Alternator issues

[Military RVer]

So I have a serious problem. My alternator isn't charging my batteries. I am by st louis, mo. Heading to decator, il. Going to rev group to hopefully do a tour and to get the ol' girl a good once over. Anyone know where i can get another alternator or a repair shop that can help me.

[Dr4Film]

Until you can locate a reputable shop that will rebuild your existing alternator at a reasonable price get yourself a 6 gauge jumper cable from a NAPA store with eyes on both ends. Then attach it to each side of your Battery Isolator relay. Then start your generator to keep the chassis battery in the 11.5 - 12 VDC range. Do NOT drive at night as the headlights will drain your chassis battery faster than the generator can keep it charged. You can drive thousands of miles this way until you get to your destination or a repair shop.

Safe travels.

[Vince Toscano]

You also could use a standard battery charger when running your generator. 

Did you check the voltage at your battery terminals with the engine off and running? With the engine running it should be around 14 volts. 

[redstickbill]

Find a large truck repair shop and ask who repairs/rebuilds alternators for them. You are better off having yours rebuilt. Many folks have replaced their alternators with another brand and had many headaches.

Bill B 07 Dynasty (USN Ret.)

[doglicker44]

Contact Jom Fararri at AJ - Electric. He is extremely knowledgeable on these. They have new ones in stock if you need one. It could be your isolator as well. I had the same issue on my 2000 Dynasty and it was a bad isolator. 

[vanwill52]

There are literally hundreds of threads on many forums about the headaches of "replacing" rather than "rebuilding" your existing alternator.  Yours on your 1999 coach is a DUVAC style which must have a battery "feedback" terminal so that it can read the voltage "at the battery" rather than "at the alternator output".  The solid state isolator causes voltage AT THE GENERATOR to be at least 0.7 volts too low to properly charge the batteries.  Either have your alternator rebuilt or use the temporary methods suggested to get you home safely until you can take the alternator to a qualified repair shop.  Install any replacement alternator without that remote voltage-sensing feature and your batteries will never charge completely.

If you convert your coach to use the Blue Sea ML-ACR, you will eliminate the SSI, the Lambert auxiliary charger, and the Big Boy (battery boost) solenoid.  Search this site for the several threads on making the conversion to the ML-ACR.  Once installed, any garden-variety alternator can be substituted for your DUVAC model.