07-14-2015, 10:33 AM
Greetings Gents,
I've got some charging issues I'm trying to figure out. Just some background: my battery gauge has never been steady and consistent, instead it's always drifting up to about 13 volts then down to somewhere around 12 - I figured this was perhaps due to an old battery so about six months ago I replaced it with a duralast gold which was the only one that would fit (new interstate batteries wouldn't fit, they're too tall now). But the inconsistency remained.
Then about four days ago for the first time the gauge went all the way down to about 11 volts. I found that if I brought the engine up to about 4500 rpm's the gauge would rise back up to 12-13. This was happening for a couple days. Then yesterday it wouldn't rise with the rev's and just sank to 10. After I got home and turned the car off, I tried to start it again but (predictably) the engine wouldn't even turn over. I plugged it in with a trickle charger for a few hours, went back out and the battery read 12.8, so I started it up with my buddy watching the meter. When starting it went down to 12.36, then at idle rose up to 12.48, but then started to slowly lose power again at a rate of about .01 volts/20 seconds (not charging at all).
I pulled the battery and plugged it in overnight, it read 13.4 on the meter but when I put it back in the car and fired it up the gauge in the car read only about 11, and today I drove about 20 minutes. Still doesn't seem to be charging, although I brought it up to 4500-5000 rpm's again and the gauge did go up somewhat to maybe 11.8. After that it started going down again, ending up at maybe 10.5 before I got home and shut down. When I turned the car off the meter read 12.8 which seems odd given that the gauge read under 11. It's charging again now.
My first thought was alternator, but looking through posts here I'm now thinking this is maybe the voltage regulator or bad rectifier/diodes.
Any suggestions?
BTW, the battery indicator light on the dash doesn't come on even when the key is turned on before starting the engine, so I figure the bulb is burned out.
Thanks!
I've got some charging issues I'm trying to figure out. Just some background: my battery gauge has never been steady and consistent, instead it's always drifting up to about 13 volts then down to somewhere around 12 - I figured this was perhaps due to an old battery so about six months ago I replaced it with a duralast gold which was the only one that would fit (new interstate batteries wouldn't fit, they're too tall now). But the inconsistency remained.
Then about four days ago for the first time the gauge went all the way down to about 11 volts. I found that if I brought the engine up to about 4500 rpm's the gauge would rise back up to 12-13. This was happening for a couple days. Then yesterday it wouldn't rise with the rev's and just sank to 10. After I got home and turned the car off, I tried to start it again but (predictably) the engine wouldn't even turn over. I plugged it in with a trickle charger for a few hours, went back out and the battery read 12.8, so I started it up with my buddy watching the meter. When starting it went down to 12.36, then at idle rose up to 12.48, but then started to slowly lose power again at a rate of about .01 volts/20 seconds (not charging at all).
I pulled the battery and plugged it in overnight, it read 13.4 on the meter but when I put it back in the car and fired it up the gauge in the car read only about 11, and today I drove about 20 minutes. Still doesn't seem to be charging, although I brought it up to 4500-5000 rpm's again and the gauge did go up somewhat to maybe 11.8. After that it started going down again, ending up at maybe 10.5 before I got home and shut down. When I turned the car off the meter read 12.8 which seems odd given that the gauge read under 11. It's charging again now.
My first thought was alternator, but looking through posts here I'm now thinking this is maybe the voltage regulator or bad rectifier/diodes.
Any suggestions?
BTW, the battery indicator light on the dash doesn't come on even when the key is turned on before starting the engine, so I figure the bulb is burned out.
Thanks!
