# charging problems Fiat Ducato



## Teutone (Aug 12, 2012)

Just back home from a 2 week trip of 2800miles. All went fine but with 3 days to go my alternator started playing up and the Vans battery didn't get charged. Noticed it when we filled up with Diesel and the engine didn't want to start because of flat battery.

I believe it's the alternators regulator causing the problem. When I start the engine, Voltage is high but slowly drops down over time. But all completely random.
Can start with 13.4 Volt and it stays there for 300 miles, when other times it starts with 14 Volt and drops after a few miles down to 12.5V.
If I Start/stop I can get it to charge again but always drops down after a while.

We made it home like this from Lago Maggiore! Not fun driving along the small roads along the lake when your voltmeter is showing 11.8Volt and nowhere to stop.

In the back of my mind I believe to remember that one can buy either an uprated alternator or just another regulator?

Sure when the cheapskaters (sorry the Motorhome builder) buy a Van of Fiat, they order the standard alternator? And me with adding some more equipment (battery to battery charger, mobile cool box) will exhaust the standard equipment as well.


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## Smaug (Aug 12, 2012)

have you done anything that could have blown a rectifier diode? Jump starting or connecting a "starter pack" might do it. Remover the alternator & get it tested first, a rectifier pack may fix it. If not, then you sold be able to get a replacement alternator with a higher output. 

FWIW an alternator should recharge the engine battery in about 20 mins, if you have a charge relay it will then start to pump juice back into the domestic battery. However, I have found that running the fridge on the 12v setting while travelling can seriously compromise the charge going into the domestic battery.


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## Bigpeetee (Aug 12, 2012)

Did you let your leisure batts go low? That would put a huge strain on the alternator.

The DC-DC charger will keep drawing power whilst it can, but should auto cut off if the voltage gets too low, then won't cut in again until the voltage rises again. Is this the cycling you see??

What happens if you disconnect the DC-DC unit?

Is your leisure batt getting a charge?

One of my leisure batts is the same size as the starter, so that I can disconnect it and use to start if necessary.


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## Teutone (Aug 12, 2012)

Bigpeetee said:


> Did you let your leisure batts go low? That would put a huge strain on the alternator.
> 
> The DC-DC charger will keep drawing power whilst it can, but should auto cut off if the voltage gets too low, then won't cut in again until the voltage rises again. Is this the cycling you see??
> 
> ...



All was working fine since I installed it. 
-- when MH is parked the solar panel charges the leisure battery till full (13.7 ish) and then tops up the van battery (13.2Volt) solar is depending on sun 2-6 A
-- when you start the engine you can see the voltage of the leisure battery rising to 14.5V and if discharged the current drawn from the alternator/van battery (up to 25A but most of the time around 8-12 A)
-- if the leisure battery is full the charge drops to 1-2 a
-- the alternator Voltage was always around 13.3 - 13.6V when driving

when current was drawn (switch on cab fan or radiator fans coming on in traffic) you can see the voltage drop a little and then rise again indicating that the regulator is working. 

all was working fine till 3 days ago. Now the alternator voltage doesn't stay up or adapts when current is drawn.

Leisure battery was NEVER below 12.6 since I installed it new a few month back. 125AH Elecsol wet.

But I can imagine with the B2B charger, satnav charger, phone charger, cool box plugged in and sitting in 35deg C traffic with the cab fan on full and the radiator fan working, the alternator or regualtor may have called it quits.

I just want to take the opportunuty to replace it with something more suited.

EDIT:
yes I disconnected everything and the resualt was the same. Initial charge and then dropping off


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