Curious
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Joined: May 2007
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From: Kingsville MD
Curious
Evening everybody in the FTE forum! My truck is having another little problem right now and i was wondering if someone could point me in the right direction. When the truck is at idle the battery gauge deminishes and goes in the red. but when i get up on it it charges itself. i'm thinking its grounding out somewhere and i was wondering if there was a common place for a bad wire to just do that. Thanks, Christian
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Joined: Dec 2009
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From: Fort Campbell, KY
Evening everybody in the FTE forum! My truck is having another little problem right now and i was wondering if someone could point me in the right direction. When the truck is at idle the battery gauge deminishes and goes in the red. but when i get up on it it charges itself. i'm thinking its grounding out somewhere and i was wondering if there was a common place for a bad wire to just do that. Thanks, Christian
Laughing Gas
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 967
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From: coquitlam,BC
What CPUneck said your alternator has a regulator which regulates the voltage so you don`t overcharge your batteries.If it is not putting out enough you will end up slowly discharging your batts. Alternators usually don`t suddenly stop working, generally they give you an indication, like you are having, that they are on their way out.It is probably a rectifier or diode that has gone bad in your case, but most auto shops can do a load test and tell you right away if your alternator is up to snuff.
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From: Kingsville MD
thanks for the help everyone i know what i'm going to do tomorrow i guess i hope its that and nothing bigger
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From: Tonoph,AZ
Just my .02 here also have yer batteries load tested aswell. You could have a bad battery? It would be a good time to do this then you know you got yer ducks in a row. Make sure to load test them indepently.
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Joe Kucinski
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Joined: Dec 2009
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From: Fort Campbell, KY
Yep, Joe has a good point... a battery on its way out can "take" your alternator with it. Stinks I know, but just how it is. If I were you, I chalk it up to good luck. Seems every time I loose an alternator, I'm miles from home, it's dark, snowing, Saturday of a holiday weekend... you get the idea.
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From: Tonoph,AZ
The alternator will not charge the batteries. The alternators job is to keep the batteries charged. I'm sure the local parts store in your area will beable to charge your batteries for free of charge. another thing you could do is go to your Maryland chapter and ask some local guys if they have a trickle charger you could use/borrow etc...
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jun 2004
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From: Rio Rico, AZ.
The alternator will not charge the batteries. The alternators job is to keep the batteries charged. I'm sure the local parts store in your area will beable to charge your batteries for free of charge. another thing you could do is go to your Maryland chapter and ask some local guys if they have a trickle charger you could use/borrow etc...
It won't bring a dead battery back unless it get's jumped by another vehicle.