Bad battery and bad alternator?

jackbombay

2003 158" shc
So my van sat for a week and a half while the high pressure pump was getting rebuilt by Doktor A, and when I got the pump reinstalled I found the battery was pretty much totally dead, when I turned the key on the dash lights came on for about 1 second then everything shut off.

I hooked up the battery charger for about 3 hours and then the van started.

I went to town and on my way home the battery light started blinking, not is a pattern, but on about %80 if the time, on %100 of the time under decel, and on about %80 of the time at idle.

I checked voltage at the battery and it was 12.6-13.3. I also checked it right at the alternator and it was the same. Both wires coming off the alt are tight.

Here is a pic of my battery, I am pretty sure it is the original battery, ~7 years old now. The date dots were never scratched off so I can say for sure how old it is.



My Alt has a big "90" on the back of it so I assume it is 90 amp alt.

Is it possible that the controller on the back of the Alt is bad and I can just replace that? How do you test that?


If my alt is bad I can replace that 90 with a 150 without any other changes, correct?

Although this ebay auction (just for reference) says,

A new 4 gauge power cable is required for proper battery maintenance!
So where is the preferred place to get a new alt from?
 

mendonsy

Member
I have not had one of these alternators off so I am not sure, but many alternators have brushes that wear out. They are usually an easy fix that most people don't think of. It could well be a $5 part instead of a $200 alternator.
 

aljimenez

'13 LTV Serenity on '12 3
If your battery was very discharged, it will take longer than 3 hours to charge fully. I would say, charge it for a longer time before concluding it needs replacement. In addition, you should check for leaks causing the battery to discharge in the first place. I think something is using it up while your engine is off. Check anything you installed lately for drawing from the battery when the engine is off... Al
 

jackbombay

2003 158" shc
If your battery was very discharged, it will take longer than 3 hours to charge fully. I would say, charge it for a longer time before concluding it needs replacement. In addition, you should check for leaks causing the battery to discharge in the first place. I think something is using it up while your engine is off. Check anything you installed lately for drawing from the battery when the engine is off... Al
I'll check draw tomorrow, but the battery is 7+ years old so it really owes me nothing at this point. I do have the charger on it now as well. but Even if the battery is dead, the alt should be spitting out 14+ volts :-/
 

Eric Experience

Well-known member
Jack.
The most likely problem is the alternater brushes. If you remove the alternator rear cover and pull out the regulator/brush assembly the brushes will be visible. I would be replacing the battery if it is that old. Eric.
 

220629

Well-known member
I'll check draw tomorrow, but the battery is 7+ years old so it really owes me nothing at this point. I do have the charger on it now as well. but Even if the battery is dead, the alt should be spitting out 14+ volts :-/
Jack,
I'm not suggesting to not change your battery if tests condemn it. I don't think what you show is OEM. Have you owned the van since new? I believe most Sprinters I've seen came with a white OEM battery. None of them had a similar label either. I could be wrong, but your battery may be newer than 7 years. I wouldn't change it based upon age only if testing shows it's OK. FWIW. AP/vic
 
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jackbombay

2003 158" shc
I don't think what you show is OEM. Have you owned the van since new? I believe most Sprinters I've seen came with a white OEM battery. None of them had a similar label either.
I bought the van not long ago actually, in October. Based on the service/maintenance of the rest of the van my guess was that the battery was original. I posted the pic hoping that someone would be able to recognize it as original, or not, thanks!
 

aljimenez

'13 LTV Serenity on '12 3
I'll check draw tomorrow, but the battery is 7+ years old so it really owes me nothing at this point. I do have the charger on it now as well. but Even if the battery is dead, the alt should be spitting out 14+ volts :-/
My '04 Sprinter with Scan Gauge does not always show 14.1 volts out of the alternator. The alternator's output is not always a constant 14.1 volts. I don't know precisely when it puts out 14.1 volts, but I often see 13.6volts reading in my Scan Gauge... Al
 

Altered Sprinter

Happy Little Vegemite

Three way battery and alternator test check
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DSC01510 (Custom).JPG

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After 10 minutes battery's State of Charge should be in the range of 12.5v+ with ignition off.
DSC01517(1) (Custom).JPG
Richard
 

tekcomp

Live life to the fullest!
Jack,
I'm not suggesting to not change your battery if tests condemn it. I don't think what you show is OEM. Have you owned the van since new? I believe most Sprinters I've seen came with a white OEM battery. None of them had a similar label either. I could be wrong, but your battery may be newer than 7 years. I wouldn't change it based upon age only if testing shows it's OK. FWIW. AP/vic
I agree with Aqua Puttana, my original Sprinter battery is German make white battery. I took my OEM battery in to test at a local Major auto parts store and told me the battery was shot. He claims he had it charged for 1hr. So for the piece of mind, I went ahead and bought a new battery and kept the OEM, The OEM battery still holds a charge so be careful from advice of a salesmen. Mopar if I am not mistaken is an American company short for MOtor PArts. Might be a Dodge Dealer battery replacement?

I also agree with aljimenez, I charged my Non-OEM wet-cell battery for about close to 20hrs for 100% charge from a 50% discharge. I still top off the OEM battery every once and a while with no load, a 100% charge takes me less then 20 min.

My old/basic method of checking an alternator would be to fire up the engine and remove the hot wire from the battery, if the engine does not cut off then the alternator might be good. Second step would be exactly what Altered Sprinter suggested. The results from a less then $10 unit beats the guess work.




I have read you can buy alternator rebuilt kits which would cost a fraction of a Alternator replacement. I have done some researched on Sprinter Alternators and they are not cheap.

Just my 2 cents.
 
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