Walt L

Has anyone had this? At idle the all the truck lights have a noticable pulsation to them and it doesnt real clear up unless you rev the engine out to 2500 rpms. I have a relatively new Napa altinator on 3 year old 850CA interstates. The batteries have a standing 13.4 volts off and the external voltage regulator is always pumping 14.9 to 15 volts into the batteries at idle. Do you think I may have a bad diode in the altinator or something like that? Any thoughts?

mstep3

it's normal for the lights to dim slightly on and off when the truck is started and the temperature is in the 50's or below...it's just the grid heaters cycling on and off...

Walt L

No, thats not what the problem is. I have a grid heater disconect switch and I leave that off. The pulsing is a flickering something like a cut out of electricity every half second. I have another altinator Im going to try since I already put in a new volt reg to no result. I have good grounds all around.

dkenny

if you're dumping 14.9-15V, as read by a good meter, not the one in the dash. you have a bad regulator. especially since you've done a grid heater delete. it should never go over 14.2 volts..you'll boil water out of the batteries.

do you get the flicker if you unplug the alternator?

-dkenny

rockcrawler304

Do you get this flickering while driving or just idling? Does it ever go away other than revving it to 2500 RPM?

Walt L

This is the second voltage regulator and it made little diffrence. still running 14.8 all of the time. It flikers driving, siting, all the time. Today I buryed the volt meter at 18v driving home from work for about 1 minute, then it mysteriously went back down to its normal possition on the truck meter and thats a new $35 regulator! I didnt try un pluging the altinater. I'll try that next. This second altinator I put in today made no difference. Will a burned cell in a battery do this? Im going over the grounds again, maybe I missed one.

Walt L

I think I found the problem. I pulled the hot side cable off the passenger side battery and 75 percent of the pulsing stoped. Man, Am I POed! These 3 year old MPT27 interstates are 3 years old and have no more than 2K miles on them! Iv had short lived interstates befor and this is it. These are not the interstates of 20 years ago folks. Im going to freakin walmart for a pair this time. Iv had real good service from walmart batteries (replaced in a 6.5TD from int.)and a 3 year no questions replacement that they have honored out of my VW TDI. Aside from that, I think the 14.9 set point of all these china made regulators may have a hand in beating the batteries up. Iv ordered a C8313 adjustable regulator that I will max out at 13.9v.
Any way, thanks for the suggestions & Be Well.

starflite3

I don't want to tell you where to spend your money but, I have had NO luck with Wally world "never start" batteries. I have had Interstates and Everstarts that have failed prematurely. I finally listened to a friend that recommended DEKA batteries from CarQuest. He works for a line co. and maintains their fleet of Powerstrokes. I bought them 3 yrs. ago and have had no issues so far. They stay clean with no leaks or oozing and they have been run dead 2 times now (my fault) and have been successfully brought back to life. Look them up on the internet and read about them. Batteries are what they do.
I don't shop at Wal-Mart anymore for anything. Everything they sell in my opinion is junk.
There are a few other reasons I won't shop there, but this is not a Wal-Mart bashing forum, so I will leave it at that.

Walt L

Iv had 5 yellow Max wally's for my Diesels 2 of which went a bit weak and were promptly replaced. The big yellow in my Massy 1010 is 4 years old and works great in a low compression Diesel where I need alot of glow to get her fired. I thought Id try the interstates for my pride & joy CTD and it didnt work out. The main thing I think is the easy warrenty issue for me. The servicability on the Wallies have been pretty darned good from my experiance. I even tryed optimas on my 6.5 TD and after 1 year one of the red tops,1 had a complete burn out. more big wasted money for nothing since they were only through the mail back then so a mail return was a no go $$. If Im going to roll the dice, it will be with Wally! Thanks just the same.
Later Edit" just got back from Walmart. wouldnt you know it, the Wally MAXX 27 is the identical battery to the Interstate megatron that went bad! Jez, I guess this realy is another roll of the dice, just at a better price $77 and better 3 year warrenty on the same exact battery.