Alternator help?

[Mark Holden]

On 31.12.2001 23:41:22, Jim Wright <wrightj@apple.com> wrote:
>> 14.8v with the car running.
>Are you measuring this at the battery itself?

Yes, right at the terminals.

>The car should not be dying like that because of power.  If the
>alternator is putting out power, I'd think you 'should' be able
>to run with no battery at all, the battery is there only to start
>the car, after that the alternator is the main power source.

Agreed, this is part of what is confusing me too.

>> Battery is brand new (2 days) and will take a charge just fine from a
>>battery charger.

>Are you seeing a voltage drop before it dies?  The only thing that
>makes sense is that at some point the alternator isn't supplying
>power and you're running from the battery again.  Does this happen
>while driving or also idling?  I'd stick a meter on the battery and
>run it and see what happens, might shed more light on the problem.

Before I replaced the alternator, while running, I could watch
the voltage slowly sink down.  Once I installed the alternator
it stayed at a nice constant 14.8v while I had the DVM connected.
At that point I thought I was done.  Since then I haven't actually
made it home with the car (been parking it at my girlfriend's
place, which is much closer to work).

Given that the electrical system has been this car's weak point
since day one (It went in to warranty repair to the electrical
system less than 2 weeks after I bought it), I think I'd better
stop off somewhere and get a nice voltage guage I can permanently
install.  Failing that, I'll hook my dvm to a lighter plug :)
(Oooo Oooo Oooo!)

-Mark Holden
'93 Classic, 2 batteries and an AC charger.

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