Make sure there is a bulb in the 'volts' idiot light. I'm pretty sure that turns the regulator on in the alternator. Verify 14.4v above idle.
(Mostly) Successful maiden voyage!
- Thread starter Buford T. JuSStice
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Now there's something I didn't even consider. I'll fiddle with some wiring and see if I can get it to chooch. I don't wanna put a new bulb in my dash, but I do have an extra one so I might as well if it's needed to make it work. Shouldn't take me very long.
Is it the resistance of the bulb that allows the regulator to work maybe, or is it simply the fact that it's running on a completed circuit? I know there's a specific wire on the connector that the alternator came with that goes to the idiot light, but right now it's not connected to anything. I have the voltmeter and ahmeter both going to the back of the alternator where it sends juice back to the battery... I'm going to change that though since they're both on the same wire, and neither work so I have to wire them both up separately. I wonder if that wire for the idiot light can be used for the gauge or if it only sends a binary signal when the alternator isn't working. Hmm...
The light is required to complete the circuit and gives the circuit the resistance that is required. The system with gauges has a resistor in the wire to simulate the light. If the light is burnt then the alternator does no get excited and will no charge.
Putting the new bulb in there really shouldn't take very long at all actually... I think I might have an extra slot open in my wiring connector, but even if I don't I can just wire it up with a simple single connector. Might end up doing that with the ahmeter as well and put the voltmeter on a separate circuit altogether.
nope, it will not work with an LED. You can use a switched wire to tap in a wire with a resitor that you connec to the brown wire at the plug for the alternator. The reason for the light in the dash is that when you start the car the light goes on to show you the circuit is on and is functioning properly if the light goes out. Bypassing that you won't actually know if it working or not, with a guage you no longer need the light if you wire in a resistor. I have aftermarket guages so I have the resistor in the brown wire that goes to a switched circuit.
So basically I can get an inline resistor, connect the "idiot light" wire to one side, and the other side to ground, and it'll fool the regulator into working? How much resistance would it need?
Or maybe I can use an inline resistor in conjunction with an LED so it'll work and I'll know it's doing it's thing.
I don't think the resistor is all that necessary; the brown just needs to see 12v to excite the regulator. Now, a diode, on the other hand, is usually necessary for trunk mounted battery applications to prevent run on when the disconnect is shut off.
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