Help. I'm really green with bus conversions and power supplies. My Dad had a stroke and isn't a lot of help. He owns an '83 Prevost Liberty conversion. He keeps it parked in our driveway plugged in to shore power. Whenever he wants to use it, he charges a couple batteries, starts it up, unhooks and off he goes. I've tried this but, no power to the starter apparently. No dashboard lights, headlights, guages resetting, nothing. To my knowledge, there isn't anything else I'm supposed to do. Batteries have at least 10-12v charge on them. I have charged them separately and that's what the charger reads per battery. I hook them all back up, together, and nothing. There are 12 batteries total (that I see) but the bottom 6 are in cases and I usually only see him charge a few, at most, on the top rack. I'm wondering if there's a switch he turns off to disconnect the batteries when the bus isn't in use, to prevent them from draining. It has been sitting for almost two years but he isn't able to comprehend the amount of time since his stroke. So, he's telling me what he normally does to start it and, it doesn't normally sit for more than a few months, six at the most. ANY help would be most appreciated!!!
Starting problem
- Thread starter tdwno101
- Start date
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sc4668
Well-known member
At the voltage readings you provided of 10 to 12 volts your batteries are dead. Remove the batteries service them with distilled water and put a charger on them. When they are fully charged will read about 14.2 volts with the charger connected. Remove charger and monitor battery voltage. Should stay around 12.8 volts. You can also to to Auto Zone or similar stores and have them load tested.
Utclmjmpr
Well-known member
Looks like you have a lot of learnin to do if you intend to operate a bus.>>>Dan
sc4668 said:
They're 12v batteries, should they not be charged when reading 10-12v with the charger connected?? That's how our semi's are anyway. I will check the water in them, for sure and charge again. Hopefully, this is the problem because I've been through all the manuals and it won't budge with the rear start either. Totally perplexed here.
Utclmjmpr
Well-known member
You have just verified what I was referring to,, a 12 volt battery is 50% down when reading 12 volts!! At 11 volts they are toast, especially if left in that condition for very long.. Fully charged they should read a solid 12.6 volts at rest. That year Prevost ( pronounced PRAY VO) will have a Detroit two stroke engine installed,,another whole bag of worms that takes a LOT of understanding to deal with.>>>Dan 25 years in the bus conversion world.
Utclmjmpr said:
You're just a know it all jerk, aren't you Dan?? Obviously, your "25 years in the bus conversion world" didn't teach you much or you'd be offering some help here instead of just criticizing. Or, maybe you like to make people feel stupid so you can feel smart?? I bet you joined this forum just so you could troll around and criticize everyone asking for help, bragging about everything you THINK you know but not offering an ouce of assistance to anyone. Go away, if you're just going to do that. You're a pest and a nuisance and NO HELP.
Utclmjmpr
Well-known member
Do you really think anyone can help you from a distance?,, on a computer? Do you even know how old those batteries are??
IN otherwords YOU have to know SOMETHING ABOUT THE SUBJECT before anyone can help you Go to the bus conversion magazine forum and you will be in contact with many many folks that know buses intimately, including your model and all the problems you may run into.>>>Dan
IN otherwords YOU have to know SOMETHING ABOUT THE SUBJECT before anyone can help you Go to the bus conversion magazine forum and you will be in contact with many many folks that know buses intimately, including your model and all the problems you may run into.>>>Dan
Utclmjmpr said:
Actually Dan, I do. And, I bet I know a whole lot more than YOU claim to know! I've ever run into such a know it all, nasty, hateful insecure little man as you before. Thanks for showing me what this forum is all about. I can clearly see, THIS is not the place to ask for or get any help. It's obviously the place to go if you want to belittle others, run your mouth, be sarcastic and crappy, and tell others (who asked for help) that they know nothing. You're nothing but a keyboard warrior who again, KNOWS NOTHING.
Utclmjmpr
Well-known member
sc4668, in his post laid it out for you and it went right over your head,,I was just backing him up with some additional info,,and that went over your head...So you are not understanding, or not reading the facts and accepting the info as fact.>>>Dan
Tom
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Folks, please keep personal attacks out of the discussion.
CharlesinGA
Well-known member
Sadly this whole thread is falling apart fast. I don't see that Dan did anything but try to help. In any case, I hope that if the OP is disconnecting the batteries to charge them, that you took pics of the cable layout before hand so you don't get then hooked up wrong which is super easy to do, even for an experienced and knowledgeable person. Is this a 12v system? or a 24 volt system?
And yes, if you service with water, charge for a very long time, and then after disconnecting the charger for a hour or so, find the batteries below 12.5 or 12.6 v, then the batteries are not holding the charge.
Good luck, this can easily turn into a monster trying to get everything up and running again.
Charles
And yes, if you service with water, charge for a very long time, and then after disconnecting the charger for a hour or so, find the batteries below 12.5 or 12.6 v, then the batteries are not holding the charge.
Good luck, this can easily turn into a monster trying to get everything up and running again.
Charles
youracman
Well-known member
tdwno101: "They're 12v batteries, should they not be charged when reading 10-12v with the charger connected??"
Here's some "State of charge" data that you may find useful. I keep a small-sized copy of it in with my digital voltmeter.....just for reference. A LOT of folks believe that a battery that reads 12vdc with no load applied is fully charged.......but it is really only 50% charged.
Battery State of Charge
(Open Circuit)
Volts % Charge
12.73 100%
12.62 90%
12.50 80%
12.32 70%
12.24 60%
12.10 50%
11.96 40%
11.81 30%
11.66 20%
11.51 10%
Good luck with the fix ..... and safe travels. ed s
Here's some "State of charge" data that you may find useful. I keep a small-sized copy of it in with my digital voltmeter.....just for reference. A LOT of folks believe that a battery that reads 12vdc with no load applied is fully charged.......but it is really only 50% charged.
Battery State of Charge
(Open Circuit)
Volts % Charge
12.73 100%
12.62 90%
12.50 80%
12.32 70%
12.24 60%
12.10 50%
11.96 40%
11.81 30%
11.66 20%
11.51 10%
Good luck with the fix ..... and safe travels. ed s
Arch Hoagland
Well-known member
If you are going to remove them to charge, or for whatever reason, take several pictures of them before you disconnect anything. These cellphones are pretty handy devices!!!
Utclmjmpr
Well-known member
I can appreciate the frustration he must be feeling,,he has this "boat anchor" sitting in his drive way and can't find the "magic switch" to start it like his dad did. He also may have fuel issues after he gets the battery thing ironed out.( It's obvious that the batteries are toast when the father had to charge them to start it,,so brings in the age question. This vintage used the Detroit 8V92T engine and was prone to freeze up the fuel injectors when sitting for long periods. It may get expensive quickly. His old man has my respect when he could just" charge a couple of batteries and off he would go" These beasts needed a lot of maintenance and would go down hill quickly when not getting it.>>>Dan
