dreaded charging

[claud]

yes again , this is my life long dramas with all my cars bloody charge
i usually swap over to new internal reg. motorcraft or bosch alts.
keep spare regs in car,now even spare alts as well for remote trips,

i cant get more than 13.4 volts and ive rebuilt the alt with diode packs 55amp model and tested all the rotor,parts for earthed wires coils etc.

my spotties run direct to battery no relays.they drop volts down to same levels as hbeam does ........so what s stopping my batt charging up every second stsrt i gotta get those bloody jump leads out.!! driving me insane help . new 540cca batt.4cyl petrol
do i need a 70 0r 80 amp alt.?

[me3@neuralfibre.com]

I would be getting an ammeter and temporarily wiring it in sreies with your battery. Run all wires except the starter motor wire though it. A clamp meter is good if you have access to a DC one.
This will very quicly tell you if power is going IN or Out of your battery.
Make sure the wire is thicker than your alternator wire.

Alternators are so reliable, and it is unusual for headlights + spotlights to pull enough to take it all. Either way, it's throwing darts at solutions without knowing where the curent is flowing.

Voltage tells you what power is available right now, not where it is going. You need to measure current to figure out what is really going on. It's a hassle.

Paul

[bazooked]

grab ya multimeter and check the voltage coming out of the back of ur alternator, if its still 13.4 u have issues.

[me3@neuralfibre.com]

grab ya multimeter and check the voltage coming out of the back of ur alternator, if its still 13.4 u have issues.

If the Headlights + Driving Lights + Fan are on, it may show up as 13.4 - depends on current that is being pulled. I have no idea of his power load. 8A per light and 8A for the fan is not unusual - presto 40A gone.

Paul

[claud]

yes ive checked it that way too off alt. new digital multimeter,new internals on alt. but old windings perhaps? its a 60amp.
getting no more than 13.4..v everything off. dropping about .5v at batt.

about to try for a current reading when idling then reved to 2000.to kick in the charge.
regs also pretty new boschtype. my cable from the alt to loom somewhere ?not to dizzy/spark module is a fat 25 amp cable , illl swap this for a thinner 10anp maybe this irs redirecting the current away from the battery?

[me3@neuralfibre.com]

yes ive checked it that way too off alt. new digital multimeter,new internals on alt. but old windings perhaps? its a 60amp.
getting no more than 13.4..v everything off. dropping about .5v at batt.

about to try for a current reading when idling then reved to 2000.to kick in the charge.
regs also pretty new boschtype. my cable from the alt to loom somewhere ?not to dizzy/spark module is a fat 25 amp cable , illl swap this for a thinner 10anp maybe this irs redirecting the current away from the battery?

Don't go thinner. Cables don't redirect power. All cables lose some power. Longer or thinner loses more.
If anything go thicker from alternator to battery as 0.5v drop is a little much - 0.2 would be better.
Buy a reco alternator perhaps and then forget about it for 10 years.

Paul

[bazooked]

man my pissy little 55 amp zook alt doesnt even drop to 13.4 with high beams spotties and fun running, ive seen alot of dodgy alternators around, especially recos, so by the way wat kind of car is it?

[claud]

hilux 22r petrol/ 55amp alt
all good dont know what went wrong but shes charging fine now.?something loose maybe i do lots of hard corrugation driving here