electrical question

[Cav Trooper]

Anyone know the amperage drain with all of the lights on? 24 volt system. Reason I ask, I drove my truck up to an event 50 miles away, I have a rotating amber light mounted and with all the lights on, mains on low beam, after about 40 miles, the amp gauge had moved from the middle green down to the edge of green and yellow. When I turn the beacon off, the gauge slowly moved back to mid green. Seems I may be taxing the charging system with the extra light and motor. Maybe time to look at leds for at least the running lights and beacon.

[Carter]

I do not know the draw with all lights on and beacon running, probably depends on the beacon's draw. Your beacon might have a seized motor drive but the motor may still be puling max amps do to being locked up, you might need to lube the gears or elec. motor. I have one that I lube yearly and run when ever I am out and never pulled down the battery and the volt meter always shows green.

[Cav Trooper]

Thanks, it's a new beacon and I did relube it, motor runs well. The other issue may be that the voltage reg. went out last year and I replaced it with a repop. It may not be up to par for the system.

[Carter]

One way to test the system is to turn all lights on with the engine running about 2000 rpms and using a DVM you can read the system voltage at the plus and minus output cable terminals, should be around 28.5 V. If found to be operating correctly it's not the regulator.