Battery Issue

[Jean-Marc Dugas]

I have been having battery issues sine I got the 54XL. Battery 2 (the one on the passenger side) seems die prematurely.

This spring when I got the car out of storage, I purchased 2 new batteries, but last week the same issue resurfaced again. Battery 2 was almost on life support.

Not having a clamp amp meter, all I could do was test the voltage and load test the batteries. The voltage was within normal range, but battery #2 failed the load test. Fast forward to last weekend, Amazon delivered a clamp amp meter that can measure DC current.

Under full load (High Beams on, A/C on,\ front and back, Ditch Lights on, Emergency Lights on, Spot Lights on Ambulance Sign on) I measured the current coming out of the generator, anf got about 133 Amps out of the OEM 140 amp generator. This disproved my theory that the generator was on its last legs and not producing enough current to keep both batteries charged.

Next I got curious about how much current the Federal Q draw, and to my surprise, the meter recorder over 330 Amps. The Q gets its current from Battery 2 (so from the Generator to the Cole Herse switch and then to Battery 2.

My guess is that the issue is that with the generator producing a max of 140 Amps, there is a deficit of 190 Amps that have to come from the batteries. The Q being connected to battery 2 would therefore draw from that battery at a much higher rate than the battery can produce.

I may be totally be off the mark, but at this time I cannot find any other explications.

Thoughts anyone?

 

[John ED Renstrom]

The siren should run off both batteries. It should not be hooked to only one. The reasion for the two it to provide the nessary amps. Is your siren hot with the selector switch off? Move the main wire down to come off the on side of the switch. Dis- connect the down battery and put the charger on it to bring it up to fill charge. Then retest it. If it fails turn it in. It may not have been good from the get go.

 

[Jean-Marc Dugas]

Here is a picture of the current wiring for the Q2B showing that it receives it's power from battery #2

 

[Jean-Marc Dugas]

The siren should run off both batteries. It should not be hooked to only one. The reasion for the two it to provide the nessary amps. Is your siren hot with the selector switch off? Move the main wire down to come off the on side of the switch. Dis- connect the down battery and put the charger on it to bring it up to fill charge. Then retest it. If it fails turn it in. It may not have been good from the get go.

If I understand what you are saying, I should move the feed wire for the Q2B to the common connector on the selector switch, like in this drawing?

 

[Daniel Scully]

You could do that or just run another feed cable from the second battery to the solenoid on your fender well. Get rid of those crappy battery terminals ends, those are supposed to be temporary. Get some cripped ends or solder ends,

 

[Jean-Marc Dugas]

Thanks Dan, that is definitely an option.

Replacing all of these old wires and terminals is indeed on my list.

 

[Paul Steinberg]

This is an ongoing problem, and you have to start at the source, the BATTERY! Until you put correct wiring onto the battery terminals with new crimped ends, all the testing that you are doing isn't worth a damn! As for the Federal Q, it is definitely an energy hog, and that is why I put a B&M siren on my car. It is louder than a Q and draws fewer amps. If you want one, I have the one from my 1969 M M Cadillac when I sold it. It was custom-made for me by Kevin O'Connell and has a chrome-plated stainless steel housing.

 

[John ED Renstrom]

There is nothing more permanent then a temporary fix. But yes as you have drawn. Both the batteries will give you the amps needed to operate the Q. Providing the switch is rated at 300 amps. If the switch is not, wire the hot side of both batteries to the in side of the relay. Then your trip runs threw the switch. I'm guessing that the solenoid by the battery is for the Q?

 

[Jean-Marc Dugas]

There is nothing more permanent then a temporary fix. But yes as you have drawn. Both the batteries will give you the amps needed to operate the Q. Providing the switch is rated at 300 amps. If the switch is not, wire the hot side of both batteries to the in side of the relay. Then your trip runs threw the switch. I'm guessing that the solenoid by the battery is for the Q?

Thanks and correct. That is the Q's solenoid.

 

[John ED Renstrom]

The one thing you have to admire is the creative wiring. On a loaded high top. Just think it took years to do that cause MM didn't do it that way.

 

[Jean-Marc Dugas]

The car did not haze a Q when it was in service. It was added after the fact.

 

[John ED Renstrom]

Like I said creative wiring added threw the years.