Video of battery monitor test

[Jeff Bayley]

I think my "battery light on" problem got lost in the other thread. (Or maybe nobody loves me). Besides that, the link I put to the video was no good


Here's a copy of the post from the other thread and the video of me testing it but I can't draw any conclusions if it's ok or not.

I finally got the volt meter out yesterday to test the small battery monitor made by a Vanner that is relatively new (a couple of years old) on my coach. I downloaded the manual from the manufactures website but it had no specific instructions for testing it. I have a link to the manual below this first link of me testing it in case anyone wants to reference page to which shows some clue as to what my results may indicate. I'm sorry I cannot fully translate them myself to get a conclusive decision on whether it is bad or not.

I believe the first link below will show you the video of me testing it. I am testing it from right to left as you can see and if you go back to the photo I posted on page 1 you can see which terminals say what from a close-up photo that I posted. What I noticed was that almost every reading was almost identical at 28 V and change.

Let me know if this video link doesn't work that shows my testing the battery monitor. I should have gone ahead and and showed the readings on the two main battery posts while running (27 volts) and on the 12 volt and 24 volt large Vanner (reading as supposed to)

http://gallery.me.com/jbayley#100015/Battery%20Monitor%20Test&bgcolor=black

With those readings, it seems as though my voltage regulator should be good. Someone I talked to said there was a "diode" (?) inside the alternator that might have gone out. I guess the next thing to check is the water level in all the batteries. ??

This link below is to the very small two page manual which and shows what each poll should indicate. Three of the polls are supposed to be connected to either buzzers or warning lights (that's my problem my battery light is on) . I have not checked the water level and the batteries yet which is one of the possible culprits. Before I do that to see if anyone could interpret the voltage readings that I took to see if there's something more obvious going on.

Based on page 2 of the manual it would appear that my high and low warning light posts are within range. One of them is supposed to go off if it falls below 24 V and the other one is supposed to go off if it goes above 30 volts. I appear to be within range of 28 V unless I'm mistaken. I believe this should also indicate that my voltage regulator on the alternator is working correctly. Conclusions? Suggestions? Go ahead and check the water level in the batteries at this point? I think that one of the things the monitor does is indicate if there is an imbalance in the batteries. That is to say if one of the batteries this notably off from the other three (Coach batteries. I have four.)

http://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=...oC-DuDZp3tVKrw

[jelmore]

Jeff, your link to the manual doesn't work. Is that the Vanner EM70D? I've attached the manual for that. I had to replace mine. Very easy and $100. All my readings at the posts were within range and my battery light was on. Conclusion: the monitor was bad.

[Jeff Bayley]

Jim yes that is the model. Thanks for telling me the link was no good. I guess for $100 I should go ahead and get one ordered and replace it. The only thing I can think of that I have not checked is the water level in the batteries which I probably should check anyway. I'm in New York city now so hard to find a place to work but we'll manage to check it out.

[stevet903]

Couple questions:

Do you have a Battery Hi/Lo and a Battery Balance lamp on the dash? Which one is lit?

I watched the video and the voltages all looked great - I'm assuming that the engine was running (no sound on the computer)? The only thing you didn't check was that the ground wire has good continuity and low resistance to ground. Use the voltmeter to check - you should have 0 or .1V and it should show continuity. If not, that needs to be fixed first. It might be worthwhile to take each of the connectors off, spray some electrical cleaner in, and make and break the connection a couple of times just in case there is some corrosion there. Once the ground is verified then:

Assuming that the Battery Hi/Lo is lit, then remove the two wires from the Lamp Output section labeled Batt High and Batt Low (with the engine running). The lamp on the dash should go out, and it would indicate that the Vanner box is bad. If not, you have a short somewhere in the wiring harness.

Steve

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Given the replacement history of the Vanner monitor there is a high probability the box has puked.

[Jeff Bayley]

Jon- It's only a few years old and I haven't driven hardly anywhere in 3 years either but with electronics I know that age and mileage don't matter very much.

Steve- Thanks for taking the time to watch the video. I got the sound only after I test played that link twice. But the engine was running yes. I will follow instructions on ground and remove hi/lo and check the light. I think I only have one battery light at the dash but the one that is on it red and it has an image of a battery and a +/- sign. I think this is the equalizer light but not positive. Removing the Hi/Low wires and checking the light again will tell. You said the ground show have low resistance at read out at 0-.01 Where do I set the meter for that ? Ohms ? And where does the positive test lead go ?

