my alternator is getting 13.8v

i have a 93 sdv and I have a hi output alt and a 800cc 1000c battery in my car. And I drove it 20 minutes listened to the radio for 10 minutes all factory. I tried to start it ran and went in reverse and it shut off and the no charge light came on. Turned it off and and on again and it started no lights or nothing. And the alt and battery is reading 13.8 and usually it gets 14.4v

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1993 sdv
Alpine 4x6 6x9 5 1/4 swr-10d4
alpine v60
12.5 VGA flip down
Nettop pc w/10" touch screen
78nova
5-re audio 5x7 ,10" sub &
Xtx-500.5
"Take the faceplate off get the jumperpack"

Are you saying that your voltage doesn't change, engine on or engine off? It's always 13.8V?

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It all reminds me of something that Molière once said to Guy de Maupassant at a café in Vienna: "That's nice. You should write it down."

I haven't checked it with the engine off yet but when it was on it was giving me 13.8 . Its usually 14.25 or 14.50 . I was thinking a doide could be bad or something

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1993 sdv
Alpine 4x6 6x9 5 1/4 swr-10d4
alpine v60
12.5 VGA flip down
Nettop pc w/10" touch screen
78nova
5-re audio 5x7 ,10" sub &
Xtx-500.5
"Take the faceplate off get the jumperpack"

Sounds like a a bad alternator.
Get it checked, or check with headlights & variable RPM etc.

Check that your battery hasn't got a collapsed cell that is dragging the alt down. This should be easily recognised if the battery starts glowing (ie, it will get hot).

So I started drove it 20 minutes to gwet everything warmed up and still got 13.80v. But one thing is tht it sometimes it gives a little drag to start. So I'm going to go to autozone and have them test it. My main concern is I have a backup alternator however its factory and I don't have anything aftermarket plugged up to the car other than a bigger battery will I have any problems with the bigger battery and a factory alt. The factory alt is 140a and the hi ouput s 250a. The battery is 800cc 1000c and I belive the factory is 615cc 815c.

Here's the update I went on autozone.com and looked at the batteries under my exact year and make, etc and under batteries it had both of them I specified so I'm assuming I should be good till I get my hi output rebuilt. Any suggestions

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1993 sdv
Alpine 4x6 6x9 5 1/4 swr-10d4
alpine v60
12.5 VGA flip down
Nettop pc w/10" touch screen
78nova
5-re audio 5x7 ,10" sub &
Xtx-500.5
"Take the faceplate off get the jumperpack"

Yep - check your battery first.
After resting overnight (else after about 5 minutes with headlights on) measure the battery voltage.
It should be 12.5V or above (at ~room temp).

You can turn on all the accessories in your car...radio,blower...etc...Then check voltage with a meter at the battery...If you have a neighbor or a friend have them rev the motor to about 2000 rpm's and see what voltage you have...What are you reading the voltage with...Is it just a display/cap/ with a volt meter on it...Or is this on the instrument panel...? Did the light come on after it shut-off...?

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M.E.C.P & First-Class
Go slow and drink lots of water...Procrastinators' Unite...Tomorrow!

When I got that reading o 13.8 it was I had the headlights and radio on and when I had the just the radio on . Two different ocassion same result

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1993 sdv
Alpine 4x6 6x9 5 1/4 swr-10d4
alpine v60
12.5 VGA flip down
Nettop pc w/10" touch screen
78nova
5-re audio 5x7 ,10" sub &
Xtx-500.5
"Take the faceplate off get the jumperpack"

So i went out. Started the car gave a long hard start and I turned the radio and the hi beams on couldn't do the ac needs. To be charged and the alt gave me a soild 14.25 14.50 so I'm lost now . Any suggestions

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1993 sdv
Alpine 4x6 6x9 5 1/4 swr-10d4
alpine v60
12.5 VGA flip down
Nettop pc w/10" touch screen
78nova
5-re audio 5x7 ,10" sub &
Xtx-500.5
"Take the faceplate off get the jumperpack"

But do the same when not charging - ie, check the battery.

Although 140A & 250A alternators may be a bit extreme for this to happen (but it is a big battery), it could be a collapsed battery that is holding down the voltage.

AGM/VRLAs can usually accept all charge thrown at them, flooded cells maybe not.   

A specific example:
(I thought this was an AGM, but victim said it was a sealed flooded battery. He mentions an Optima red-top, but all batteries were Optima.)
Someone with a 45A alternator & a single battery - a boot (trunk) mounted battery - suffered from undercharging.
They ignored the check-battery suggestion and upgraded to a 75A alternator (after ignoring, er...., much convincing that a bigger 75A wouldn't wreck their newly replaced $350 battery).
Problem solved.
The a few weeks later, undercharging AGAIN!
Luckily he noticed a VERY hot boot battery.
He measured 8V across the battery - 2 cells had collapsed.
Whilst the upgrade was worthwhile anyhow (from an old external-regulator alternator to a modern internal regulator alternator which eliminates many problems), the twerp missed the obvious.    
Furthermore, I await failure of his 3rd $350 battery from under- or overcharging (the 2-wire alternator's IGN feed being too remote from the battery!).

