Charging <?> system woes

[OUTFXD]

In the ongoing tango of three steps forward, two steps back progress with Jacquiline, More electrical issues come creeping up.

 

Lately her battery has been droopy so I took a scenic drive.  About 20 miles down winding country road,  And stopped at a Gas Station.    Fueled up, Got in , flat battery.   Got a jump.  Drove back to town and stopped at a hardware store.  Came back, Dead battery.  

 

At this point, having just replaced a dead generator a couple months ago,  I am thinking the battery is shot.  Drove to the local discount parts hause and had the battery checked.  According to their technodohicky  the battery was still good.  Started her up and checked the charging system which showed an anemic  6.6 volts and flickered non-functional. 

 

Drove home, as soon as I hit the garage I shut off and tried to restart the engine.  Flat battery.    Checked the wiring and the wires & connections looked good all the bolts where tight.  Grasping at straws I moved the ground wire from the thermostat housing to  the alternator adjusting bolt.  7.2 volts.

 

Figuring I got the problem licked I took her for a quick drive (about six miles)  Got home and.... Battery flat.

 

So,  I put it to you.  Why would a charging system work,  but not charge the battery?

[soth122003]

If your alternator is putting out 7.2v, Then it sounds like you have a wire hooked up wrong. If you still have the Voltage Reg installed, is the alternator wire hooked up to the BAT terminal of the VR? IMHO for the Pos ground car I think you can hook the wire up the neg terminal of the battery for testing purposes.

 

If the techno dohickey was not a load tester, your battery might be shot. Most tech battery testers are for 12v batteries and the ones that say 12v or 6v testers are not that good with 6v systems. Unless the store buys the rally expensive testers, they do not do a load test. The load tester puts a one hundred amp load to the battery for 10 seconds and if it stays in the green your good. But as soon as you throw that switch and it drops fast the battery will not have capacity to start a car.

 

Joe Lee

Edited October 4, 2023 by soth122003

[DJK]

Love my 6v positive ground alternator from Bill Howard Enterprise. 

[Kilgore47]

I would try replacing the battery first. 

 

On the P15 the generator was going bad.  The front bearing was shot and the windings looked like they had been really overheated.  And I think the VR had been adjusted for an eight volt battery at one time.  It was boiling the lead acid battery. 

 

So it was cheaper to go with a 6 volt positive ground alternator.  No VR required now.  Also went with 00 battery cables and an expensive 6 volt sealed battery.  The car can sit for months and still turns over faster than it did with the lead acid battery.  Not original and not cheep - but - no worries about the charging system now.  At car shows I've never had anyone comment on the alternator - they do comment on the big cables.      My what big cables you have?

[OUTFXD]

2 hours ago, DJK said:

Love my 6v positive ground alternator

actually... thats what I am running...

[Sniper]

Load testers are not that expensive. I have one for work and yes it's a fancy expensive one with them at Harbor Freight for a reasonable cost actually the best load tester you can get is the starter

[OUTFXD]

So.  Charging problem was alternator didnt have a good ground. 

 

The continued no charging? well...  In my long experience with learning about electricity,  I have learned two things.... and several new swear words.

 

 

1)  before you start messing with the electricals, Undo the ground battery cable.

 

 

and 

 

 

2) when you are all done messing things up and are ready to be done with it.  TIGHTEN THE GROUND CABLE BACK DOWN!!!!

 

God I'm such an idiot.

[DonaldSmith]

We've all Been There, Done That.

[Plymouthy Adams]

even since as a wee lad I have had it stressed many time.....90% of automotive electrical is poor grounds....poor ole Lucas catches hang daily as he ends up in time not being properly grounded.  Case in point is the MANY wooden dashes and daisy chain grounds....wood get moist, dried etc etc.  wood shrinks, the ground get flakey and somewhere in the most unlikely place to get your hand and a wrench is the faulty connection.  Now when the community gathers and elects to change the street you live on Tourette Drive, you still doing pretty well.