Funny Problem...

[RSWORDS]

Driving down the road all of a sudden EVERYTHING electrical will stop working for about half a second. Just enough to flick the lights and restart the radio. I though maybe it was a battery cable but they both check out fine with testing (voltage drop test). Then I checked the battery, test fine under load. BUT when I start the truck the tester is showing 15.5V and whne I go to load test it it drops back to 12V... Regulator gone bad?

I hate electrical.......

[RSWORDS]

Driving down the road all of a sudden EVERYTHING electrical will stop working for about half a second. Just enough to flick the lights and restart the radio. I though maybe it was a battery cable but they both check out fine with testing (voltage drop test). Then I checked the battery, test fine under load. BUT when I start the truck the tester is showing 15.5V and whne I go to load test it it drops back to 12V... Regulator gone bad?

I hate electrical.......

no help?

[Begle1]

When the truck is running, the voltage at the battery should be at the charging voltage of ~14-15.5; when it's off, the battery voltage should be around ~12.6. A big load should drop it down to ~12-ish in a hurry too.

My voltage regulator was causing everything electric to die, but it was putting out well over 16 volts, on a very intermittent basis. It was totally maxing out the voltmeter on the dash every now and then.

[IRoss]

If it happens over, say maybe a slight bump, check your battery hold-down....

[peobryant]

If it happens over, say maybe a slight bump, check your battery hold-down....

Seems like you have some experience with this.

[RSWORDS]

Cables check out... Battery tie down is good... if I try and lift the dump bed (largest load I can put on it) all the electrical stops and comes back after 10 seconds or so. Almost like a thermal breaker restting... Do we have those? And EVERYTHING electrical dies....

And the amp meter point straight up all teh time..

[PToombs]

Bad connection someplace! Is the dump hooked directly to the battery?

OOH! 2nd thought! Check the wiring to the dump for a chafed spot. I bet it wore thru, and is grounding out someplace. When it hits a bump, it shorts, and when you raise it, the cable moves with the load on it and shorts.



(i love this game!)

[RSWORDS]

Un hooked the dump same thing when I hit a bump...

Swapped out the battery and seems to have fixed the problem!

[PToombs]

Cool, glad you found it. Probably the plates were touching.

[RSWORDS]

Thats what I was thinking!

[RSWORDS]

Well to finish this up my problem came back a day or so after swapping the battery. I'll just say this. It is AMAZING how much stuff is grounded through that little dame body ground wire on the rad support. Replaced it and everything is good now!

[gear jammer 91"]

I always used to joke that dodges had permanent incurable electrical problems. Now I own one.

[PToombs]

Permanent uncurable electrical problems or a Dodge?

Bobby, after reading back thru this thread, I'm surprised that nobody suggested that. Even me!

[gear jammer 91"]

So far just a dodge, I hope I didn't just jinx myself.

[RSWORDS]

Permanent uncurable electrical problems or a Dodge?

Bobby, after reading back thru this thread, I'm surprised that nobody suggested that. Even me!

Well i checked it and it looked good. The problem is all teh "extra" stuff that has been added, Like the elec fuel pump, VHF Radio, Gauges, ect. Even the 12v hydrolic pump for the lift bed was grounded to the frame! It was just too much for the factory setup!