Battery Gauge
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Junior User
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From: Charm City
Battery Gauge
Hooray! A new symptom...
Ok. My battery gauge dips while driving. It goes down to just over 1/4 for awhile, then comes back up to 1/2. Occasionally it'll spike to about 3/4 and drop back down.
There are no other symptoms. It starts every time, no weird noises... nothing.
Is this an indication of the alternator? Belt slippage? the battery itself?
Any ideas?
Ok. My battery gauge dips while driving. It goes down to just over 1/4 for awhile, then comes back up to 1/2. Occasionally it'll spike to about 3/4 and drop back down.
There are no other symptoms. It starts every time, no weird noises... nothing.
Is this an indication of the alternator? Belt slippage? the battery itself?
Any ideas?
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Junior User
Joined: Jan 2004
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From: Charm City
Update:
Ok, I've got another symptom. This is the first time I've driven it at night since it started. When the battery gauge dips, the dash lights get dimmer.
So, I'm pretty sure that the gauge is reading correctly.
Now... ideas? Alternator? Battery cable? Belt? etc...
Ok, I've got another symptom. This is the first time I've driven it at night since it started. When the battery gauge dips, the dash lights get dimmer.
So, I'm pretty sure that the gauge is reading correctly.
Now... ideas? Alternator? Battery cable? Belt? etc...
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From: Durham, NC
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From: SW Va
Well I'd run this puppy by your favorite autoparts store, like Advance Auto, AutoZone, ect & let them use their portable machine to do a no cost, LOAD test of the entire vehicle electrical system, right in the vehicle.
This equiptment can load test the battery, alternator & regulator. If any component is weak or faulty, it'll likely sniff it out.
Could be anything from a shorting battery cell, to defective regulator, to worn alternator slip~ring brushes as Bob Ayers suggested, to damaged insulation on a wire being blown about at speed & grounding out, to.... well you get the idea.
Get those basic electrical system components LOAD checked & see if it'll point toward something specific.
Let us know what you find.
This equiptment can load test the battery, alternator & regulator. If any component is weak or faulty, it'll likely sniff it out.
Could be anything from a shorting battery cell, to defective regulator, to worn alternator slip~ring brushes as Bob Ayers suggested, to damaged insulation on a wire being blown about at speed & grounding out, to.... well you get the idea.
Get those basic electrical system components LOAD checked & see if it'll point toward something specific.
Let us know what you find.
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From: Charm City
Thanks! I had already taken it to Advance to get that test done, but their mobile tester was down, so I was only able to test the battery... Which is good (I was hoping it was bad).
I'm gonna take it to another one today and have the entire test done.
I'll be sure to post the results.
I'm gonna take it to another one today and have the entire test done.
I'll be sure to post the results.
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From: SW Va
Ok BassGuy, Bob Ayers called that one right on.
How did you determine for shure it was the alternator?? Did you find a Advance with some operating portable test equipt??
Get that puppy fixed & back on the road to the lake, cause the big ones are gettin away while your tinkering with the Ranger.
Gotta wait for the storms to abate, so I can get back to my bass fishing on my home waters. I drag a Tracker 175 with the Ranger. Good fishing. pawpaw
How did you determine for shure it was the alternator?? Did you find a Advance with some operating portable test equipt??
Get that puppy fixed & back on the road to the lake, cause the big ones are gettin away while your tinkering with the Ranger.
Gotta wait for the storms to abate, so I can get back to my bass fishing on my home waters. I drag a Tracker 175 with the Ranger. Good fishing. pawpaw
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From: Charm City
Well, it died during the charging test at Advance. So... yeah, alternator. Works like a charm now. I'd just never seen an alternator die so slowly before, so I was a bit confused.
As for the fish... Wrong "Bass". I'm a bassist, as in bass guitar.
As for the fish... Wrong "Bass". I'm a bassist, as in bass guitar.
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harrisford
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Dec 23, 2012 09:29 AM