Home » Public Forums » GMCnet » Faint GEN light, voltage gauge reads 10, HELP!
| Faint GEN light, voltage gauge reads 10, HELP! [message #357972] |
Sun, 23 August 2020 13:43  |
Deb
Messages: 349
Registered: October 2016
Location: Logan Lake, BC
Karma: 2
|
Senior Member |
|
|
Hi folks. Well my coach (I guess I'm now the PO) is on it's way to the east coast of the US, and the fellow driving reports that the GEN light came on his morning & stayed on and has faded but still faintly illuminated. Coach started just fine this morning. Voltage gauge reads apparently 10 volts with the coach running. It was just checked over by a good shop in WA and they said everything was in excellent shape. No mechanical issues whatever. I have had no problems with the alternator.
He is currently between Missoula and Garrison Montana. I am going to check the black list for him. I have just told him to pull off into Garrison in case he is running on battery alone and decides to die on the highway!
Suggestions, assistance and comments all welcome. Thanks Deb
Deb McWade
Logan Lake, BC, CAN
GMC Alumnus
It's Bigger on the Inside!
|
|
|
|
| Re: [GMCnet] Faint GEN light, voltage gauge reads 10, HELP! [message #357973 is a reply to message #357972] |
Sun, 23 August 2020 13:49  |
James Hupy
Messages: 6806
Registered: May 2010
Karma: -62
|
Senior Member |
|
|
If he gets stranded, he can start the generator, jumper the isolator from
the generator to the engine lugs, and drive to a larger city where he may
have better access to rebuilders to fix his existing alternator. Just make
sure the jumper wire is 10 ga. or larger.
Jim Hupy
Salem, Oregon
On Sun, Aug 23, 2020, 11:43 AM Deb McWade via Gmclist <
gmclist@list.gmcnet.org> wrote:
> Hi folks. Well my coach (I guess I'm now the PO) is on it's way to the
> east coast of the US, and the fellow driving reports that the GEN light came
> on his morning & stayed on and has faded but still faintly illuminated.
> Coach started just fine this morning. Voltage gauge reads apparently 10
> volts with the coach running. It was just checked over by a good shop in
> WA and they said everything was in excellent shape. No mechanical issues
> whatever. I have had no problems with the alternator.
>
> He is currently between Missoula and Garrison Montana. I am going to
> check the black list for him. I have just told him to pull off into
> Garrison in
> case he is running on battery alone and decides to die on the highway!
>
> Suggestions, assistance and comments all welcome. Thanks Deb
> --
> Deb McWade
> Logan Lake, BC, CAN
> GMC Alumnus
> It's Bigger on the Inside!
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>
_______________________________________________
GMCnet mailing list
Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
|
|
|
|
| Re: [GMCnet] Faint GEN light, voltage gauge reads 10, HELP! [message #357974 is a reply to message #357973] |
Sun, 23 August 2020 14:33 |
Deb
Messages: 349
Registered: October 2016
Location: Logan Lake, BC
Karma: 2
|
Senior Member |
|
|
Thanks Jim. Got in touch with Jon in Montana on the Blacklist. We have the Onan running and the battery is charging. Coach started right up and the driver is on his way to Garrison Junction in MT. If everything is good there, and the battery is still charging properly off the Onan, he will then make his way to Butte and see what the deal is with the alternator. He will be calling Jon as well when he gets to Garrison, who will walk him through checking the connections between the alternator and battery.
Fingers crossed.
BTW, he never made it to Garrison - died on I-90. But the Onan got him going again.
Deb McWade
Logan Lake, BC, CAN
GMC Alumnus
It's Bigger on the Inside!
[Updated on: Sun, 23 August 2020 14:34] Report message to a moderator |
|
|
|
| Re: [GMCnet] Faint GEN light, voltage gauge reads 10, HELP! [message #357976 is a reply to message #357974] |
Sun, 23 August 2020 14:36 |
James Hupy
Messages: 6806
Registered: May 2010
Karma: -62
|
Senior Member |
|
|
Glad to help. Us GMCers got to stick together. Black's list works.