[stevet903]

With the engine stopped, put the scale onto ohms to check continuity. Red meter lead goes to the black Vanner ground lead and the black meter lead should go to the negative battery post, if you can reach it, otherwise to a clean spot on the chassis metal. Hopefully you'll have zero ohms or very close to it. Then with the engine running, switch the meter to volts, and do the same measurement. Should be zero volts or very close to it.

Steve

[Jeff Bayley]

Ground wire removed from monitor. Black test lead to that ground lead and red test lead to red 24volt jump post. Reading: 30 volts
Same Test but to bare connector on monitor (ground wire not hooked up): Reading 4.0

Ohms:
Tested as instructed with red wire on negative ground wire (not post, wire that goes to post.....disconnected by the way) and got a reading of .05

Below are additional tests I did. The dash light that has been on is the red one on the far left. The pictures below are in pairs.

The first two show what the additional two indicator lights that came on when I disconnected the 24 Volt DC on the "Input" side of the monitor. Two additional lights (the two on the right) came on. Sad to say the middle light is white and missing it's logo or label.

The 2nd pair of photos shows what indicator comes on when I disconnected the 12 Volt wire on the "input" side of the monitor. Photos blurry but hat is the 12 volt wire pulled off.

Additionally, I removed the wires one at a time from the "Lamp Output" side and there was no change at the dash. The one red battery light on the far left that has been on simply remained so.

[stevet903]

Hmmm ..... Very interesting. I think your Vanner is OK, and something else is going on. If you look at this wiring diagram, the Vanner is wired to two dash lights:

http://prevostparts.volvo.com/technicalpublications/pdf/D060853p1.pdf

One light is a Battery High/Low, and the other is a Battery Balance light. The High/Low light will come on if the voltage is above 30.3V or below 23.7, and the Balance light goes on if the difference between the 24V side and the 12V side is greater than 1.5V (i.e., the Vanner equalizer has failed). The lights above indicate the Vanner monitor is working properly - with 24V disconnected, the Battery Hi/Lo light is on (less than 23.7V) and the Bat Balance light is on (greater than 1.5V difference between the inputs). When 12V is disconnected, then the difference is greater than 1.5V and only the Bat Balance light is on.

So where does this leave us? I looked through the wiring diagrams and couldn't find another battery indicator light? Do you have 2 Alternators? Could the light that's on be wired to the house alternator? Maybe this was modified or added by the converter?

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Before Jeff gets confused and experiences overload ignore the Vanner monitor and just run a simple systems check. Measure voltage at the 24V post on the batteries with the engine off, and then with it running.

Then connect to the Vanner equalizer ground and check voltage at the 12 and 24 volt posts, engine running, engine off.

Everything he needs to know is right there. It will either be correct or he will have a problem. All the monitor does is turn on idiot lights and it has not had a very reliable record among POG owners.

[Jeff Bayley]

Steve- yes, I have a converter installed 12 volt house alternator that I changed and put a really good $1,300 275 amp there several years ago. It IS working to charge my house batteries when I dirve.

Jon- I'll do your test again tommorow but that was actually the first test I did when in New England about a week ago now and I didn't do it with the coach off but recall he 12 and 24 volt sides putting out propoer power with the engine on. Will check with engine on and engine off and record the readings and post tommorw.

Thank you both.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

My only reason for suggesting engine on / engine off is so you can verify alternator output. At the Vanner equalizer the 12 volt value should be 50% of the 24 volt value within 1/2 volt. If that all checks out, ignore the lights and replace the monitor whenever you get a chance.

At one time prior to the use of the Vanner monitors the battery light in our coaches was connectged via a relay to the relay post on the alternator and only if there was no power output on the alternator did the light come on. However there was no dash indication of out of balance (indicating an equalizer problem) or high voltage, indicating a probable failed regulator.

[stevet903]

Jeff, I was thinking about this last night, and you said that this monitor was not original, correct? Either way, I guess the quick way to see how it is wired it to pull the three red wires off the Lamp output section of the Vanner monitor - the Batt High, Batt Low, Batt Balance wires, and see if the light on the dash goes out.

Steve

[Jeff Bayley]

We had to fly back to Florida at the last minute and urgently. **
Returning to the bus in about one week on Friday. I have not made *
finding the problem a priority since it doesn't seem to be affecting *
anything except for the light on the dash.I should remedy it before I *
find myself stranded.

*I did do a test similar to the one you suggest Steve. I pulled the *
terminals off one at a time and I think official photographs above of *
that test. However, pulling the terminal off of the one that is *
affecting the life on the dash would not result in the light going *
off. I think the light will go off when I remedy the problem. *
Correct? *I got a number of interesting videos in New York City that I *
need to *cobble together and can post it online somewhere.