S185 please help me locked up bad fuse panel

[tbobcat185]

i have a 2003 bobcat s185. evry now and then the machine locks up (like the parking brake comes on). When the machine locks up at the same time it throws the code that tells me that the bettery voltage is extermely low. So i have come to conclude that the parking brake celenoids get low voltage and cause the brakes to come on. I recently put a new alternator and battery in the machine. I then went into the fuse box. when i got into it i found lots of rust and coroded fuses. The machine was from long island and it appears at one point in time salt water got in the fuse box. All of the fuses and relays seam to have some rust and corosion and i will probaly be a on going problem with all fuses and relays.I AM CONSIDERING CHANGING THE ENTIRE FUSE BOX. However there is no plug at the back just the main wiring harness. HAS ANYONE EVER CHANGED A FUSE BOX BEFORE? WHAT DO I NEED TO DO? COULD THERE BE ANYTHING ELSE WRONG WITH THE MACHINE CAUSEING THIS? The machine runs good untill the battery voltage gets low. Charge the battery and it will continue to preform likr new untill the battery gets low. WHAT ELSE COULD CAUSE THE ATTERNATOR TO NOT WORK.

 

[skidsteer.ca]

The voltage regulator is in the alternator so unless the main charge wire is defective the voltage at the battery should match the voltage at the alternator, confirm this with a multi meter. (since the alternator and battery is new) However the voltage leaving the battery to your safety locks could be low from bad connections at relays and fuses. Both are reasonable so try changing them first. If the contacts are rusty try to polish them.
If needed you can price a new panel and harness but I doubt they are cheap. You could maybe get one from painless wiring (or other supplier)and solder it in if need be.
Ken

 

[Fishfiles]

There is a fuse in the fuse box marked ALT which stands for alternator , I'd bet from what you say that fuse is not making good contact ----------the fuse box as stated is part of the complete wiring harness ------- so what I think I would do is if I was looking to stay running till I could fix it right or save some money , pull your fuse box out the rubber covering and cut the wires going to the ALT fuse holder and install a inline fuse holder , run the wires thru one of the unused fuse spots and you will be able to tuck that fuse holder under the cover ---------------if you use your screen and go to vitals then you can see the alternator output as your running , the vitals scrren can't be pulled up till the motor is running

 

[tbobcat185]

There is a fuse in the fuse box marked ALT which stands for alternator , I'd bet from what you say that fuse is not making good contact ----------the fuse box as stated is part of the complete wiring harness ------- so what I think I would do is if I was looking to stay running till I could fix it right or save some money , pull your fuse box out the rubber covering and cut the wires going to the ALT fuse holder and install a inline fuse holder , run the wires thru one of the unused fuse spots and you will be able to tuck that fuse holder under the cover ---------------if you use your screen and go to vitals then you can see the alternator output as your running , the vitals scrren can't be pulled up till the motor is running

i did also do a voltage test at the battery it was 12. inoder for the battery to be charging it has to be 13 or better. so i guess the battery is not charging.

 

[bobbie-g]

i did also do a voltage test at the battery it was 12. inoder for the battery to be charging it has to be 13 or better. so i guess the battery is not charging.

The battery voltage should be around 13.5v when the alternator is charging (engine running). The voltage will quickly drop off (takes only a few seconds) when the engine is shut off. These two quick measurement tells you your alternator is working, at least somewhat. If you're measuring 12.0v when the engine is running, the battery is not getting charged by the alternator. ---RC

 

[tbobcat185]

The battery voltage should be around 13.5v when the alternator is charging (engine running). The voltage will quickly drop off (takes only a few seconds) when the engine is shut off. These two quick measurement tells you your alternator is working, at least somewhat. If you're measuring 12.0v when the engine is running, the battery is not getting charged by the alternator. ---RC

ya when the machine is running it reads 12 volts

 

[tbobcat185]

ya when the machine is running it reads 12 volts

so i can get the alternator to come on by exiting the system. when i do this i take power from another area in the fuse box like the fuel fuse and conect it to the alternator fuse in the back of the fuse box then pull the tempary conection away. then check the voltage meter and it read like 13.9 and will hold that until i shut it off. when i start it the and let it run the meter read 12 and slowly drops. what should i do to get power to the aterator fuse?

 

[skidsteer.ca]

so i can get the alternator to come on by exiting the system. when i do this i take power from another area in the fuse box like the fuel fuse and conect it to the alternator fuse in the back of the fuse box then pull the tempary conection away. then check the voltage meter and it read like 13.9 and will hold that until i shut it off. when i start it the and let it run the meter read 12 and slowly drops. what should i do to get power to the aterator fuse?

Just wire a switched circuit to the alternator so it get current to excite it when the key is on. Fishfiles gave you good advice too.
Ken

 

[tbobcat185]

Just wire a switched circuit to the alternator so it get current to excite it when the key is on. Fishfiles gave you good advice too.
Ken

that is kind what i was thinking, with a digital voltage meter too so that i always know what the voltage of the machine is.

 

[Fishfiles]

that is kind what i was thinking, with a digital voltage meter too so that i always know what the voltage of the machine is.

Why would you even need to add a meter to a system that already has a built in gauge to monitor the output of the alternator , I told you how to access the battery output in the previous post , why would you need to run another wire to excite the alternator when the wire is already there and protected by a fuse which I suspect from the info you gave me is corrided at the fuse box -----------sounds to me like you heading off in the wrong direction