Alternator problems - glowing connections

Mar 01, 2006 4 Replies

I have previously mentioned that on my old late 80s car that the battery light sometimes glows at various brightness levels, from very faint to quite bright to not on at all.



I don't think the battery is getting properly charged as the battery went flat and the battery is only a month or so old.



While looking into the engine with it running in the dark I noticed the spade connector going into the alternator was glowing orange/white colour. Why is it doing this, I guess it shouldn't be like this?



The three terminals going into the alternator look pretty manky/dark looking, possibly caused by heat. I wonder if cleaning them or putting new ones on might rectify the problem.


Maybe - it could simply be that it's light from the brushes, which is not a fault.

Do you own a voltmeter? If so, what is the battery voltage?

Alternators do not put high current through the brushes, the high current is induced into the field windings, so you should not see sparking at the brushes.

That's a point. When it's glowing, and you feel it, does it burn your fingers?

He'll let us know when the burns unit discharge him

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