Posted by Paul Brand on November 07, 1997 at 18:36:12:
My '51 M37 still has it's original 24 volt starter and generator. A pair of 12 volt batteries are used in series to get the 24 volts. The ignition and lighting have been changed to 12 volts, with the 12 volts coming off of one of the two batteries. The battery gauge seems to indicated the generator is charging the batteries, and I read 27.8 volts at the two batteries with the engine running. But it also seems that only one of the two batteries is being properly recharged, and it's not the on supplying the 12 volts for the ignition and lighting. It's possible I've got a bad battery, but even after swapping out the questionable battery, with the engine running and the system charging, one battery read over 14 volts while the other, the one supplying the 12 volts for the ignition and lighting, only read 12.5 volts. Anyone had a similar experience? Will the 24 volts generator keep both 12 volts batteries charged properly? Thanks for the help.