battery light - solved
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More Turbo
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 624
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From: FL
battery light - solved
so the battery light started flickering and then stayed on solid with engine running. did the usual tests with a voltmeter. engine off battery showed bit over 12v. engine on, alternator putting out about 14v. what the heck? 
everything seems normal..engine starting, all accessories working etc but battery light still on...
small wire going to alternator had corrosion inside connector.. cleaned out = battery light off.
hope this helps someone avoid an unnecessary trip to autozone/local shop for further testing.
everything seems normal..engine starting, all accessories working etc but battery light still on...small wire going to alternator had corrosion inside connector.. cleaned out = battery light off.
hope this helps someone avoid an unnecessary trip to autozone/local shop for further testing.
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Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 13,851
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From: SW Va
Good trouble shooting find, fix & feedback!!!!
Edit: If you got all the corrosion cleaned off real good, you might consider applying a good quality di-electric grease to the connectors electrical contact area, to help keep future corrosion at bay.
Edit: If you got all the corrosion cleaned off real good, you might consider applying a good quality di-electric grease to the connectors electrical contact area, to help keep future corrosion at bay.
there is an error in my original post.. the culprit was the small red wire going to the spade terminal on the starter not the alternator.. 
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More Turbo
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 624
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From: FL
no it was the corroded spade connector on the starter solenoid causing the battery light on the dash to flicker.
the end result of the symptom is no crank with the ignition key.. confusing because battery tests over 12v.
the end result of the symptom is no crank with the ignition key.. confusing because battery tests over 12v.
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Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 13,851
Likes: 111
From: SW Va
So, if it had an under load voltage drop across that corroded spade lug connection, the voltage through its coil drops so much that its electro magnet can't make enough field strength to close the contacts that supply the amps needed to run the starter motor.
Thus no matter what the battery voltage reads across its posts, or through the ignition switch & wire, right up to that starter relay corroded spade lug. it needed to get to the solenoid winding to make it work.
Think of the corroded connection as an inline/series connected resistor thats limiting current flow through it, as corrosion isn't a good conductor. Its all a vicious circle when we only have 12 volts to work with. So all of our electrical connections need to be clean, bright & tight, to have our electricals work real good & last a long time!!!!
If you had done an under load voltage drop test across that connection, you likely would have found a really low under load voltage on the solenoid side of the connection, when your helper tried to crank the engine.
Why it was causing the dash low battery light to flicker still isn't clear to me.
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More Turbo
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 624
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From: FL
yes that flicker on the dash was confusing because that usually means battery or alternator or belt to me.
never did a load test due no helpers around
anyway it's working ok ..sofar..
corrosion is a constant battle here right next to the ocean. we're used to it.
never did a load test due no helpers around
anyway it's working ok ..sofar..
corrosion is a constant battle here right next to the ocean. we're used to it.
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