17+ Volts?
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From: southwest michigan
17+ Volts?
Ok, trucks been running good (for the most part) lately. As much of the country, we've been in drought over the last couple months. We finally had our first good rain last night, and it was good enough that I lost electricity at home and it hadn't come on yet when I went to work.
Anyways... Started the truck and turned on the headlights, headlights did not come one, alternator light was on, and voltage gauge was all the way up. It seems that my parking lights work, but the headlights do not.
I got out a multimeter put it to the terminals, showed over 12v. started the truck and it went up over 17. Now I'm thinking that my headlights might now be working because they had to much power going to them, possibly ruining them, the switch, or blowing a fuse.
Is this a simple voltage regulator problem?
Anyways... Started the truck and turned on the headlights, headlights did not come one, alternator light was on, and voltage gauge was all the way up. It seems that my parking lights work, but the headlights do not.
I got out a multimeter put it to the terminals, showed over 12v. started the truck and it went up over 17. Now I'm thinking that my headlights might now be working because they had to much power going to them, possibly ruining them, the switch, or blowing a fuse.
Is this a simple voltage regulator problem?
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From: southwest michigan
I may have an spare alternator from my old truck somewhere... I'll have to do some digging... Is the regulator on the alternator or somewhere else? I hope it didn't screw up any other components... Will keep you posted.
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From: southwest michigan
96 F150. 351, 4x4, Single Cab, Short Bed.
Sorry for the delay in getting back here. I've had a busy couple days the I left the truck parked. I got home the night after this all occurred and found the alternator was warm to the touch. So i disconnected the alt and found the truck didn't start as well as it normally does, so I suspect that current was backfeeding into the alt somehow.
I got home after dark last night, found the alternator from my old truck, removed the alternator from my current truck, and swapped regulators. It now is reading the correct voltage.
Also, all my fuses are OK. I have hi-beams but not low. So I'm hoping when I pull a headlight today I find that the element is just shot, because I'm guessing that only leaves the headlamp switch as the remaining possible victim. (Guess I shouldn't have procrastinated on getting a relay setup for so long)
Is it normal for the alternator to warm up when a regulator goes bad?
Sorry for the delay in getting back here. I've had a busy couple days the I left the truck parked. I got home the night after this all occurred and found the alternator was warm to the touch. So i disconnected the alt and found the truck didn't start as well as it normally does, so I suspect that current was backfeeding into the alt somehow.
I got home after dark last night, found the alternator from my old truck, removed the alternator from my current truck, and swapped regulators. It now is reading the correct voltage.
Also, all my fuses are OK. I have hi-beams but not low. So I'm hoping when I pull a headlight today I find that the element is just shot, because I'm guessing that only leaves the headlamp switch as the remaining possible victim. (Guess I shouldn't have procrastinated on getting a relay setup for so long)
Is it normal for the alternator to warm up when a regulator goes bad?
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