Battery not charging

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rockymtnshepherds
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Battery not charging

Post by rockymtnshepherds »

My battery is new but not holding a charge. Does this sound like a regulator issue? I charge it up and drive it and then check the voltmeter and can see that the battery is not charging. Thanks!
Heinkeljb
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Re: Battery not charging

Post by Heinkeljb »

Very first thing to do is obviously make sure all the wiring is good and any joints are clean and tight.

There are various checks you can do to decide what is not working.

Has it ever charged the battery? If this is something that has just happened, then maybe it is time to replace the brushes.
If it has never charged the battery, then check the wires going onto the Dynastart.

Next would be to check the fuse (25amp) in the outer regulator box (if you have a civilian Haf).
If you have a Militay Haf, then check the wires in the outer regulator box.

With the engine running at a bit above idle, you can put a meter across the battery terminal, if it is charging, then the voltage will be above 12.75 volts and will fall when the engine goes to idle.

Do you have a the repair manual? There is a pretty good section in there explaining what tests you can do at different point through out the electrical system, including the regulator itself. I would caution you that fiddling with the gaps on hte regulator is likely to end up worse and not better than what you have - which if you have nothing currently, then you have an outside chance of getting something - remember to move the arms a fraction of an inch at any one time.

John
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audiocontr
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Re: Battery not charging

Post by audiocontr »

Well, this is still the case... Battery just died today.

I have the repair manual and will review best i can.
1973 712m
1968 Haflinger
1965 Pathfinder
1978 GMC Palm Beach (Hey, its got 6 wheels!!)
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audiocontr
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Re: Battery not charging

Post by audiocontr »

Now im confused... The regulator has some issues as i get 19volts at the dyno, and 19 volts at the battery! But how is the battery dieing if its getting a consistent 19v? Too much voltage?
1973 712m
1968 Haflinger
1965 Pathfinder
1978 GMC Palm Beach (Hey, its got 6 wheels!!)
Heinkeljb
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Re: Battery not charging

Post by Heinkeljb »

You have hit the nail on the head fair and square - 19 volts is too much - what is happening is that you are boiling the battery dry and that warps the plates. Warped plate can touch each other and you lose the battery's ability to provide electricity.

So what you need is a replacement voltage regulator - you can look for a mechanical one or go for an electronic one. I have an electronic one fitted with in the original regulators box so you wouldn't know it was anything other than the correct item.

The regulator is the bit of kit which changes the voltage going to the field coils and so regulates the output voltage and current.

John
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audiocontr
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Re: Battery not charging

Post by audiocontr »

Heinkeljb wrote:You have hit the nail on the head fair and square - 19 volts is too much - what is happening is that you are boiling the battery dry and that warps the plates. Warped plate can touch each other and you lose the battery's ability to provide electricity.

So what you need is a replacement voltage regulator - you can look for a mechanical one or go for an electronic one. I have an electronic one fitted with in the original regulators box so you wouldn't know it was anything other than the correct item.

The regulator is the bit of kit which changes the voltage going to the field coils and so regulates the output voltage and current.

John

Thanks John. I'll read up.
1973 712m
1968 Haflinger
1965 Pathfinder
1978 GMC Palm Beach (Hey, its got 6 wheels!!)
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audiocontr
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Re: Battery not charging

Post by audiocontr »

Here is an image of the inside of my regulator. It was obvious when opening that it has not been opened in the past, or if it had, its been a LONG time. Would cleansing the white residue fix my over voltage?

https://goo.gl/photos/DPTGD8kkhC2fFHQ46
1973 712m
1968 Haflinger
1965 Pathfinder
1978 GMC Palm Beach (Hey, its got 6 wheels!!)
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Jimm391730
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Re: Battery not charging

Post by Jimm391730 »

Would cleansing the white residue fix my over voltage?
Probably not. IF the regulator has not failed (from things like burned out windings), the contacts move as they should, the electrical contacts are clean, the springs have the designed tension, etc. then it may be possible to adjust to operate properly - proper voltage, proper current, etc. but this adjustment is not easy to do. There is a reason that no manufacturer still uses the mechanical regulators - the electronic versions are much more dependable and stable.

Get a modern electronic regulator for it.
Jim M.
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audiocontr
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Re: Battery not charging

Post by audiocontr »

Found Jim's post here for the Bosch unit. http://www.thehaflinger.com/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=3048

Now i need to find one here in the states. Mr. Goatwerks - Where did you pick up your bosch regulator?
1973 712m
1968 Haflinger
1965 Pathfinder
1978 GMC Palm Beach (Hey, its got 6 wheels!!)
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audiocontr
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Re: Battery not charging

Post by audiocontr »

replaced with $30 VW Bosch type unit. Took about 30 minutes to install, and added circuit breaker to make sure current isn't too high. All and all, back up and running.

I'll drive around for the day to check if i lose battery...
1973 712m
1968 Haflinger
1965 Pathfinder
1978 GMC Palm Beach (Hey, its got 6 wheels!!)
Heinkeljb
Great Britain
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Re: Battery not charging

Post by Heinkeljb »

Part of the problem with fitting the 30 amp regulator is that when you turn everything on (Lights, wipers etc), and possibly have a slightly flat battery when you do so, the Dynastart will generate more power. If the regulator limits the voltage rise, it has to allow more current to make the power required. This means more heat generated in the winding's, which means more stress on the insulation. More chance of the insulation burning off and causing a short circuit.
The output of the Dynastart actually drops as it gets hotter, so everybody looks at the writing stamped on the out side which states 240 watts at 14 Volts (if you have a later Dynastart). This equates to about 17 amps at 12 volts in the real world when cold, which drops to about 15 amps when the Dynastart gets hot.

So make sure your battery stays charged if you don't use it all the time!

John
M Wehrman
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Re: Battery not charging

Post by M Wehrman »

I have no issues now but could you supply a part# and maybe a diagram? BTW congrats on your purchase(s),they are a lot of fun! :D
Mark
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audiocontr
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Re: Battery not charging

Post by audiocontr »

understood. There is a 20 amp circuit breaker in line which should pop if it goes higher. Not a lot of juice at all!
1973 712m
1968 Haflinger
1965 Pathfinder
1978 GMC Palm Beach (Hey, its got 6 wheels!!)
Heinkeljb
Great Britain
Posts: 391
Joined: Wed Feb 27, 2013 1:09 pm
Location: Lewes,Southern England

Re: Battery not charging

Post by Heinkeljb »

Where have you put the circuit breaker? The original civilian version has a 25 amp fuse on the output wire coming off the regulator. I think for most people and the way they use their Haflinger's, what you have done will work perfectly well as long as you continue to have a properly charged battery.

It goes with out saying that batteries don't like being drained and then fast charged all the time. There are vehicles out there which have been using the same battery for many, many years and others where people complain of having to buy a new battery every couple of years.

John
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audiocontr
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Re: Battery not charging

Post by audiocontr »

Well, back to square one...

The fuse is on the B+ and its popping. Just popped another when i tried it a second ago.

Basically it runs and bogs slightly, then you will hear a pop and the engine surges in RPM. The pop was the B+ fuse.
1973 712m
1968 Haflinger
1965 Pathfinder
1978 GMC Palm Beach (Hey, its got 6 wheels!!)
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