Alternator not charging, help!.
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The Southernmost Mod
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 6,902
Likes: 21
From: Caracas, Venezuela
Alternator not charging, help!.
Hey guys, my alternator stopped charging yesterday just out of the blue and I barely made it back home, the rolling part (bearings) is just fine... what should I check next? I was thinking about the wiring and maybe the regulator in the back, any other ideas? how should I test it? (I own a multimeter, but I'm very ignorant regarding electrical parts in the truck).
Senior User
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 177
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From: Grants Pass, OR
Hey guys, my alternator stopped charging yesterday just out of the blue and I barely made it back home, the rolling part (bearings) is just fine... what should I check next? I was thinking about the wiring and maybe the regulator in the back, any other ideas? how should I test it? (I own a multimeter, but I'm very ignorant regarding electrical parts in the truck).
Take the alternator to an autoparts store and have it tested. Many will test for free - Autozone etc. The VR is built into the alternator.
Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 4,728
Likes: 8
From: Cleveland, TN
You can full field it to check for bad regulator.. When you ground the screw shown in the picture it will put out full charge, if the brushes are bad it won't do any more than before. There can be other things to cause it not to charge that this won't show, but it is a good place to start.. Just put your multimeter on volts and attach it to the battery then ground this screw and see what happens.
If nothing else this should isolate the problem to the alternator, or the truck..
If nothing else this should isolate the problem to the alternator, or the truck..
Thread Starter
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The Southernmost Mod
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 6,902
Likes: 21
From: Caracas, Venezuela
I opened the alternator and found one of the brushes is gone, so I think that's all there is to it. Already have the new brushes on the regulator and I'm going to assemble everything right now (taking a brief lunch break).
I will report back once I'm done, thx for the responses guys.
I will report back once I'm done, thx for the responses guys.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Oct 2005
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From: Kentucky
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The Southernmost Mod
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 6,902
Likes: 21
From: Caracas, Venezuela
It's so satifying to solve so easily something that was snoballing, I barely made it home yesterday on my aged battery (the trusty girl earned some love too, brushed and cleaned the terminals)... this is what I found earlier:
Notice the upper brush is gone and all that's left is the coil pushing out.
Uploaded with ImageShack.us
Thx for all the suggestions and help guys, a new brush kit ($5 approx.) and the alternator seems to be back online.
P.S.: Damn!... this new phone takes some kick a$$ pics!.
Notice the upper brush is gone and all that's left is the coil pushing out.
Uploaded with ImageShack.us
Thx for all the suggestions and help guys, a new brush kit ($5 approx.) and the alternator seems to be back online.
P.S.: Damn!... this new phone takes some kick a$$ pics!.
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Thread Starter
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The Southernmost Mod
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 6,902
Likes: 21
From: Caracas, Venezuela
And this comes back to bite me again... Now it has the almost-new brushes, yet this afternoon the battery light came on and the voltage is around 12.0 - 12.5 it doesn't matter what RPM the engine is making (I measured it with a Voltimeter that plugs to the Power Point on the way home, is this a reliable source?). I suspect a loose serpentine belt could cause this, right? since I installed the new A/C compressor I installed a new belt, and it squeals almost every time I start the engine. If this is the cause then I'll change the fit with a spacer plate or washers under the compressor. Any other suggestions? anything else I could look into? all the wires looked like they were in place.
I also found out that the Voltage dropped to 12.0-12.1 if I turned on the A/C (which was expected) but it went back up to around 12.4 if I turned it off, does mean the alternator is still charging the system?.
I also found out that the Voltage dropped to 12.0-12.1 if I turned on the A/C (which was expected) but it went back up to around 12.4 if I turned it off, does mean the alternator is still charging the system?.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 4,698
Likes: 47
From: Mexico, Missouri
Quick thought, did the missing brush create a groove in the armature? Reason I ask is that if it damaged the riding end of where the brush sits on the shaft, it could have shortened the life of the alternator. It may have allowed the exposed metal of the spring/old brush to create a burn spot that will arc. Also, it maybe worth testing the alternatir again since the brushes were so bad to begin with and could have led to crippled diodes.
We use dc motors at work and 90% failure is due to maintenance men not doing checks on motors and they wear down pass the brush wire and arc over the armature.
We use dc motors at work and 90% failure is due to maintenance men not doing checks on motors and they wear down pass the brush wire and arc over the armature.