Tomwilliams
New member
- Joined
- Jan 14, 2021
Hello all! I?m new to the site, but had my wagon since 2012, and in the past few months it has developed a charging problem. Initially I assumed it was a bad battery, so replaced it, and all seemed dandy, 14.5V with the engine running. However, it has recently started playing up again, to the point where on my way home from work today the lights were dim, the fan was slow, and the radio cut out - on top of this the tach and Speedo were all over the place. After parking the car and shutting off the engine, it would not start again (engine would turn over once or twice before the battery seemed to die). However, after being left about 10 minutes the car will start!
Readings are as follows after today?s drive home.
Battery voltage with engine off, ignition off: 11V
Battery voltage with engine off, ignition on: 10.6V
Battery voltage with engine on, ignition on: 8.47V
Alternator voltage with engine on, ignition on: 8.5V
I?ve read a couple of threads about charging issues, and can say that:
The charging light comes ON with the ignition on and turns OFF with the engine running.
I am getting voltage at the exciter wire
The grounds look ok in the engine bay, as do the fuses (I haven?t checked dash grounds)
Any help or advice would be appreciated - the alternator voltage is WAY below what it should be, but why would the voltage when running be so substantially below the voltage when off? Bad alternator/regulator or could I be missing something?
Cheers folks
Tom
Readings are as follows after today?s drive home.
Battery voltage with engine off, ignition off: 11V
Battery voltage with engine off, ignition on: 10.6V
Battery voltage with engine on, ignition on: 8.47V
Alternator voltage with engine on, ignition on: 8.5V
I?ve read a couple of threads about charging issues, and can say that:
The charging light comes ON with the ignition on and turns OFF with the engine running.
I am getting voltage at the exciter wire
The grounds look ok in the engine bay, as do the fuses (I haven?t checked dash grounds)
Any help or advice would be appreciated - the alternator voltage is WAY below what it should be, but why would the voltage when running be so substantially below the voltage when off? Bad alternator/regulator or could I be missing something?
Cheers folks
Tom