Voltage variation after sitting a week
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FTE Community Team
Joined: Nov 2001
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From: Oak Harbor, Washington
Voltage variation after sitting a week
Hello, again:
'89 3.0l A4LD: after it's been sitting for several days or weeks, it will start right up, but often all the lights (digital dash, dome light, radio) will pulsate (bright/dim) a bit. Happens at idle and at higher revs too. Frequency is (best guess) around 140Hz. After a few minutes it quits. Hmmm. I don't know how many minutes or if it tapers off or just stops. I guess I should really collect more data.
This looks to me to be faulty regulation under load (I have an alarm and it draws some juice) but it ONLY happens after it's been sitting. I think. I don't think I can recreate it by running the dome lights for an hour or the headlights for ten minutes and then starting . . . although, now that I type this, I should try it for sure.
I'm not afraid of pulling the alternator and rebuilding it, but it seems there is a considerable source of knowledge and experience here and I want to tap it!
Regards,
Al S.
'89 3.0l A4LD: after it's been sitting for several days or weeks, it will start right up, but often all the lights (digital dash, dome light, radio) will pulsate (bright/dim) a bit. Happens at idle and at higher revs too. Frequency is (best guess) around 140Hz. After a few minutes it quits. Hmmm. I don't know how many minutes or if it tapers off or just stops. I guess I should really collect more data.
This looks to me to be faulty regulation under load (I have an alarm and it draws some juice) but it ONLY happens after it's been sitting. I think. I don't think I can recreate it by running the dome lights for an hour or the headlights for ten minutes and then starting . . . although, now that I type this, I should try it for sure.
I'm not afraid of pulling the alternator and rebuilding it, but it seems there is a considerable source of knowledge and experience here and I want to tap it!
Regards,
Al S.
