ford f-450 problem

[RGRAT1618]

A year ago my fire dept got a ford F-450 with the powerstroke. We have a custom body built for the back. after all is said and done we are now having problems with 12-volt power. with all the doors open and all the emergancy lights on the truck is out of power in about 35 minutes. There is an idle kicker and load manager installed. The load mangager sheds the load buth the truck never recovers until all the lights are off fot a good while. I would like to install a 2nd altanator but we got an engine driven genarator that takes the spot of the second altanator. If anyone has any ideas to help me with this problem would be great. We are not going to ask the people that built the truck, wel because they really did a bad job.





Rob G

 

[Boldt's Wagon]

Buy a 40-100 amp or so battery charger and plug it into the generator output. Also, RVs have 40+ amp 12 DC power supplies that could be permanantly wired into the generator output. You might also be able to replace the current alternator with a higher output unit.

 

[Motorhead]

Good idea Boldt, You could go to a large equipment battery, the ones that are about 2. 5ft long by 1. 5 wide. Do you have an adjustable high idle feature on the rig or are you shutting it down. A tire company that comes to our shop to do tire changes has a PS and it has a high idle feature to run a compressor. The Internationals at UPS can be run up with the cruise control to high idle. Can you switch to Halogen bulbs or flourescent for the compartments that give the same light with less amp draw? Switch all of the non emergency signal and running lights to the new LED types. There are automotive electrical specialty houses that could build a higher amp alternator. It seems hard to believe that a 140 amp alt isn't enough. Lastly, install a break away plug so when at the station house you can have a regulated charger charging the batteries when the engine is sitting. HEY, the TDR can fix anything!! Chris