Is there an auto-electrician in the house?

Try disconnecting the sense wire from the back of the alternator (small wire) and turn the ignition on. See if the ignition light comes on. If it lights up, you have a wiring problem.

Measure the voltage on the sense wire with the ignition on too and check it is the same as the battery voltage.

I would guess that the regulator has died on your alternator. There isn't a lot your vehicle electrics can do to kill an alternator without smoke/fire etc... Everything you describe points at the alternator/ regulator.

cheers

Dave W.

On or around Sun, 8 Feb 2004 22:49:30 +0000 (UTC), Dave White enlightened us thusly:

had some odd answers with dud diodes in an alternator once, but the fault does indeed sound like a dodgy regulator.

depending on alternator type, you can normally get a replacement regulator for it.

The half brightness light syndrome is often caused by running a vehicle without the battery connected. The output voltage of the alternater rises and pops its regulator. 'Suppose the same would happen if the alternator output lead had dodgey connections.

Andrew Mawson

Twas Sun, 8 Feb 2004 22:49:30 +0000 (UTC) when Dave White put finger to keyboard producing:

Thanks Dave.. I checked that this morning (crikey it was cold) and with the ignition on and the sense wire disconnected the warning light is not lit. I also checked the voltage of the sense wire, it read 12.27 volts whereas the voltage on the heavy alternator wire read 12.38, I put the difference down to the extra circuitry on the sense wire.

Looks like it's the regulator that's died, luckily it's a new alternator and also I think the regulator is bolted into the back and hence removable, those two combined with the niceness of the folks at Kaid should make this a quick, easy and cheap fix. I shall be on the 'phone to them soon.

Thanks again Dave.

-- Regards. Mark.(AKA, Mr.Nice.) ___________________________________________________________ "To know the character of a man, give him anonymity" - Mr.Nice.

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Twas Mon, 09 Feb 2004 07:35:54 +0000 when Austin Shackles put finger to keyboard producing:

The nice folks at Kaid are sending a new regulator, should be with me tomorrow morning.

-- Regards. Mark.(AKA, Mr.Nice.) ___________________________________________________________ "To know the character of a man, give him anonymity" - Mr.Nice.

mrniceATmrnice.me.uk 110 CSW 2.5(na)D___________________________________________________________

Twas Mon, 9 Feb 2004 08:01:58 +0000 (UTC) when "Andrew Mawson" put finger to keyboard producing:

That's an interesting point and I've decided to run an extra line to the starter (battery) just in case.

-- Regards. Mark.(AKA, Mr.Nice.) ___________________________________________________________ "To know the character of a man, give him anonymity" - Mr.Nice.

mrniceATmrnice.me.uk 110 CSW 2.5(na)D___________________________________________________________

OK, I got a new regulator this morning and fitted it with no problem, well the fitting was no problem, then I turned the ignition on, no warning lamp... checked the wireing, still no warning lamp. So I rolled the LR down the hill, started it and ran it for a few minutes, the voltmeter on the dash didn't move from below half (didn't move at all). So I ran a length of wire from the B terminal to the starter (battery), ran it for a while, nothing. So I took the alternator off again, took the regulator off, had a good look at it, all seemed well, nothing looked amiss to the untrained eye, put it all back together etc, still not getting any warning light or (according to the dash voltmeter) any charge from it, the wires are, I'm sure, secure and there is even an extra wire from the alternator to the battery, still nothing.

How can I take the alternator off and test it using a voltmeter? is there anything I can do now other than courier it back to KAID with a note saying "help!".

-- Regards. Mark.(AKA, Mr.Nice.) ___________________________________________________________ "To know the character of a man, give him anonymity" - Mr.Nice.

mrniceATmrnice.me.uk 110 CSW 2.5(na)D___________________________________________________________