4d56 alternators

[VHPirie]

Just wondering about the alternator in my Triton (4d56). Today I chucked my 2nd battery in and hooked it all up, but the relay won't close to connect the 2nd battery to the 1st. The relay says it closes at 13.7v. Measured the voltage at the battery and it was 13.4v with it idling, revving it a bit didn't change it bugger all. Checked the voltage at the alternator with it idling and it was 13.7.

Apparently a new genuine reg for these is like $700....is there anyone who makes a aftermarket regulator? Who would I see about getting new bits for it? I done a google search and on an American forum someone rebuilt his alternator for like under 10 bux and took half hour, but yeah not sure where to get bits from here in Aus for them.

New alternators are around $350ish...which I'm definitely considering as apparently the stocko ones are 45amp, and there's a mob on ebay selling new 125amp alternators.

[DamTriton]

Give it 1/2hr on fast idle to recharge the main battery first, or go for a 15 min drive and then recheck. This is important if the vehicle has been left for any length of time prior to fitting the new battery.

[VHPirie]

Thx for the help mate. We've been driving it for the last few weeks, even took it for a spin to Adelaide, which is just over 2 hours away. I do have a solution tho which might work. My bro has a spare redarc relay module thingo, which closes at 13.2v, so that should work. Obviously the alternator isn't charging the best, and is only gonna get worse, but I rekon if we swap the relays over we should be good for a while. Also gonna run a new charge wire from the alternator to the battery to try and minimise the voltage drop.

[-Scott-]

A new charge cable should help, but ultimately the alternator should be controlling the voltage at the battery, not the voltage at the alternator. This is why (most?) modern charging systems have a second sense wire to detect battery voltage independently of any drop in the charge cable.

If the alternator will only regulate to 13.7V then you're getting sub-optimum charge, whether you install a sense wire or not.

I think that, ultimately, your idea of a new regulator is your best bet.

[chimpboy]

$350ish doesn't seem like a bad price for (a) fixing a problem and (b) getting a pretty substantial upgrade in alternator capacity at the same time.

You are losing a fair bit of voltage between the alternator and the battery though, you could have a look at all your connections and wiring.

[VHPirie]

Tried the redarc in there but it still isn't working. The voltage even got to 14v at the post on the redarc, so not sure why it isn't switching. If I put power to the blue wire on the redarc it switches and starts charging the 2nd battery, but without the blue wire connected it doesn't switch at all. Apparently the blue wire normally doesn't need to be used.

Any ideas?

This was the first solenoid relay thingo I tried, which didn't work. It was brand new just out of the packet.

[JustinW]

Sorry if this is a silly question but have you earthed the vsr? (redarc or BEP)

in saying that feeding power to the blue wire (manual over ride) shouldn't close if there is no earthing.

Cheers.