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Those "testers" can't always tell you if you have a slow short to ground and some other problems too. To them it will read correctly because the alternator is charging it and it appears to be holding a charge. However, if you have a slow leak that tends to kill the battery over night then their tester isn't going to be able to tell you that because they're simply testing it for, what, 5 minutes at the most.
The reason this problem usually shows its face mostly in the winter is because when a battery is cold there's less resistance and energy flows more freely. Where it might have taken 15 hours for an internal battery short to drain the battery beyond enough reserve capacity to turn the starter in the summer, it might only be 8 hours (or less) when it's much colder.
Volt meter and or mulitimeter can and Always.......see my rather long post 26 above.
Volt meter and or mulitimeter can and Always.......see my rather long post 26 above.
I was referring to the bench testers that were previously mentioned.
Voltmeters, I agree, are the easiest way to catch problems but you have to understand what they tell you. They tell you voltage differentials. They don't tell you anything else.
I was referring to the bench testers that were previously mentioned.
Voltmeters, I agree, are the easiest way to catch problems but you have to understand what they tell you. They tell you voltage differentials. They don't tell you anything else.
Yeah, well no meter is going to tap you on the shoulder and in english, say Hey you, there is a high resistance in the wiper motor switch .....
Yeah, well no meter is going to tap you on the shoulder and in english, say Hey you, there is a high resistance in the wiper motor switch .....
Right. You have to take all that in stride. The only way you would know if that was the cause of all your ills would be if you knew what the resistance of that motors windings were in the first place.
Make no mistake, I understand all things electrical and I wasn't trying to undermine your attempts to help this poor fellow out. I was simply pointing out things-easy that the OP could look to for all of his ills.
In reality it could be 100 gazillion (joking) things and it could be one or more or all combined that is causing all is ills.
Big john it's the lack of hearing the speak..... no facial expressions and such.... I am agreeing with you... Just jabberin because i can.. Too bad guys can't separate facts from fiction here. The good advice gets washed out with the bad....
Electronics? Sorry! I forgot to mention my car is a classic 1979 Toyota Corolla SR 2 two dr coupe without any delicate electronic gadgets to be concerned about! She's still running pretty well ever since I bought her in 1999! She has been well pampered all these years Attachment 104200
Even if it is an older car with limited electronics.....the voltage spike could destroy the diodes in the alternator.
One quick and fairly easy way to test the alternator current output is to do the following.
1. find the current rating sticker/stamp on your alternator and take note.
2. put an inductive ammeter around ALL of the positive or negative cables going to the battery.
3. turn on all of the devices in your vehicle(all lights, heater, radio...etc) with the vehicle running.
4. now take note of the current reading....it should be very close to the rated output on the alternator(approx 90% of rated current as marked on alternator).
5. check the battery voltage also....should be able to maintain a V reading close to 12.6 V.
i have a 1997 f150 put to new alternators on it charge battery light stays on battery,runs for awhile starts discharging dropping to9-10 amps in 4-5 mins checked fuses wires still wont keep charging alternator tested good?why wont it get thru to charge battery something keeps discharging? any ideas ty.
Hey all ford truck guys i took my truck to a shop and the mega battery fuse wich looked good but was broke in the middle cause my truck to charge on and off killing the battery! check this if you put new alternator and not charging this was baffling but happy now 30.00 fuse!
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work truck wont charge why?
