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APU charging question

Discussion in 'Trucks [ Eighteen Wheelers ]' started by randomname, Apr 4, 2015.

  1. Apr 4, 2015 #1
    randomname

    randomname Light Load Member

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    Jul 13, 2014
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    Hello,
    I just picked up my new company truck, its a 2014 T660 with TriPac apu. It had been sitting at dealership for a few weeks i think. The batteries were dead. Jumped it, and was on my way for rest of day. When I parked it for the night i turned the apu on, well I think I did. I turned off the climate controls but left the controller on. I thought that under this setting the apu would fire up to charge the batteries when needed. Well, the next day at noon I go out to start truck, dead batteries.
    The apu fires up and will run the air conditioning, so why won't it charge the batteries?
    Thanks!
     
    randomname, Apr 4, 2015
    randomname, Apr 4, 2015
    #1
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  3. Apr 4, 2015 #2
    randomname

    randomname Light Load Member

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    Come to think of it, I let the apu run for well over an hour on the air conditioning mode while i cleaned interior of funk, and the batteries showed a teeny bit more sign of life after that. So perhaps my batteries are snagged. I don't know how old they are.
     
    randomname, Apr 4, 2015
    randomname, Apr 4, 2015
    #2
  4. Apr 4, 2015 #3
    Dakota1358

    Dakota1358 Medium Load Member

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    Jun 15, 2009
    Staunton,Va
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    Have the batteries checked.I don't have a tripac APU but usually when its running it should be charging.Mine has a setting to come on when the voltage gets below a point I set.If its not keeping the batteries charged there has to be a bigger issue.Batteries are easy to check so start there.
     
    Dakota1358, Apr 4, 2015
    Dakota1358, Apr 4, 2015
    #3
    randomname Thanks this.
  5. Apr 5, 2015 #4
    Pablo-UA

    Pablo-UA Road Train Member

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    Borispol, Ukraine
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    check battery voltage when APU is running. Must be about 14 v if batteries are charged.

    Check alternator output with DC clamp meter. Alternator capacity is about 60-80A, but if battert vs alternator voltage is less 2 V, current is usually about some amp.
     
    Pablo-UA, Apr 5, 2015
    Pablo-UA, Apr 5, 2015
    #4
  7. Apr 5, 2015 #5
    bubbanbrenda

    bubbanbrenda Road Train Member

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    Feb 27, 2011
    Middletown,Oh.
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    Something I've seen over looked a lot (by myself a couple of times), Usually the apu is connected to the last battery in line and the rest of the truck is mostly connected to the 1st battery in line, and if one of the little jumper wires between the batteries is bad or even dirty it will not be charging all the batteries just the one it is hooked to. So when doing your battery/charging check make sure you check all 3 or 4 which ever you have. make sure they are all good and all receiving a charge from both the engine alternator and the apu both.
     
    bubbanbrenda, Apr 5, 2015
    bubbanbrenda, Apr 5, 2015
    #5
    randomname Thanks this.
  8. Apr 5, 2015 #6
    randomname

    randomname Light Load Member

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    Jul 13, 2014
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    Thanks guys. Turns out its the starter. Will get it swapped out tomorrow I hope.
     
    randomname, Apr 5, 2015
    randomname, Apr 5, 2015
    #6
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