<VV> regulator/alternator check

[henry kaczmarek]

Mike

Andy has it right.

Another method is to take the car to one of the discount LAPS
(Retard Auto, Autozone, O'Reilly's) and have them conduct an alternator test 
on the car with their Bear tester. They also have inside test machines for 
alt's off the car.
Note: You may have to show the counterperson that the engine is in the back 
of the car---especially if they're young, which they usually are at these 
places.

I do NOT recommend the old--Disconnect the Pos Battery Cable when the engine 
is running stuff.  There are people that swear by this, but this is what 
happens.

The Alternator thinks  that the battery is dead or dying (on reserve) and 
automatically goes to "Max Field", or full output and stays there.  IF the 
diode trio is NOT bad, you stand a great chance of frying it.  Since there 
are other methods, don't use this one.

AND NEVER do it on a modern Internally regulated Alt. You will be buying 
another if you do.

some may disagree, but I've sold hundreds of Alternators to people who said 
they weren't sure if it was the alt or the battery, and did this as a test. 
They may have needed a battery, but they then needed a new alt. too.

Hank Kaczmarek
CSR Steele Rubber Products
ASE Parts Specialist


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Andy Clark" <slowboat at mindspring.com>
To: "VV" <virtualvairs at corvair.org>
Sent: Tuesday, September 19, 2006 7:45 PM
Subject: Re: <VV> regulator/alternator check


> Mike, the regulator fires the red light if the alternator output drops 
> below
> about 10V (if I remember that number correctly). It's more than likely to 
> be
> the alternator from the symptoms you describe. Put the volt meter on the
> output terminal of the alternator. It should be putting out somewhere 
> around
> 14.2V right after starting the engine, if it's in good shape. The 
> regulator
> is what reduces this voltage to whatever is needed to produce the charge
> current that the battery requires.