Guest chris r Posted March 18, 2013 Share Posted March 18, 2013 Some regs are set at 13.6 volts some are set at 14 volts. The newer calcuim batteries need atleast 14 volts to keep them correctly charged. If you have a older car/alt and its reg is set at 13.6 volts it wont be enough. A diode has a voltage drop of 0.6v across it. So worst case scenario the alt puts out 14.6 volts which is ok or it will put out 14.2 volts. Either way no boily battery. Anything above 15-16 volts means your alt is buggered. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Yowzer Posted March 18, 2013 Share Posted March 18, 2013 Hold up... You fixed a slipping timing belt with a spraycan Wat 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ned Posted March 18, 2013 Share Posted March 18, 2013 Some of the newer alternators actually incorporate a boost charge (2.4V per cell) once in a while and keep it at float voltage normally (2.25V per cell) fucking with the system is a bad idea in general. Batteries get angry being at boost voltage for a prolonged period of time as it gasses the cells and balances them when doing it for a short period. After that, it'll just get hot and could blow up. I spent a few years designing battery chargers for a living (but i'm by no means a guru, so don't take what i say as 100% accurate) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest japawagons Posted March 18, 2013 Share Posted March 18, 2013 Hold up... You fixed a slipping timing belt with a spraycan Wat Hahaha, almost ROFLed at work. That would've been inappropriate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest flyingbrick Posted March 18, 2013 Share Posted March 18, 2013 And here I thought it would have been too obvious that I was talking shit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Yowzer Posted March 18, 2013 Share Posted March 18, 2013 Hahaha yeah I had a good laugh at that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Steelies Posted March 19, 2013 Share Posted March 19, 2013 you need all your shit hooked up, or it wont/shouldnt work. But i know little/nothing about alternators. yup, thats why i'm confused. we disconnected all but B wire so i could drive home on the battery and it was still pumpin mega volts. so many people flashing lights cos i didnt have mine on, doesnt help night vision being flashed by every second car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ned Posted March 19, 2013 Share Posted March 19, 2013 Weird. Cam was saying you even need the dash light hooked up for the field current or some such (i have no idea what i'm talking about) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Steelies Posted March 19, 2013 Share Posted March 19, 2013 yeah. think i'll drop the bits off at a local autosparky, pay them $10000 to tell me it's junk, then get a replacement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest camo_78 Posted March 19, 2013 Share Posted March 19, 2013 im going to jump in here too,as my daily doing funny electronical business too.occasionally ill be driving and the headunit just dies then restarts automatically.ive got a volts gauge hooked up and itll drop all volts for a split second then come back.now,is it an alternator issue or is the wiring just not up to the task??its a U13 poobird Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ned Posted March 19, 2013 Share Posted March 19, 2013 Where you connect the volt meter to? Headunits often shut down momentarily for over heat etc. Tightened your battery properly and have no shitty crap stopping it from connecting properly? M car would often refuse to start and act like a flat battery, but the positive terminal was just only on marginally Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest camo_78 Posted March 19, 2013 Share Posted March 19, 2013 volts is connected via acc wire on ignition,so separate feed to headunit.and could be headunit overheating,when i go to change CD(havent got a decent pen drive yet) the one that comes out is fooking roasting.the odd bit is when it cuts out then comes back itll go for another 3 or 4 days before it does it again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Yowzer Posted March 19, 2013 Share Posted March 19, 2013 im going to jump in here too,as my daily doing funny electronical business too.occasionally ill be driving and the headunit just dies then restarts automatically.ive got a volts gauge hooked up and itll drop all volts for a split second then come back.now,is it an alternator issue or is the wiring just not up to the task??its a U13 poobird Woah, I was having the exact same issue with my wagon. Headlights would flick, dash would dim, gauges would reset and on a couple of occasions the engine would cut out for a second. Still haven't figured it out, but seemed to be triggered by hitting the indicators 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest camo_78 Posted March 19, 2013 Share Posted March 19, 2013 last couple of times its done it has been when i hit the brake pedal,i just thought it could be coincidence,but maybe not?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Yowzer Posted March 19, 2013 Share Posted March 19, 2013 Yeah on mine it seemed to be caused by a sudden increase in current draw, I think brake and wipers would cause it too. Voltage would drop to 6-7V for about half a second. What I don't get though is how it seemed to affect everything. My headunit and amp are both running off their own separate power feeds direct from the battery, while the voltage gauge was plugged into the cig lighter, yet both is affected equally. It has me a bit baffled. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest camo_78 Posted March 19, 2013 Share Posted March 19, 2013 go me confused too,ive seen the volts gauge drop when the headunit cuts out so sounds like we have the same issue :/ .if i figure it out in mine ill let you know what cured it a.s.a.p Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest flyingbrick Posted March 19, 2013 Share Posted March 19, 2013 It HAS to either be a huge short, dodgey battery terminal or clamp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Yowzer Posted March 19, 2013 Share Posted March 19, 2013 Yeah that has been my thought too. I'm pretty sure my batt terminals are all good, but then I haven't had a look at my earth cable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest camo_78 Posted March 19, 2013 Share Posted March 19, 2013 could be dodgy clamp on mine as theyre still the original steel ones from 1994 .will have a look at the earth cable too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest flyingbrick Posted March 19, 2013 Share Posted March 19, 2013 Yes! The other end of your earth cable will be it I'm sure!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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