Battery / Charge Light

[Ethos 0]

Hi guys

 

So, wasn't getting any charge rate from my old alternator, tried reving it up to over 5k and nothing would get it to start charging. Fast forward today...

 

Fitted a new alternator earlier, turn the ignition Battery light is on, start the car and it stays on. So I check the battery and nothing, no charge... so i'm starting to think s*it- not another wrong diagnosis!

 

I then reved the engine up and it started putting out 14.2-3v

 

The battery light is on very bright regardless of the charge rate.

 

Am I right in guessing that somewhere between the excite connection and the brown multiplug something is wrong?

 

Any common things to check?

 

Oh and the alternator I fitted only has 3 "grooves" (old one and pulley have 4) so the belt slightly overhangs, although I can't see this being an issue and i'm sure I've seen someone mention this is fine before.

 

Thanks

Edited February 22, 2009 by Ethos

[dcc 855]

I'm not sure about the belt situation. I know its ok the other way arround, but not sure this way, wouldn't it be easier to slip off the pulley?

[Ethos 0]

No idea, i've run the car for 20 minutes or so and it seems ok. Guess long term I could get a 3 groove belt instead of 4...

[jj205 4]

I had this problem when i changed alternators. Have you got the small wire pluged into the alternator. This is responsible for lighting the no charge light when the output of the alternator starts droping, cant remember the science behind it but it was about diode voltage outputs from the alternators rectifier being balanced with the battery voltage, or so i was told.

 

My wire had a new crimp connector but the wire had broke up and become very green and brittle along its length under the insulation up the multiplug. it charged okay but battery light would flash on and glow at random times, a new wire sorted it

 

Jonathan

[Ethos 0]

Yeah, the small wire is plugged in. I had to re-crimp it as the new alternator was a ring not spade.

 

The wire looked pretty clean when I cut the insulator off...

 

Guess I need to double check the wire although i'm pretty confident it's crimped and on properly!!

 

Apart from this light and it not charging straight away the 205 should be backup and running properly now (hasn't started for nearly 4 weeks!).

[Ethos 0]

Just to add, if I take off the excite wire I don't get any light on the dashboard, but if I connect it I do.

 

Charging fine when rev'd over 4k...

[Ethos 0]

Ok guys, got to the bottom of this.

 

Listen closey, you need to plug the excite wire... onto the right part.

 

Was down at Steve@'s on Sunday and he asked "are you sure it's plugged into the right part". Somehow I had missed the male spade and assumed it was now a ring (same as the new starter I bought).

 

Recrimped a female spade on, started her up, 14.5v straight away.

 

Result!!!

Edited March 16, 2009 by Ethos