Now that dude was a dork (see NotGettingCharge if interested) and I had MANY off-air PM exchanges with the dude... too many for a post-50IQ individual.

So check the battery band the alt is ok

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1993 sdv
Alpine 4x6 6x9 5 1/4 swr-10d4
alpine v60
12.5 VGA flip down
Nettop pc w/10" touch screen
78nova
5-re audio 5x7 ,10" sub &
Xtx-500.5
"Take the faceplate off get the jumperpack"

So here's the update I let the car sit 11hours and the voltage with the viper alarm on was 12.40 so I'm thinking the battery is good .

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1993 sdv
Alpine 4x6 6x9 5 1/4 swr-10d4
alpine v60
12.5 VGA flip down
Nettop pc w/10" touch screen
78nova
5-re audio 5x7 ,10" sub &
Xtx-500.5
"Take the faceplate off get the jumperpack"

Excellent!
The battery is low, but doesn't seem collapsed. (95% confidence?)
Low is expected anyhow since it is undercharging.... (99% "not the battery" confidence.)


So it's an alternator problem - unless connection problem.... (fuse-links etc)

You mentioned no charge lamp.

If it's a single-wire alternator, can you disconnect the D+ wire (at the alternator) and run a lamp from D+ to +12V (battery) to see if it lights? Ignition can be off. The bulb should be (12V) 2W or 3W, else 5W, or maybe 10W - but no larger.

If it lights, can you keep it connected, start the engine and see if it extinguishes.
Please do not allow hands or ties or clothing to be caught in any moving part, fan belt, fan blade, alternator fan or pulley etc - it can hurt a lot, and kill a lot too!

If it does extinguish, check voltages at the alternator output (aka B or B+, should be 13.6 - 14.4V depending on RPM), and at the battery +12V (which should be close or the same as the alt's B+). Heed my former plea - ie WARNING!
If the alt B+ varies from the battery+, you have a bad connection or blown fuse between B+ and Batt+ (aka B+).

If the D+ lamp doesn't initially glow/light, the regulator is faulty. It it doesn't extinguish after starting, the alternator or regulator is faulty or you have a broken fan belt, or missing pulleys etc. Or started the wrong engine.

If it isn't above 13.6 with RPM and loads (eg, headlights), the if not a slipping fan belt, the alt/reg is faulty. (Worn brushes, blown power diodes, etc.)

If it's a 2 or 3 wire alternator (regulator), the same testing applies, but you need to connect the 2W-3W test light to the D+ which they usually label as "L" (charge Lamp) as opposed to S for Sense or IGN, and I for IGN.
The L circuit should handle the extra "not big" test lamp for battery+ - ie, a 12V 2W or 3W bulb.

Note - although LEDs will illuminate like a bulb, they may not pass sufficient tickle current, and it can be hard to tell if they extinguished...
[FYI.... Because most alternator D+ or L outputs are say 1.2V under the +12V supply which is enough to light a LED as well as cause the charge lamp and various tested dash bulbs to glow dimly (at night) - and hence why modern cars often switch a relay to switch or power the tested dash lights instead. ]     


--- OR ----

Did other lamps normally come on with ignition but engine NOT started - which then extinguished with the charge lamp? This does not include oil-pressure lamps (nor handbrake & hi-beam etc), but things like "brake-fault" of low fuel (for EFI) lamps that are tested upon IGN-on.
And do they still come on?
Of they do, it suggests a blown charge lamp (rather than a faulty alternator).

Many (most?) alternators must have a charge lamp to ensure that they begin to charge. Without it, they may charge, but often not - especially after a few hours since last charging.
Once initiated, the alternator may not need the charge lamp. (It depends on the model etc.)

And for older cars that had "tested bulbs" when the system was not charging, the tested bulbs could also provide the trickle or tickle current provided via the charge lamp to initiate charging.

But later cars use relays or other circuits for such tested bulbs and will not initiate charging. (IE - they are not connected via diodes to the charge lamp circuit from the alternator/regulator.)


There you go.
Short and sweet.

Thans ill look into that. The no charge light came on with the other lights but when it stalled it was the only light on after it cut off my voltage has been the same so I'm think the alt needs to be rebuilt. I also have the big3 installd as well.

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1993 sdv
Alpine 4x6 6x9 5 1/4 swr-10d4
alpine v60
12.5 VGA flip down
Nettop pc w/10" touch screen
78nova
5-re audio 5x7 ,10" sub &
Xtx-500.5
"Take the faceplate off get the jumperpack"

As I understand it, upon ignition switch on, the charge lamp is on along with the other "tested" lamps.
The engine starts and all extinguish.

