Well, I pulled the alt to change some stuff around and what did I do with it? I dropped it and cracked it!!!! This is not being a fun project any more. I'm ready to get it done and start on something else. Hopefully tonight.

 

Yeah like drinking heavily

Ouch sorry to hear about that. Will your NAPA guy take it back- maybe?

J!

 

Bummer man! Sorry about your lousy luck...

 

Your voltmeter should simply be hooked up between any 12V point in your system like the alternator, battery, ignition switch and ground. It would be better to connect your voltmeter to a switched source (ignition ON) of 12V. This is because the meter requires a very small amount of power to operate and will eventually drain your battery because it is operating while your truck is turned OFF. It sounds like to me that were hooking it up between the alternator output and the battery which is essentially the same point electrically so it will indeed read 0 volts.

 

Well, the new alternator is in and the truck is back on the road! I drove it to work this morning and it runs great and starts great. I'll work on the voltmeter when I get another chance but I'm just glad it's back on the road. Thanks everyone.