charging system question

RPRICE · #1 (**permalink**) 08-27-2001, 10:39 AM

My battery was dead after the Woodward Ave cruise. Have not had any problems before and chaulked it up to the intense heat that day; excessive fan use and fuel pump power being used at mostly idle. We boosted the car and I drove with dim lights the 3 miles back to my trailer. I thought that the alternator was working because the lights worked and the meter showed to be charging. Got back to Memphis and pulled the battery out and took it to NAPA for a replacment, as I was sure this was my problem. They charged and checked the battery and said it was fine. Put it back in the car. The meter now shows proper charging, but the needle seems to "vibrate" more and once I watched it peg -50 for a split second. So now I remove the alternator and have it checked. Checks OK, but slight bearing noise so we replace it. Now, with a fully charged battery and new alternator, the meter shows +25 at anything over 700rpms. Needle seems to still "vibrate" slightly. Took the car to NAPA this time. To question the excessive charging. At the battery, they read 13.9 amps, not the 25 on the meter, so they said the new alternator is working fine and that the "unprecise" Lucus gauge should be ignored. Now to the questions. What else could cause these conditions? Only thing left is the electronic voltage regulator. The NAPA boys said this would not have any effect on the conditions I am experiencing. Any thoughts? By the way, this is a Ford 4 wire alternator.
Thanks
Richard Price

dalola · #2 (**permalink**) 08-27-2001, 11:50 AM

Richard,

Are you by chance confusing amps and volts? It sounds like you have an amp gauge(for alt. output), and normally, batteries are tested in volts for charging. It's normal for a battery to put out 13-14 volts under charge, and your amp gauge should show + output. Assuming all this, it would appear all is "normal".

Dave

RPRICE · #3 (**permalink**) 08-27-2001, 12:18 PM

Dave, thanks for pulling my head out of my a**. I did cross up the volts/amps. But still the gauge is reading a constant 25+amps. Is this ok, or is this too high. Will something short out or burn up? Prior to the Woodward Ave dead battery night, the amp meter read slightly above zero, unless the fans were on, until 1000-1200 rpm. Then the gauge would read no more than 5 or so amps reguardless of rpm above 1200.
Thanks
Richard

Bob Putnam · #4 (**permalink**) 08-27-2001, 02:32 PM

Rich,

Simutaneously showing 25A charge and 13.9V at the battery indicates a pretty low battery. If you drive the car a bit (or charge the battery) the voltage should go up a bit more (when cold, anyway) but the ammeter charging should decrease to near zero as before. If that doesn't happen, it would indicate a bad battery - not very likely at this point. This presupposes that SPF wires the ammeter with all the current drains ammeter-isolated from the battery - very likely the case.

RPRICE · #5 (**permalink**) 08-27-2001, 06:14 PM

Bob, thanks for the input. Your free information, regardless of kit choice is outstanding. It shows what a class operation you run.
Regards,
Richard Price

John 550 · #6 (**permalink**) 08-27-2001, 06:30 PM

Try starting your car , then lift the positive wire off the battery , the car should stay running ! If not , then the alternator is not putting out .

Q · #7 (**permalink**) 08-27-2001, 06:48 PM

If everything seems to be checking out ok, take a look at your wire connectors. Make sure they are all clean and that you have a good metal to metal contact between the conector and the frame/block.

Alex Evonosky · #8 (**permalink**) 08-27-2001, 07:30 PM

If you have rubber motor mounts, make sure the engine is grounded to the frame as the battery is. Sometimes the ground from the engine to the frame loosens and creates many problems.
I use a 2 hole lug, this way the chances of both bolts being loose at the same time is very slim.

Bob Putnam · #9 (**permalink**) 08-28-2001, 04:50 AM

John, et al,

Never remove the cable from the battery when the car is running. There is the possibility of spike overvoltage into the system, nicely frying some of the electronic equipment like spark box or distributor. Sometimes these things have overvoltage protection, but you are playing with fire here, and the possibility of getting "burnt" is real.

Bill E · #10 (**permalink**) 08-29-2001, 11:46 PM

You could have an internal problem in the battery trade batteries whit your Daly mule and see if the gage will stabilize. Bill E

#11 (**permalink**) 08-30-2001, 06:28 AM

RICHARD,

THIS IS AN OVERSIMPLIFICATION BUT OLD GUYS HAVE TO DO THIS.

HAVE YOU CHECKED *ALL* OF YOU BATTERY LEAD CONNECTIONS?? MORE ESPECIALLY THE NEGATIVE LEAD TO THE POINT WHERE IT "GROUNDS" TO THE CHASSIS / ENGINE??

ALSO - CLEAN ALL BATTERY POST AS WELL AS THE RELAY AND GROUND CONNECTIONS.

*ANY* LOOSE OR DIRTY / CORODED CONNECTIONS HERE CAN MAKE THE ENTIRE MACHINE ACT AS THOUGH IT WERE POSSESSED.

GOOD LUCK AND HAVE A GREAT DAY,

BLACKJACK