charging problems help please
#1
charging problems help please
I have a charging problem, I got a new alternator and I tested the volts to the batt when running, and it was 13.5 it seems a little low, but I thought because of my underdrive pulleys,
then I drove it for 10-15 minutes and my temp went up to 220 and stayed there, because my low charging wasnt letting the fan run at full power.
I got home and checked the voltage and it was only 11.5 when running.
I let it sit for a while and the voltage went up to 12.11volts on the battery.
I thought my alternator went bad again, so I brought it back to the part store and it tested ok.
is there anything else inbetween the alt and battery that I can check?
the guy at the parts store said it could be a relay or something.
does anyone know how hot alternators are supposed to get.
when I first noticed the low voltage I went to check the connections and the alternator case was so hot it almost burned me.
please help
then I drove it for 10-15 minutes and my temp went up to 220 and stayed there, because my low charging wasnt letting the fan run at full power.
I got home and checked the voltage and it was only 11.5 when running.
I let it sit for a while and the voltage went up to 12.11volts on the battery.
I thought my alternator went bad again, so I brought it back to the part store and it tested ok.
is there anything else inbetween the alt and battery that I can check?
the guy at the parts store said it could be a relay or something.
does anyone know how hot alternators are supposed to get.
when I first noticed the low voltage I went to check the connections and the alternator case was so hot it almost burned me.
please help
#5
RE: charging problems help please
Check your grounds and replace any cables that look suspect, go bigger if possible. The temp on the alt casing is a giveaway for a bad ground or a short, electronic components heat up for 3 reasons. 1 no or bad ground that doesn't allow the heat to be bled off, 2 they are going bad, 3 improper ventalation. I always run at least 1 step bigger cable on the ground side for my own piece of mind, you could have a bad connection, one that isn't clean, bad cable, or a bad alternator. The test at the parts store only tells if its charging or not charging, not if a diode is on the way out or not.
#7
RE: charging problems help please
are you using a relay to supply power to the fan?? this makes sure the fan gets full battery voltage instead of having the current to it flow through the switch which can create a current drop.
#8
RE: charging problems help please
yes I have a 50 amp relay with 25 amp fuse.
but I wired the power to the switched side of the solenoid so it wont come on after the ignition is off.
I also have 5 extra gauges, and 3 of them are wired with the light on when the car is on.
I didnt want to take apart my dash, so I wired them to a fuse in the fuse panel.
other than that I don't know what would cause this.
how much of a drop do underdrive pulleys make, with the stock alt one?
but I wired the power to the switched side of the solenoid so it wont come on after the ignition is off.
I also have 5 extra gauges, and 3 of them are wired with the light on when the car is on.
I didnt want to take apart my dash, so I wired them to a fuse in the fuse panel.
other than that I don't know what would cause this.
how much of a drop do underdrive pulleys make, with the stock alt one?
#10
RE: charging problems help please
if the voltage regulator went bad wouldn't their machine that tests it say the regulator is bad?
I had the old alternator checked at the parts store and it said it was good, but I upgraded to the 3 yr warrenty one, made by bosch.
I hope this one is good