Jack - I know your point is that the LN alternator is probably the best product for the money. Even the best will have a few failures that should not be "overblown". I tend to agree with that after following alternator options for 15 years.

However .... just like one failure shouldn't be overblown, then one or two people choosing to look elsewhere for a good product with good customer service should not be overblown!

I guess I can be less than tactful also, but sometimes it takes a distributor like Ed pointing to real life examples of lost sales to give the company some incentive to improve customer service. Maybe it will help, maybe it won't. The product itself probably doesn't need to be changed.

 

Consumer direct to manufacturer support in my experience usually sucks, in all industries. The better support is with the retailer, where the product was purchased. It’s the retailer that has the clout from the higher sales exchange.

 

This wasn’t a thread to bash Leece Neville, just shed light on a possible issue since I seem to be the first person with a unit that failed. It’s over a year out of warranty so I really didn’t expect repairs to be covered or a new unit sent to me for nothing.
The rep called back and told me everything looked fine except the slip ring resistance. I told him another L-N owner test his and had the same resistance on a functioning unit. He was no help, just gave me three local shops contacts to send it to for repairs on my dime.
I’m sending it to Ed and having his guy go through it so I know it’s done right.

 

Mark,

Yeah, I know has hit a nerve with me. I’ve seen this played out before. I just find this so ironic within this community after I’ve had to defend the 6.0 ownership so much in the past. If we have no compassion for a failure, and I truly understand the frustration of failure with two motors, why is anyone here. I’m not sure what vehicle is without it’s issues, but point me in that direction. Please.

 

Money went elsewhere? On the stripper? Or on the blow?

Yes, like schools of fish that change directions in a flash, where all follow the others, where none distinguish hither from thither, nor why from wherefore... only to move, and move quickly... anywhere, as long as it's somewhere... even if it is to return back again.


Let us remember what Smack Daddy said:

With a new engine, a new wire harness, and having just got his engine back in last week (in other words, the entire engine compartment was touched), Smack Daddy discovered a 15.9 volt reading when he snapped the accelerator, but for the two years prior to all the engine compartment disturbances, he had zero issues with the Leece Neville alternator.

Basic diagnostics dictates that when different behavior exhibits itself following a change, a likely suspect to examine is what was changed or disturbed.

Since that is a daunting task when everything in the engine bay was disturbed, and new/different wiring harnesses were installed, Smack Daddy did the next reasonable thing... install a known good alternator to see if the behavior remanifests.

Smack Daddy, did you subject Razzi's alternator to the same rigors that you tested the L-N alternator with? Did you conduct a snap test instrumented in the same manner?

Did you try the L-N with the F600 regulator that you already received, or are you waiting to trade it out?

Will Razzi permit you to pull the regulator out of his alternator, install it in the L-N, and subject this temporary hybrid to the same test?

If Razzi's alternator is a 6G, it uses the same regulator as the L-N 230.

You could do all of this while waiting for your contact's hangover to wear off.

 

I already had the harnesses in the truck for about 13,000 miles, no issues. Same batteries that stayed on a maintainer the duration of the engine work. I am driving the truck now (like in it NOW) running it hard with no issues with the VatoZome unit. Yes I tried the new regulator, the issue was worse. ANY throttle other than gently easing into highway speed caused over charging. I boxed the L-N up and sent it to Ed today.

 

Really?
I never said the LN unit is junk. Its known as a premium product. By your own words their tech help was clueless and SmackDaddy had the same experience.
Im a busy guy. I dont have time to trouble shoot premium products (hopefully) and if i do i need peace of mind the (hopefully) smart guy on the other end of phone can help me.
Sorry if i offended you.

 

The actual field winding resistance might not be a critical as one would think.

The field resistance determines the maximum field CURRENT possible.

Field current (controlled by a regulator) would ultimately determine maximum possible output current. So if, for example the field resistance for one alternator were slightly higher (maybe DOUBLE) than another, the regulator would simply provide higher (possibly double) field current to achieve the desired current output (AND VICE VERSA) ....................All the regulators may be capable of this

Now, if you still want to achieve a certain field current (and a particular output) "slip-ring" brushes will need to be pressed against slip-rings (or commutators) at "enough" pressure to achieve that current.

I noticed that these "230A" alternators appear based on a 160A design.

To "squeak" every last Ampere out of that 160A design, would require higher field current (regardless of the field resistance) .......... and high enough pressure on the brushes (maybe higher than the original 160A design) to maintain that current

They might be doing it with much stiffer brush springs.

If poor quality control machining on the commutator/slip-rings results in a rough surface, high pressure on the brushes WILL wear them out quickly. If the machining is bad enough, even "regular" pressure on the brushes would wear them out quickly.


One would expect an expensive alternator to have good quality control. most of them don't wear out the brushes early. Maybe this one just had a bad/rough machining job on the field slip rings.


Mee too!! But I am not sure that direction is available in 3 dimensional space!!





Regards,

Rick

 

We still have not documented the actual brush length in the OE assembly. it might be the same as the secondary aftermarket regulator ...... or it might not.

I spend most of my time in the twelfth dimension, it's gotten more crowded here since the discovery of the string theory.

 

No one, in my opinion, has to justify what they want to own. It’s their time, money and whatever else. Some like working on their vehicles. If I happen to like a leaking submarine, that’s my business. Drive on as Johnny used to say.

 

I sent the alternator to Ed and Scott at FICMrepair and they had their guy check it out and he sent it back to them claiming it was not defective and there was nothing wrong with it. Ed bench tested it and it failed. Leece Neville decided the best thing to do was send me a new unit even though I bought it in late 2016 and the warranty is one year. I got it yesterday and will be installing it tomorrow or the next day after work if I get home early enough. I would love to take the regulator out and measure the brush length from the pin holes but I think I’ll leave it undisturbed and just install and roll with it. I had them put my overdrive pulley back on it. I miss her, when I have the front and rear blowers on high at the same time my voltage drops to 12.7 at idle. It never did that with the L-N...

 

That was nice of L-N to send you a new replacement.

No doubt about the Leece Neville 230 amp alternator's ability to produce meaningful electrical power at idle.

And at idle, or just off idle, and below 1900 engine rpm, especially in an Excursion with tall gearing, is the most useful area on the RPM band for electrical power to be produced.

 

It was good that you got another. It's a shame there had to be work by several to get that done.

If you change your mind on the reg, taking it out should not be a worry.

Any of the alternators in the 200+ range are great for keeping the voltage up, especially in an Excursion with the added ear blower. let's hope this one has a better life.

 

Jack since you have been more than generous with your knowledge and hardships with your reman engine experience I will remove it and measure the brush length for you and others interested. I have a few measuring devices, how do you want me to go about it? I can throw my micrometer on it, I use one for custom fishing rod building.

 

Take a photo too, so we can all see the difference in distance between the keeper pin hole and the end of the brush as delivered brand new, and compare that to the previous photo of your old regulator that you posted. Dial caliper might be handy.