Upon stalling, only the charge light comes on. (And later the oil light etc - but that is not a tested light and is thus irrelevant.)


That sounds like the alternator & regulator is charging & working but only partially. Maybe worn brushes or some other fault is causing the undercharging.


Of course we did check fan belt tension, twiddled or cleans the battery connections, and checked grounds etc didn't we?
And for loose/bad fuse(s) between alt & battery... (Remove & refit/reconnect etc to re-make bad connections.)     


FYI - On earlier vehicles with diode-connected to charge-lamp bulb testing, upon engine stall or loss if charging, all the bulbs involved would light up. (Scary at night - engine stalls and several angry red & amber lamps hit you. Though it made charge lamp circuit faults easy to pinpoint because it was an "all for one" light up situation.)
Later vehicles adopted indirect bulb testing and hence could prevent other lamps lighting upon charge faults (including engine stall). IE - the charge lamp circuit after ignition-on would cause lamp testing via a relay or ECU etc, but once started, that testing link would be severed. Hence an engine stall or alternator failure would only light the charge lamp instead of causing panic & abandon ship screams.

thanks ill check for loose wires

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1993 sdv
Alpine 4x6 6x9 5 1/4 swr-10d4
alpine v60
12.5 VGA flip down
Nettop pc w/10" touch screen
78nova
5-re audio 5x7 ,10" sub &
Xtx-500.5
"Take the faceplate off get the jumperpack"

Ok guys I was trying to park it and it stalled the no charge and oil light came on but my head lights were bright so I turned it off restart the car and it came on right away checked the voltage its running 13.5. Turn the radio and hi beams on it hits 14 wht gives

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1993 sdv
Alpine 4x6 6x9 5 1/4 swr-10d4
alpine v60
12.5 VGA flip down
Nettop pc w/10" touch screen
78nova
5-re audio 5x7 ,10" sub &
Xtx-500.5
"Take the faceplate off get the jumperpack"

You stalled it. The rest is typical.

Voltages vary depending on the loads and how things are wired.

Its a factory except for the big 3

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1993 sdv
Alpine 4x6 6x9 5 1/4 swr-10d4
alpine v60
12.5 VGA flip down
Nettop pc w/10" touch screen
78nova
5-re audio 5x7 ,10" sub &
Xtx-500.5
"Take the faceplate off get the jumperpack"

It was the egr valve

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1993 sdv
Alpine 4x6 6x9 5 1/4 swr-10d4
alpine v60
12.5 VGA flip down
Nettop pc w/10" touch screen
78nova
5-re audio 5x7 ,10" sub &
Xtx-500.5
"Take the faceplate off get the jumperpack"

oldspark wrote:

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There you go.
Short and sweet.

---

That's kinda funny.

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Build the box so that it performs well in the worst case scenario and, in return, it will reward you at all times.

Yea the mechanic did a diag and thts wht came out I noticed before I took it to the mechanic I tried to take it to autozone to test my alt and they wouldn't because my aftermarket battery post were to big. I also noticed it was lagging in general (lost of power) but yeah thnks guys

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1993 sdv
Alpine 4x6 6x9 5 1/4 swr-10d4
alpine v60
12.5 VGA flip down
Nettop pc w/10" touch screen
78nova
5-re audio 5x7 ,10" sub &
Xtx-500.5
"Take the faceplate off get the jumperpack"

Yea the mechanic did a diag and thts wht came out I noticed before I took it to the mechanic I tried to take it to autozone to test my alt and they wouldn't because my aftermarket battery post were to big. I also noticed it was lagging in general (lost of power) but yeah thnks guys

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1993 sdv
Alpine 4x6 6x9 5 1/4 swr-10d4
alpine v60
12.5 VGA flip down
Nettop pc w/10" touch screen
78nova
5-re audio 5x7 ,10" sub &
Xtx-500.5
"Take the faceplate off get the jumperpack"

Was there a check engine light...Autozone wouldnt check it b/c posts were to big...? Hmmmm...

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M.E.C.P & First-Class
Go slow and drink lots of water...Procrastinators' Unite...Tomorrow!

No dash lights they wouldn't check it because my top post are the stinger led voltmeter and battery post combined. . They also saw my amp wire and big3 and she thought I had a system wired to the car and I told them its just wire no stereo. They thought I was lieing

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1993 sdv
Alpine 4x6 6x9 5 1/4 swr-10d4
alpine v60
12.5 VGA flip down
Nettop pc w/10" touch screen
78nova
5-re audio 5x7 ,10" sub &
Xtx-500.5
"Take the faceplate off get the jumperpack"