Charging Problems Help>>>>>>>

I had to car wired by John at JPS. After driving the car for the first time i notice that the alternator light was on. I charged the battery for 16 hours then took the car out again, still the alternator light stayed on. Purchased a new AL82N alternator, installed and drove the car to the local parts store to have the voltage tested at the battery. There is no charge going to the battery with the car running. Any suggestions on what the problem could be? This is my second alternator and battery. Is there a way you can test the alternator?

Thanks

James

james, any cheapo multimeter can help you. Engine off put the red probe to any 12 volt source on the car (battery, lighter, etc...). Put black lead to ground (any good one).
You should read 12 volts or so. Disconnect leads, start your car and check again using the meter. You should read >13.8 (or so). If you are still reading 12 volts (or less) you have trouble.

To confirm alt. is charging:

With car off 12v at the battery
With car running 13.8 v at the battery

Wiring:
Heavy wire from the alt. is routed to the stud on the starter solenoid. This is the same stud that has the positive battery cable connected hence it carries the charging current back to the battery.

Smaller wire is the "# 61 wire" ....aka " blue wire" which is routed to the dash alt. light.
I would say that you have a wire broken or it's pulled out of the connector at the solenoid or alt.

After rereading your post..I think you misunderstand a few things.

1. the light on your dash does not show you "battery condition or voltage". It is supposed to come on to indicate that your Alt. is
not putting put enough voltage to charge your batt.
2.You say you charged your batt. for 16 hours but how did you know it was low? Car wouldn't start? Charging wouldn't do anything for your blue light.

You have to determine if you have an actual voltage issue or just
an indication issue. Why did you change the previous alt./batt? If you
replaced the alternator for the blue light and it didn't extinguish the
light then it's the loose indicator wire.
Idiot lights all work pretty much the same. When you turn your ign.
switch to on all your "idiot lights" illuminate. This gives you the chance to make sure the bulbs are working. Once you start the car and those "idiot lights" are satisfied they go out. Oil pressure higher than
"X" light goes out. Alternator volt>X=light goes out.
Good luck

I did check the voltage at the battery while the car was running and it read 12.3 volts. I'll double check to blue wire tonight and check to see if the connection is good. If the car is running is there any way you can check the alternator to see the voltage output, with the car off i probe and get 12 volts at the alternator probing the blue wire and the wire from the starter. Thans for you help.

James

Do not probe the blue wire and the battery wire

Start the car and put test leads on the battery terminals that should read 13.8 volts if when running. Then test the alt. itself by putting the red multimeter test lead on the heavy alt. wire and the black to a good ground the other lead. Rev the motor up some If you still show 12.3 V it's the second bad alt....if it come up in voltage you have a lazy alt.... but since you mention that alt light is on I doubt that is the problem.
If you do have the correct 13.8 volts the problem is between the alt. and the battery and would be something as simple as a poor,loose connection at the solenoid or battery clamp.

James, You "are" checking the alternator output. When the engine is off you read batt. volt.--when running you will read alternator output. You read the highest voltage. You are looking for the correct increase in voltage. I'm with Alan, the "blue light" doesn't care if you have a bad connection it only goes out (when working properly,might not be) when the Alternator
is putting out the proper voltage.

Quick easy test to see if alternator is working or not is to start the car in neutral and remove the positive cable from your battery. If the motor stops then it's the alternator, if it keeps running then it's the indicator wire is not making a good connection.

James, Where did you go? I forgot to tell you the part of not standing in the puddle when checking electrical contacts...

Problem solved. There was a wire that connects to the alternator light that was grounding to the square tube frame causing the light to stay on and the alternator from charging the battery. Fix wire and BAM alternator charging (13.8 volts at the battery) and the warning light is out while running. Thanks for all your suggestions and help. See you on the road....

James

At first start the alt. output is supose to be 13.5 to 14.1 volts.

Check the ground. A quick trick would be to ground a jumper cable to the alt back to a solid ground point.

Still no good. it like the fela said a nother bad Alt.