where to look for this. Engine was replaced 1500 miles ago. Battery and all visible connections seem ok.
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I have a 2011 Ford F150 FX4, And for a while now i have been having a issue with the gauge cluster.
while driving once in a while all of the gauge cluster turns off then back on within a couple of second. all the lights for the traction control, air bag, engine.... turn on and then turn off just like when you start the truck.
The issue only last for a couple of seconds. And it can go for a day before doing it. Brought it to the Ford dealership and they said unless the gauges are completely off there is nothing to go on by. Also once in awhile the check advancetrac comes on and will be off next time i start the truck. Same thing dealer said there was no codes and nothing then can do.
I checked all the connection at the fuse box, gauge cluster. and no issues. had the truck running and try wiggling all of the connectors, in the truck one by one with no success in duplicating the issue.
Also notice that once in awhile my signal light will flas extremely slow when having the blinker on.
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I have an 06 F150 XLT and lately the map lights blink when starting and driving. This does not occur every time but it sure is a problem when driving at night. What is causing this and hopefully a minor repair.
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