Helpful hints to find the Faults
indicated by the l.e.d.s
Fault on panel :All lights flashing.
High alternator voltage trip.
Once all these lights flash what has happened is the alternator voltage sensed via the brown wire on the D+ has exceeded 17.5 volts ( x 2 for 24 v ) . and the advanced reg has disconnected itself.
Remember that when any red warning lights come on the sterling unit, the sterling has 100% disconnected itself ( it has a built in relay connected to the white wire ). So the most important thing to check here is that when this alarm comes on, is whether or not the system reverts back to its own standard voltage ( or in the event of its own regulator not being used the alternator should cease functioning ). This is the most important thing to establish, because if the alarm lights on and the Advanced reg has disconnected itself , then the standard system should automatically take over and automatically drop the charger voltage back to the standard voltage setting ( about 14 v at the alternator ), if this does not happen and the voltage continues to rise then the standard alternator system is at fault.
There are a number of reasons for the high alternator trip activating, and it falls into 2 main headings:
A new installation where the advanced regulator has just been installed and so far has not worked correctly
1)due to the incorrect handling of the standard regulator when installing the field cables to fit the sterling alternator the standard regulator has failed closed, The only solution for this is to replace the standard regulator 2)the solder you put onto the brush to connect the field wire to has touch the alternator case and caused the
field to go to earth ( on neg field control only ) , or the cable you connected has been nipped to the alt case when bringing the cable outside the alternator . To test for this, using a volt meter, turn the meter to ohms test ( so that when the 2 x terminals are jointed the meter beeps ) test the wire you connected to the neg of the case, there should be no beep, if a beep is herd, then investigate why this is going down to neg.
3)the red sense wire has been connect in the wrong place disconnected. this means the red wire is open circuited.
4 )the unit works o.k. For a short period of time then if you increase the r.p.m. Of the engine it trips out. The most common thing that would cause this is if the cable between the alternator and the batteries being either to long for the current or to thin for the length. The first question i always ask is what is the cable distance between the alternator and the batteries, and the first answer is usually about 1.5 meters as the batteries are beside the engine ( this of course i don't believe, so my next question is,) Do you have a amp meter on the dash , and i usually get yes, then my second question, is Now sir, taking into account that you have a amp meter on the dash, and the fact that the alternator cable will go via that, what is the cable length between the alternator and the batteries via the amp meter and the split charge diode , all of a sudden the 1.5. Meter run ( which was no problem ) becomes a 5 meter run, carrying 60 amps, which now becomes a problem.
The important thing to remember here is that voltage drop faults manifested themselves in heat ( this is why the advanced regulator has this safety system built into it, because failure to detect this fault could easily result in a fire in your loom. So with this in mind then the correct way for a knowledgeably electrication is to check the voltage drop across the positive line, how the easy way to find this fault is to do the following:
Expose the dash so you can easily get to the amp meter, ( or where ever it is ) , expose the split diode or relay or rotary switch ( where ever it may be ) expose the alternator , and expose the battery terminalis. Now then simply switch on the engine, run the engine at as high a r.p.m. As possible ( without the trip coming on, if the trip comes on then restart the engine and bring the r.p.m. up to below the last time , remember if the trip comes on the test is a waste of time ) for about 5 mins. Then stop the engine and carefully do the following ( remember the fault will show itself as heat.)
1)feel the alternator cable, if very warm. Solution: double its thickness, ie run another cable the same thickness along with the one alright there. or run a new much thicker cable, a rough guide is that for every 2 meters of cable run you need to double the size of the cable.
2)touch all the connectors on the cable, ie the connection on the back of the alt, and any other joins, if hot . Solution: re make the connections.
3)touch the back of the amp meter, check the connections and also the rating of the amp meter to ensure it is within the rating of the alternator , if it is very hot Solution: replace the amp meter with a shunt type ( see the sterling power management panel ) and reduce the cable length
A older installation where the system has been working correctly
Because we can assume certain things like the cable size is o.k. and the cable runs are not to long ( however it is worth doing the above test incase cables have become lose in crimp connectors or the cable has frayed and in effect reduced its cross section of copper. ) we can check for other problems.
1)with the engine running, check the voltage coming out of the alternator ( before the alarm goes on, any tests