Battery Is Not Charging

[GC427]

Blas,

I now have 14.5 volts across the battery posts after disconnecting the external voltage regulator and wiring the alternator to the driver side post of the solenoid on the firewall as we discussed.

While the engine is running, the ammeter reads slightly negative. If more load is applied to the circuit by turning on radiator fans, the ammeter reads further negative, and if the lights are then turned on it reads still further negative. The battery still reads 14.5 volts while the loads across the circuit are applied. Under what circumstances should the ammeter read positive? If my ammeter does not read positive, might there still be a problem?

If the lights and fans are on for quite a while, therefore draining the battery, would the ammeter then read positive (indicating charging) after turning off the lights and fans?

[jhv48]

If the ammeter reads negative, you are draining the battery.

When idling or driving, it should show a slight positive.

Something is still wrong if your meter is reading negative when at idle or driving normally.

[greg schroeder]

I didn't read any of the replies, so sorry if I repeat some things. The car I had the Roush 427R came with a single wire alternator. The way it was wired ran things all over the place and through the gauge on the dash. It's one wire starting at the alternator. All the other wires and voltage regulator that come with the Superformance aren't used as the one wire alternator has the voltage regulator built in.

The problems I fixed were reattaching the wire at the alternator on two occurrences. One time the wire off destroyed the voltage regulator in the alternator as it is trying to charge like crazy having nowhere to go. The final fix was plugging back in the wires on the dash gauge securely.