APU Tri-pac not charging batteries

I'm guessing that by turning the key on you are providing more ground paths. Try running a jumper cable from the negative post on your battery to the TriPac engine block, where ever you can connect it, and see what that does.

 

Does a double ground ever cause a problem in power circuits? In a guitar wiring a double ground will kill the signal completely, hard to find it when everything is jammed in a control cavity rubbing against everything else. But that's a pickup pushing a tiny little electromagnet signal, not 65 amps at 13.5v.

Can a battery circuit be double grounded? There's already multiple visible ground paths from all over the place.

Is it just that each component needs a good ground to the frame, which acts as a master ground to the battery negative terminal?

 

I think you're talking about a ground loop, and no that's not an issue with an apu. A Tripac has it's own battery leads. The battery ground is usually attached to a stud on the apu frame near the alternator and distributes from there, including an engine ground.

The usual electrical problem with apus, at least the Tripacs I have owned, is badly done crimp terminals on the battery cables (both ends). Either not sealed and corroded, or improperly crimped and not secure. Or both. Those are not factory made cables. They are made up by the dealer that does the install. You can get a hydraulic crimper and terminal ends on eBay fairly cheap. It takes less time to just cut off the old ends and replace them correctly like new, versus screwing around trying to clean or fix them.

On yours, you should probably just suck it up and do the terminal maintenance whether it looks good or not. Rules it out, and probably needs it anyway. If the intermittent charging continues, it's probably a bad regulator, or internal connection since it's integrated into the alternator. The sense wire just jumps to the B+ terminal, so that's not rocket science to look at. The lamp wire just runs back to the micro so it can shut down and throw an alt code when the alternator fails. If you replace the alternator, consider searching the forum for fitting a GM alternator. Over 2x the output and 1/2 the cost of the gold plated TK parts.

There are also some 2nd gen (2008-2010 roughly) models that have a 50A maxi fuse in a plastic holder inside the engine case, usually located down near the alternator. The contacts get sketchy, which heats up the plastic holder and melts/distorts it, which causes the unit to either intermittently shut down, or just not run at all. TK sells a $120 fusible link kit as an "upgrade" to fix that. If you find that maxi fuse in there, save yourself some grief and put in a fuse link kit before it fails.

 

I have a question about my trip pac. I have a 15 Pete 579 with 06 tripac.

I just had a wet kit installed and they took the cables off back of cab that were there for jumping the truck off if ever needed to.

I have noticed lately that the Apu will not start and charge batteries when the low voltage kicks in. Now it used to when supposed to but not now.
If I use the AC the Apu works fine just not when the low batteries need charging.

I did notice that before removing the terminals there was a positive and negative wire going to them. Could that be an issue?.

I am going to get under truck and figure out a way to check and hook to a power supply but did not know if any of you have had this issue.


Thank you

 

Webstermike1
Will the Chevy conversion work with a tripac evolution. It has 2 sensor wires that are on the original alternator now where wld I hook those hook up?

 

I'm really not sure I got the idea from someone on the internet over 2 years ago

 

Ok thanks I’m may give it a try n let ya know how it works out

 

Talk to a altonator shop.
Or look online at thermoking parts and see if we use the same alternator mine was the Bochy 42 amp used in 2009. Than do a google search for "GM ALTERNATOR IN A THERMOKING APU"

 

Hey buddy. Do you have a detailed pik on how you wired the pigtail. I only ask so i can you it like a guide....