Battary light dims but wont go out

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joebxb

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21
Location
Huddersfield
Hi all sorry been a long time hope you all had a good christmas and new year.

I'm just about to buy a new Alternator but I wont to run it by you guys 1st, my battery light dims when I rev up bit it don't go out I have put a volt tester across the battery and I'm only getting 14.5v charge back to the battery.
Is there anything I've missed before blowing my money or am I right to think I need a new alternator
 
joebxb said:
Hi all sorry been a long time hope you all had a good christmas and new year.

I'm just about to buy a new Alternator but I wont to run it by you guys 1st, my battery light dims when I rev up bit it don't go out I have put a volt tester across the battery and I'm only getting 14.5v charge back to the battery.
Is there anything I've missed before blowing my money or am I right to think I need a new alternator
Click to expand...

What car is it. If it's anything other than a V8 with an 150 amp alternator 14.5 is too high. Certainly should not be that high on a classic. Would be changing controller a lot cheaper than a new alternator.
 
Last edited:
thanks lads, firstly I should have said its a 1994 Vogue tdi and I'm only getting 14.5 at 28k rpm at idle I'm getting around 13.3v charge and yet my lights are dying after half an hour but I will look at your suggestions thanks again
 
the indicator light is just that an indicator , the alternator is throwing this warning light on to inform you a problem exists , however , the voltage looks good is this with the lights and heater etc on as it needs to have an electrical load on to prove the charge .

Best bet swap out the alternator as a precaution it may fail soon anyway . or get it referbed

repeat the output test with heater , lights and wipers on see if it maintains 13 volts plus
 
I will give it a try but if the charge rate back to my battery is fine (and the battery has been tested and is also fine) it puzzles me why my headlights are dying
 
joebxb said:
I will give it a try but if the charge rate back to my battery is fine (and the battery has been tested and is also fine) it puzzles me why my headlights are dying
Click to expand...

Unless it is a non standard controller you should not be getting 14.5 volts at any time. 13.3 at idle is low. If the slip rings are ok change the controller.
 
autogas said:
the indicator light is just that an indicator , the alternator is throwing this warning light on to inform you a problem exists , however , the voltage looks good is this with the lights and heater etc on as it needs to have an electrical load on to prove the charge .

Best bet swap out the alternator as a precaution it may fail soon anyway . or get it referbed

repeat the output test with heater , lights and wipers on see if it maintains 13 volts plus
Click to expand...
Sorry, it's not, it provides the exitation current on start up. If the light is on there is no voltage coming out of D+ after start up.
 
joebxb said:
I will give it a try but if the charge rate back to my battery is fine (and the battery has been tested and is also fine) it puzzles me why my headlights are dying
Click to expand...
If the headlights are dying, the alternator is not charging, all systems run from the alternator when the engine is running.
 
joebxb said:
thanks lads, firstly I should have said its a 1994 Vogue tdi and I'm only getting 14.5 at 28k rpm at idle I'm getting around 13.3v charge and yet my lights are dying after half an hour but I will look at your suggestions thanks again
Click to expand...
14.5 at 28K rpm:eek: what you got in there, a gas turbine?:eek::eek:
 
well thanks again everyone you've given me a lot to look at before buying an alternator, I'll let you know the result after I work on your advice that's if the rain holds off. sadly my house sits 2ft below street level so I have no off road work space
 
Don't forget you can buy refurb kits off Ebay for <£25 which replace the brushes, regulator, rectifier, and bearings i.e. just about everything apart from the coils.

Not at all hard to do as long as you have a decent soldering iron (£7).

Pete
 
well I've ran the tests you all advised and short of referb'ing the alternator I can't find the porb' so I've ordered a new alternator thanks for all the help
 
joebxb said:
well I've ran the tests you all advised and short of referb'ing the alternator I can't find the porb' so I've ordered a new alternator thanks for all the help
Click to expand...

So you would rather pay £100.00 plus for an alternator than £20.00 for a new control unit. Happy days. :):)
 
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