Member Since: 29 Jun 2017
Location: Charente 16480
Posts: 3483
Before I put my shiny new battery on
I thought I would double check voltage from the alternator before fitting my new battery. Thanks Tanya for sending to France.
Car has been standing for about 3 hrs, I turned on lights and radio for a minute before taking a reading of 12.3 v
Car running with A/C and lights on (external temp of 32 degrees)
Tick over 13.78v
2000rpm 13.78v
A week ago the above reading was 14.49. Temp a week ago was high teens low 20s.
Is this difference the temperature or the alternator?
Don't want to screw a new battery up An honorable defeat is better than a dishonorable victory.” ― Millard Fillmore
2006 Disco 3
Gas Gas 300ec / Gas Gas tx249 / Bandit 1250
XR 650r / Pajero 2.8 Lifted and Safari Snorkel-gone.
4th Aug 2017 6:04 pm
DSL Keeper of the wheelie bin
Member Since: 11 May 2006
Location: Off again! :-)
Posts: 72785
Is the 13.78v with the new battery? The drop in alternator voltage would be because the new batt is not demanding as much from the atetnator, a good sign. Mine did that with the new battery, alternator not having to work as hard.
Ignore that, just read the title. Bung the new one in, see what it does.
What's the worst that can happen?
4th Aug 2017 6:10 pm
D&G
Member Since: 29 Jun 2017
Location: Charente 16480
Posts: 3483
This An honorable defeat is better than a dishonorable victory.” ― Millard Fillmore
2006 Disco 3
Gas Gas 300ec / Gas Gas tx249 / Bandit 1250
XR 650r / Pajero 2.8 Lifted and Safari Snorkel-gone.
4th Aug 2017 6:38 pm
DSL Keeper of the wheelie bin
Member Since: 11 May 2006
Location: Off again! :-)
Posts: 72785
As long as it's not like this.
Click image to enlarge
4th Aug 2017 6:42 pm
D&G
Member Since: 29 Jun 2017
Location: Charente 16480
Posts: 3483
I guess that was terminal
An honorable defeat is better than a dishonorable victory.” ― Millard Fillmore
2006 Disco 3
Gas Gas 300ec / Gas Gas tx249 / Bandit 1250
XR 650r / Pajero 2.8 Lifted and Safari Snorkel-gone.
4th Aug 2017 6:56 pm
DSL Keeper of the wheelie bin
Member Since: 11 May 2006
Location: Off again! :-)
Posts: 72785
just a bit.
4th Aug 2017 6:58 pm
D&G
Member Since: 29 Jun 2017
Location: Charente 16480
Posts: 3483
Anyway, enought fun .....is that reading right for my alternator An honorable defeat is better than a dishonorable victory.” ― Millard Fillmore
2006 Disco 3
Gas Gas 300ec / Gas Gas tx249 / Bandit 1250
XR 650r / Pajero 2.8 Lifted and Safari Snorkel-gone.
4th Aug 2017 7:02 pm
DSL Keeper of the wheelie bin
Member Since: 11 May 2006
Location: Off again! :-)
Posts: 72785
Pretty good number for the alternator output. Try seeing what it does with everything heated (screen & seats) on.
4th Aug 2017 7:09 pm
D&G
Member Since: 29 Jun 2017
Location: Charente 16480
Posts: 3483
Will do, new bat on charge overnight so will check in morning.
Will also look at how to test the alternator with DMM.An honorable defeat is better than a dishonorable victory.” ― Millard Fillmore
2006 Disco 3
Gas Gas 300ec / Gas Gas tx249 / Bandit 1250
XR 650r / Pajero 2.8 Lifted and Safari Snorkel-gone.
4th Aug 2017 7:12 pm
DSL Keeper of the wheelie bin
Member Since: 11 May 2006
Location: Off again! :-)
Posts: 72785
For day to day I use a cheap ciggie socket voltage display. Here on the D3, there as a 0.5v drop from the measurement at the terminals so just did the maths. Very useful to understand how the alternator works.
Click image to enlarge
Beer bottle is coz I was sheltering in my car eating dinner in my hotel carpark watching a mega thunder storm in Lille a few years ago. Grime is still there, in Norway somewhere.
4th Aug 2017 7:21 pm
gstuart
Member Since: 21 Oct 2016
Location: kent
Posts: 13629
also got one of those cig lighter volt readers
suprising for such a cheap item how they are only slightly off
don't know if its any help
just the ign on 12.3 volts
engine running 14.5 volts, will go between 13,4 - 14.6 as items are used
4th Aug 2017 7:28 pm
D&G
Member Since: 29 Jun 2017
Location: Charente 16480
Posts: 3483
Cheers, will get one for monitoring.
I have noticed that there seems to be a beer bottle or wine bottle/box in all your pictures An honorable defeat is better than a dishonorable victory.” ― Millard Fillmore
2006 Disco 3
Gas Gas 300ec / Gas Gas tx249 / Bandit 1250
XR 650r / Pajero 2.8 Lifted and Safari Snorkel-gone.
4th Aug 2017 7:31 pm
DSL Keeper of the wheelie bin
Member Since: 11 May 2006
Location: Off again! :-)
Posts: 72785
The ciggie socket display also helps show how the voltage changes as the crank battery is charged. It'll typically start high 14Vs, then drift down to low high to mid 12Vs as the battery is charged on a long haul. Same on D4, except it gets lower, scarily lower.
4th Aug 2017 7:32 pm
DSL Keeper of the wheelie bin
Member Since: 11 May 2006
Location: Off again! :-)
Posts: 72785
D&G wrote:
I have noticed that there seems to be a beer bottle or wine bottle/box in all your pictures
That, and chips, coffee, and general grime. Great when you find a long lost wine gum. I'm not exactly a clean freak.
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