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> Alternator light question, concerned about a voltage drop an alternator light starting to come on
DRPHIL914
post Nov 16 2018, 05:25 PM
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Dr. Phil
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I am about three hours into a 5 Hour Dr. on my way to Atlanta I just noticed a little while ago maybe 10 minutes ago a slight dim Flickr or glow from my alternator light also then looking at my voltage gauge which with my lights on normal he reads 11.5 V but it now reads 10.5 phones. Also at one point I hit a bump and the light disappeared in the voltage went back up to 11.5 but then after a few minutes the voltage drop again and the light is now on very faintly but it is so here’s my question what is the most likely cause is it a loose wire somewhere is it a loose belt those are the two most likely scenarios to me but if it’s a wire what should I look for I know I’m going to have to stop to look and right now I hit a bump** edited** as I’m driving right now and the light went out . So what light is most likely loose and causing this issue I’m going to have to stop and figure it out I guess thank you for the SAP help and responses in advance, Dr. Phil
I think you can see from this picture the light is on when I turn the other lights off you can see the faint glow of the alternator light and maybe even a little bit and the other picture with the lights on


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Spoke
post Nov 17 2018, 02:17 PM
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Jerry
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About the grounding of the alternator, you can test the grounding with 2 simple measurements.

The important ground connection in the charging system is between the battery negative terminal (not the cable or clamp but the actual battery terminal), and the ground of the alternator plus the D- connection on the VR. D- is connected to the alternator case.

The measurements are made with the engine idling and the headlights on (for a heavy load):

1) Measure from the battery terminal and the chassis. Measure directly on the battery terminal, not the clamp. This will test the voltage loss from the battery negative connection to chassis. This measurement should be 0.0Vdc.

2) Measure the VR D- voltage at the VR connector on the relay board to chassis. This ground is a bit more complicated as it goes from the VR connector wire to the alternator case to the fan shroud to the engine case to the transmission case to its transmission ground strap. This measurement shouild be 0.0Vdc.

If you have even 0.5 Vdc or greater, you need to check the connections of the high voltage reading. These tests will show if the grounding is a issue or not.


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DRPHIL914   Alternator light question   Nov 16 2018, 05:25 PM
DRPHIL914   Anybody has an idea on this and wants to call me m...   Nov 16 2018, 05:27 PM
still2slow   All you can really do is check connections on batt...   Nov 16 2018, 05:44 PM
DRPHIL914   too funny! exuse the weird way that things get...   Nov 16 2018, 06:17 PM
worn   too funny! exuse the weird way that things ge...   Nov 16 2018, 07:46 PM
DRPHIL914   i might swap that out tomorrow, i got here fine, 6...   Nov 16 2018, 09:12 PM
76-914   too funny! exuse the weird way that things g...   Nov 16 2018, 10:09 PM
anderssj   Dr Phil, Not sure I remember the ground path for ...   Nov 17 2018, 10:54 AM
DRPHIL914   Dr Phil, Not sure I remember the ground path for...   Nov 17 2018, 12:07 PM
Spoke   About the grounding of the alternator, you can tes...   Nov 17 2018, 02:17 PM
TheCabinetmaker   I chased this same problem for a while. Turned out...   Nov 17 2018, 02:35 PM
DRPHIL914   Made it home today ok , but toward the end of the ...   Nov 18 2018, 03:56 PM
904svo   Try this measure the voltage between the alternato...   Nov 18 2018, 07:09 PM
davep   The alternator grounds through its case, then thro...   Nov 19 2018, 08:51 AM
VaccaRabite   I chased this for weeks over the summer. You have...   Nov 19 2018, 09:02 AM
DRPHIL914   I chased this for weeks over the summer. You hav...   Nov 19 2018, 12:07 PM
VaccaRabite   If your fan shroud is powder coated, I can promise...   Nov 19 2018, 01:26 PM
davep   Here is where I have connected an extra ground cab...   Nov 26 2018, 06:15 PM
DRPHIL914   iam going to do this tomorrow. i just took the car...   Nov 26 2018, 07:05 PM
VaccaRabite   Run the ground wire from the chassis of the altern...   Nov 27 2018, 12:46 PM
DRPHIL914   i finally got some time this afternoon to jack up ...   Dec 23 2018, 11:17 PM


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