Jim Hupy
Salem, Oregon
On Sun, Aug 23, 2020, 12:34 PM Deb McWade via Gmclist <
gmclist@list.gmcnet.org> wrote:
> Thanks Jim. Got in touch with Jon in Montana on the Blacklist. We have
> the Onan running and the battery is charging. Coach started right up and
> the
> driver is on his way to Garrison Junction in MT. If everything is good
> there, and the battery is still charging properly off the Onan, he will then
> make his way to Butte and see what the deal is with the alternator. He
> will be calling Jon as well when he gets to Garrison, who will walk him
> through checking the connections between the alternator and battery.
> Fingers crossed.
> --
> Deb McWade
> Logan Lake, BC, CAN
> GMC Alumnus
> It's Bigger on the Inside!
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>
_______________________________________________
GMCnet mailing list
Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
|
|
|
|
| Re: [GMCnet] Faint GEN light, voltage gauge reads 10, HELP! [message #357977 is a reply to message #357976] |
Sun, 23 August 2020 15:10 |
Deb
Messages: 349
Registered: October 2016
Location: Logan Lake, BC
Karma: 2
|
Senior Member |
|
|
And this is why I never had a second thought about getting a GMC... Where else will you get this kind of help at the drop of a hat?
Heard back from the driver. Battery volts sitting at about 13 and change. He spoke with Jon and is on his way to Helena where he can get some help with that alternator. Continuing on with the Onan running till someone can take a look.
Deb McWade
Logan Lake, BC, CAN
GMC Alumnus
It's Bigger on the Inside!
|
|
|
|
| Re: [GMCnet] Faint GEN light, voltage gauge reads 10, HELP! [message #357978 is a reply to message #357977] |
Sun, 23 August 2020 15:23 |
Deb
Messages: 349
Registered: October 2016
Location: Logan Lake, BC
Karma: 2
|
Senior Member |
|
|
And it would seem that the belt is gone! Driver was looking in the wrong spot. Sent me a picture - no belt on the alternator. Asked if it gone or just slipped off. Haven't heard back.
PITA. New belts - all 3 of them last summer.
Heard back - belt is there, just popped off the pulley. Which pulley would be the problem, I don't know. Hopefully it was just an issue with tension at the alternator. But that should be a much more straight-forward issue than trying to replace the belt if it broke.
Deb McWade
Logan Lake, BC, CAN
GMC Alumnus
It's Bigger on the Inside!
[Updated on: Sun, 23 August 2020 15:34] Report message to a moderator |
|
|
|
| Re: [GMCnet] Faint GEN light, voltage gauge reads 10, HELP! [message #357982 is a reply to message #357978] |
Sun, 23 August 2020 16:02 |
James Hupy
Messages: 6806
Registered: May 2010
Karma: -62
|
Senior Member |
|
|
Well, son of a gun. Seems like he would notice that.
Jim Hupy
Salem, Oregon
On Sun, Aug 23, 2020, 1:24 PM Deb McWade via Gmclist <
gmclist@list.gmcnet.org> wrote:
> And it would seem that the belt is gone! Driver was looking in the wrong
> spot. Sent me a picture - no belt on the alternator. Asked if it gone or
> just slipped off. Haven't heard back.
> PITA. New belts - all 3 of them last summer.
> --
> Deb McWade
> Logan Lake, BC, CAN
> GMC Alumnus
> It's Bigger on the Inside!
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>
_______________________________________________
GMCnet mailing list
Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
|
|
|
|
| Re: [GMCnet] Faint GEN light, voltage gauge reads 10, HELP! [message #357988 is a reply to message #357982] |
Sun, 23 August 2020 17:45 |
Deb
Messages: 349
Registered: October 2016
Location: Logan Lake, BC
Karma: 2
|
Senior Member |
|
|
I would have thought so. But... Someone (non-mechanic guy) came and helped him out - put it back on, started using Batt boost (the Onan had run out of gas so the coach battery was dead again!) and it immediately flew off (I don't think it was on all pulleys) and it is now in several pieces after going through the gauntlet of drive belts.
Got the Onan running again - had air in the fuel lines/pump/carb after running out of gas, and he is now on his way to a destination with a population greater than 200. Battery is sitting at 13+V again.
I just want to see him get somewhere besides the side of I-90, at the end of the day!
