Re: Re: Re: Alternator-wiring

[Jan van de Wouw <jvdwouw@xxxx>]

On Mon, 30 Dec 2002 22:28:10 EST, John Hervey <dherv10@xxxx> wrote:

> The brown / yellow wire (Light wire) is energized via the main relay
> when the key is turned on and the battery light lights. If it's working.
> Then when the alternator starts turning it sends and opposing voltage
> back to the light and turns it off.

I guess this is the same effect as with the modification for the side
marker lights to double as both SML and indicators...

> If the battery light bulb doesn't come when you turn the key on, then
> there is something wrong in the wiring or the regulator isn't grounded
> properly for the light wire use.The bulb # ( 161 ) has the proper
> resistance and acts like a ballast resistor to keep from burning up
> the regulator. Hooking a straight brown wire or straight voltage up
> to the regulator will render it useless in about 30 seconds or less.

Now I'm totally confused; doe you use the SENSE or LIGHT terminal on the
alternator? I.e. hooking up the light (from the car) to the SENSE terminal?
The light does light when the ignition is turned on and goes off when the
engine is running.

The car we are talking about had the alternator replaced by some shop
and it all worked fine up untill a couple aof days ago. Then the car
didn't charge anymore and got stranded. Some one from "Wegenwacht",
the Dutch equivalent for the "AAA" tracked the problem down to lack
of input on the SENSE-port of the Alternator and put in a temporary
wire from the starterpost to the SENSE-terminal...

Could it be that the alternator has some sort of ballast resistor inside
the regulator? I still don't understand why there even IS a sense-wire,
since it connects to the output of the alternator anyway...

>> At Idle without any accessories running we got 13.4V at the starter-post,
[snip]
> 13.4 long shot could have been battery voltage or a damaged regulator
> trying to hold on. You have to have RPM's to maintain the voltage.
> There is very little to no current till the alternator reaches about
> 1500 RPM on the rpm gauge.

I guess that's OK then; I just remembered that this car idles
at about 2000 RPM as it is awaiting a new Idlespeed ECU.

> Replace the bulb and check connections

The bulb is OK; it DOES light AND goes off at the right moment...

>> without the sense-wire there's no charging either!
>> But I'd hate to burn up the regulator; should I put
>> in a resistor of some sort?

I just checked the wiring schematic for my Nissan 100NX;
it has the Sense-wire going DIRECTLY to the output,
not even switched by a relay. While I was doing this I
went along and checked the schematic I had lying around
from my previous Ford Escort; same hookup...

I think I'll go check what car the alternator was originally
built for and/or what type of regulator it has and/or how it
should be connected in it's original application...
Maybe there's a resitor allready inside?

Your input really IS appreciated,
all the best for 2003,

JAN van de Wouw
Thinking Different... Using a Mac...
Living the Dream... Driving a DeLorean...

#05141 "Dagger" since Sept. 2000

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