The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay new alternater battery still not charging!!

hey guys so i went out to start my 65 in the morning to go to work like always, to discover my battery was dead. after charging and starting her up i threw the volt meter on the battery and noticed a steady 12.27 volt reading. convinced that it was a bad alternator i changed it out with a new one, only to discover the same low volt reading (12.40) now to me that seems like im still not getting a sufficient charge to my batt. what do yall suggest i check next?

Does it have an external regulator?

nope its internal

Murdoc,

With your meter on the battery, is there a change in voltage from engine stop and engine running.

Unless this is a single wire alternator, the #1 wire (DA) needs power to get the charging process going. This would be the likely suspect barring the chance your new replacement was bum too.

With the system functioning as it should be, your meter on the battery should easily climb to a mid to high 13 volt reading. If the DA plug isn't tight in the frame, or there are broken wires, this won't happen.

Stuart

Maybe unhook the battery cable for the night and then check if the battery has a charge in it in the morning. if so then that rules out the battery. next check the charging system which sounds like you did. More than likley you still have an external volt regulator. Sounds like this is the next thing to check/replace. A faulty voltage regulator can cause a draing on the system over night and or not charging when running.

Maybe unhook the battery cable for the night and then check if the battery has a charge in it in the morning. if so then that rules out the battery. next check the charging system which sounds like you did. More than likley you still have an external volt regulator. Sounds like this is the next thing to check/replace. A faulty voltage regulator can cause a draing on the system over night and or not charging when running.

If you don't have a regulator problem as noted above. Could you have a shorted cell in your battery? Read the battery voltage with one wire off, it should be up there. If not hmmmm.

westratedel: actually you are right about me having an external regulator, however, i just recently replaced it with a brand new one from napa. so i have a new regulator, alternator, and strong battery.

automarc: i think you might be right on a bad wiring connection. when you say the DA wire, do you mean the red wire that connects onto the BATT. terminal on the alt. ? thats where ill check next

Murdoc,

You stated you had a alternator with a internal regulator..a SI alternator. Later you say 'external'. Until this is clarified, any advice would be guesstimating.

Stuart

I have some sugestions but also will wait till it,s clear which system we are talking about.

well from my understanding the voltage regulator is the little black box that sits right below the horn relay on the 60-66 chevy trucks. if thats so, then yes, i do have an external voltage regulator. as for the alternator, it is a three wire, two of which go into a factory made clip that goes into the alt. terminal. the third wire is red, about 12 gauge and bolts onto the the bat. terminal on the alt.

First get a test light & make shure the large red wire at the back of the alt. is hot all the time. The connector should have 2 terms. parallel to each other. II. Remove the connector from the regulator. On term should be hot all the time. Another term should come on when you turn on the ign. switch but may not be as bright. Connect a jumper from the hot term to the blue term. You should get a little blue spark when you make & break the connection. Start the engine. The alt. should charge infinitly. If it doesn,t it is defective. If it does & the other tests are good the regulator is defective.