Thought I'd start a new thread with new information from this thread
https://www.busconversionmagazine.com/forum/index.php?topic=33315.0Recap - started seeing low / no amps from alternator during last trip. Once the batteries got a full charge from being boon docked previously, I started seeing amps flowing into my house system. I started to suspect the alternator didn't fail, but was operating at a reduced capacity. I've all but confirmed that this morning.
After my bus being at the shop for 3-4 days , effectively boondocked (had a fridge full of stuff and whatnot) my system needed a good charge and didn't get all it wanted from solar / it spent a day indoors.
Anyway, I noticed only 1000 at most watts (measured via shunt) coming in from the coach into the house system, I could only measure this while parked at high idle (1000 rpm or so). I adjusted my voltage regulator last night and could hear the engine unload as I adjusted it down and say the voltage drop from 26.2 or so, to 25 or so. As I adjusted it back up it would never get past 26.3 or so. My batteries showed at 50% charge or so... it will take some serious juice to show 27 or 28v, prior to this event it would jump up to there.
So this morning after it got a good charge again, I started it up and I noticed it got up to 29v or so with no load, so I know the voltage regulator wasn't inhibiting the proper voltage and thus amps coming in (high amp draws will make voltage sag). Before I could run 2 ACs and the voltage would hang around 27-28 or so, now it's 26 showing a little draw from the house side, so my total output is down.
Now I stuck a stick under the pedal to raise the rpm to more like 1400-1500 rpm and the watts / amps went up, I'm thinking it's just a diode set or two (of the 3) , I'll need to take it easy until I get some replacements. Or my windings are shorted someplace so I don't have full capacity there.
Anyone replaced these diodes? I'm only finding a few entries on ebay for them, some air cooled, is there a difference? Mine is a gear driven model.
