| Charging System Question | |
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Mateo Admin
Posts : 1919 Join date : 2010-08-22 Age : 55 Location : North Auburn
| Subject: Charging System Question Mon Feb 28, 2011 11:27 pm | |
| Is it true the altenator won't charge the battery if the 'idiot' light is not working?
My Ghia died going up 49 today with my lights on. I was able to turn around and drive home but I had to keep her reved up.
I have been having problems with the battery, so I replaced it. But now, when I put my volt meter on it while running, she still sits at 12.4 volts. I was expecting around 14 something.
I just remember hearing something about the altenator not charging if the indicator light circuit was not functioning. | |
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type 4 State Route
Posts : 2601 Join date : 2010-08-31 Age : 63 Location : Penn Valley
| Subject: maybe Tue Mar 01, 2011 12:45 am | |
| I read that. I have an idea but it not to cool. Take a light pig tail and wire the + to the push on connector and the - to a ground. install the light and it go off when you rev the motor.
Just a thought | |
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Mateo Admin
Posts : 1919 Join date : 2010-08-22 Age : 55 Location : North Auburn
| Subject: Re: Charging System Question Tue Mar 01, 2011 1:08 am | |
| So after a little research this is true. When I turned the key to on, only the oil warning light came on, no generator light. So I wired up a new generator light, turned the key, and both oil and generator lights come on. Start the car, 14+ plus volts. Learn something new every day... | |
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type 4 State Route
Posts : 2601 Join date : 2010-08-31 Age : 63 Location : Penn Valley
| Subject: idea Tue Mar 01, 2011 11:20 am | |
| I was going to suggest if the oil light is working move that wire too the alternator and see what happens. You would know if the alternator wire is broke going to the front of the car. I am glad you are ON the road again | |
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60herbie53 State Route
Posts : 2879 Join date : 2011-01-12 Age : 63 Location : Higgins Corner
| Subject: Re: Charging System Question Tue Mar 01, 2011 1:26 pm | |
| Very interesting. Cool you figured it out. | |
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Guest Guest
| Subject: Re: Charging System Question Tue Mar 01, 2011 11:57 pm | |
| I just learned the the same thing recently. The light has got to work. |
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nick_701 State Route
Posts : 204 Join date : 2010-07-14 Location : Seoul, Korea
| Subject: Re: Charging System Question Wed Mar 02, 2011 1:00 pm | |
| ..... Um this is interesting, the entire time i have had this motor in the car i have not had a light and i am this close to buying a new alt. I think i am gonna have to try and put a light on it to see if it works. I'll let you all know how it goes. | |
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nick_701 State Route
Posts : 204 Join date : 2010-07-14 Location : Seoul, Korea
| Subject: Re: Charging System Question Sun Mar 06, 2011 4:51 pm | |
| So i got two new lights (red and green) and installed them on my dash. Both have good ground and are functional when power is applied to them. So i ran a direct wire to the alt to test how this would affect my alt. I still got nothing....
Im having a second thought as i write this. if using a stand alone light bulb, do you run a power wire to the bulb or is it supposed to be ground. So when the system faults it grounds out?
Thanks | |
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nick_701 State Route
Posts : 204 Join date : 2010-07-14 Location : Seoul, Korea
| Subject: Re: Charging System Question Sun Mar 06, 2011 6:35 pm | |
| HAHA! Amazing i switched the wires around (ground to Alt and Oil Pressure sensor) and two magical little lights came on with the ignition and off after start up.
14volts power and i just invested 10bucks and saved over 100, thanks to this forum!
The Alt light actually takes about 30 sec to turn off is that normal? | |
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Bradford Admin
Posts : 1049 Join date : 2010-06-27 Age : 52 Location : Roseville
| Subject: Re: Charging System Question Sun Mar 06, 2011 7:37 pm | |
| you might be reading them backwards.. 30 sec is more like the oil light. According to the manual, the red light is supposed to be alt and the white light is oil. I always get the two confused. In mine.. 68.. the oil is right and alt is left. But it can be easy to switch them around. So what ever light is taking 30 sec to turn off is oil. Takes a bit o time for the pressure to build up to turn it off. | |
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type 4 State Route
Posts : 2601 Join date : 2010-08-31 Age : 63 Location : Penn Valley
| Subject: bro Sun Mar 06, 2011 7:49 pm | |
| That is why we are here. An education is expensive glad we could help. | |
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nick_701 State Route
Posts : 204 Join date : 2010-07-14 Location : Seoul, Korea
| Subject: Re: Charging System Question Sun Mar 06, 2011 8:23 pm | |
| This is what i did... (no gauges dont work) Ran two new wires like the following Into two new lights... This is key on Just after start up... After a short while... or quick rev... | |
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type 4 State Route
Posts : 2601 Join date : 2010-08-31 Age : 63 Location : Penn Valley
| Subject: I love Sun Mar 06, 2011 8:37 pm | |
| Those lights are great. I use green for go feed wire to the fuel injection and may be the electric fuel pump, you want it on. My reds are STOP and they have saved me I never would of saw that gauge reading. Looks great David | |
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nick_701 State Route
Posts : 204 Join date : 2010-07-14 Location : Seoul, Korea
| Subject: Re: Charging System Question Sun Mar 06, 2011 8:42 pm | |
| Yeah i used green for alt cause its less of a big deal if it comes on and red for oil pressure. (Yup red means stop, Green means stop soon, lol) | |
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Mateo Admin
Posts : 1919 Join date : 2010-08-22 Age : 55 Location : North Auburn
| Subject: Re: Charging System Question Sun Mar 06, 2011 8:56 pm | |
| My Altenator light usually stays on for a few seconds after start-up as well.
Maybe it is the regulator circuit inside the altenator that takes a bit longer than say a generator with a external regulator. I don't know.
I let the motor idle a bit to get the oil flowing and then give a little gas. At that point the Alt light goes out and my voltage gauge goes from just over 12v to 14.
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type 4 State Route
Posts : 2601 Join date : 2010-08-31 Age : 63 Location : Penn Valley
| Subject: typical Sun Mar 06, 2011 9:31 pm | |
| My vw scirocco. vanagon and porsche all are/where the same way. Its a German thing. Its like it is asking permission to turn the light off and the light is making the poor Alternator wait, and wait. Bad Marriage, cannot live them cannot function without them. | |
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60herbie53 State Route
Posts : 2879 Join date : 2011-01-12 Age : 63 Location : Higgins Corner
| Subject: Re: Charging System Question Sun Mar 06, 2011 9:42 pm | |
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