I have passed along the BELTS gmcmotorhome.info page, as well where to look in the maintenance manual supplement for tensioning the alternator belt so whoever ends up getting that belt sorted out, will have what they need to make sure he gets a 7/16" belt and it's on correctly!! Told him to tell whoever he is getting that belt from to get his 10mm wrench out, and if it goes over the belt.... wrong size belt!
I also suggested that he might want to have the battery checked since it has been drained down to dead twice in 12 hours. Might not want to take a proper charge any more. It isn't a new battery, but it's a nice Interstate AGM and I have had no charging problems with it. But it's about 6 years old now.
Now that he is back on the road, and hopefully en route to his destination, I think it is time to sit down and have some lunch!
Thanks for the help folks.
Deb McWade
Logan Lake, BC, CAN
GMC Alumnus
It's Bigger on the Inside!
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Re: [GMCnet] Faint GEN light, voltage gauge reads 10, HELP! [message #357995 is a reply to message #357991] |
Mon, 24 August 2020 06:13 |
Bruce Hart
Messages: 1501
Registered: October 2011
Location: La Grange, Wyoming
Karma: 5
|
Senior Member |
|
|
Any issues of finding the 27si alternator. Napa has a distribution center
in Billings Montana. Napa number in 213-4022
(406) 255-6272
On Sun, Aug 23, 2020 at 6:33 PM John R. Lebetski via Gmclist <
gmclist@list.gmcnet.org> wrote:
> See if alternator spins freely by hand. If bearings bad it may keep
> throwing belt, which is probably bad by now.
> --
> John Lebetski
> Woodstock, IL
> 77 Eleganza II
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>
--
Bruce Hart
1976 Palm Beach
Milliken, Co
GMC=Got More Class
_______________________________________________
GMCnet mailing list
Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
Bruce Hart
1976 Palm Beach
1977 28' Kingsley
La Grange, Wyoming
|
|
|
|
| Re: [GMCnet] Faint GEN light, voltage gauge reads 10, HELP! [message #358004 is a reply to message #357995] |
Mon, 24 August 2020 09:27 |
Deb
Messages: 349
Registered: October 2016
Location: Logan Lake, BC
Karma: 2
|
Senior Member |
|
|
John & Bruce. Thanks for the info. I will pass that along to him. He is safely in Bozeman, thanks to the GMC community and a great Onan, and will be searching for a shop this morning. A decent mechanic will be able to check that alternator (but I'll tell him too so he can maybe take a look at it himself before he takes it in) and the alternator part number is very good to have on hand if he needs one. Thanks folks. Deb
Deb McWade
Logan Lake, BC, CAN
GMC Alumnus
It's Bigger on the Inside!
|
|
|
|
| Re: [GMCnet] Faint GEN light, voltage gauge reads 10, HELP! [message #358012 is a reply to message #358004] |
Mon, 24 August 2020 11:30 |
powwerjon
Messages: 849
Registered: March 2013
Karma: -2
|
Senior Member |
|
|
Deb,
I don’t know if you have seen this information or already have it.
http://gmcmotorhome.info/engine.html#alternator
and
http://gmcmotorhome.info/engine.html#ALTLIGHT
Gives great info on how and why the alternator light glows
J.R. Wright
GMC Great Laker MHC
GMCGL Tech Editor
GMC Eastern States Charter Member
GMCMI
78 GMC Buskirk 29.5’ Stretch
75 GMC Avion (Under Reconstruction)
Michigan
> On Aug 24, 2020, at 10:27 AM, Deb McWade via Gmclist wrote:
>
> John & Bruce. Thanks for the info. I will pass that along to him. He is safely in Bozeman, thanks to the GMC community and a great Onan, and will
> be searching for a shop this morning. A decent mechanic will be able to check that alternator (but I'll tell him too so he can maybe take a look at
> it himself before he takes it in) and the alternator part number is very good to have on hand if he needs one. Thanks folks. Deb
> --
> Deb McWade
> Logan Lake, BC, CAN
> GMC Alumnus
> It's Bigger on the Inside!
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
_______________________________________________
GMCnet mailing list
Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
|
|
|
|
Goto Forum:
Current Time: Fri Sep 20 03:50:34 CDT 2024
Total time taken to generate the page: 0.12414 seconds
|
GMCforum
Search
Help
Register
Login
Home
