| BLK_LBL |
Heres the deal:
Volt gauge flickers, along with headlights/tails. the gauge reads from 16 to about 10, flickers about 3 or 4 times per second.
tested the alternator, its putting out 14.25-14.33 constantly. Tested the battery also, its holding a charge, but it ranges from 14.07-14.33
any ideas of what this is? Could it be a ground somewhere, or a power drain somewhere? I got the installers at my work stumped also :blink:
thanks |
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| Anonymoose |
| Bad contact probably. Time to trace your wires. |
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| BLK_LBL |
Also a little bit of info: On colder days the problem doesnt seem as bad. When its hot out like today, it flickers bad. Its been a progressive problem, it started out on my drive back from calgary, and its just gotten worse.
I just cant see how the gauge and the headlights are showing they are drained so much, when at the same frickin time, the alt and batt are holding around 14 volts :wacko: |
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| NCC-1701D |
| maybe you have a bad diode in the alternator.....voltage is not the same as amperage....do you have a killer sound system in your car.... |
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| BLK_LBL |
well, I wouldnt call it 'killer' B) but yeah I've been running subs for about 2 years on this alternator. the problem started when the headlights would flicker with the bass.
so what your basically saying is, the alternator can still be pooched, even though im seeing 14 volts coming out of it? |
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| rsxman |
| does voltage fluctuate when headlights are off? |
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| BLK_LBL |
yeah it still does.
looks like I might have to go through all my electrical connections :angry:
Any other ideas? this could take me years to fix |
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| REDX2NV |
| Its the regulator, or could also be a diode. if it was the diode it wouldnt charge at all. i believe gm uses a internal regulator so it may be cheaper to just get a new one. when you get a new on be sure to run a "cap" my 2 cents.. |
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| NCC-1701D |
| the regulator keeps the voltage at 14 volts..volts are good.....i'm still going with diode (if it is not a loose connection somewhere)...say he has 3 diodes 2 are blown 1 diode still charges but a very weak rate.... |
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| BLK_LBL |
ok so either way im going to start with the alternator, and work from there. I also need to replace the serpentine belt, so its all good.
also I doubt my stereo could have caused this, im actually not running a lot of power, its only about 400watts peak. |
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| BLK_LBL |
I just washed the car, It didnt fix the problem.
back to the drawing board i guess.
:wacko:
hah just kiddin im not that dumb. well after some fiddling with it, I now know that the volt gauge stays still when the DRL's are completely off. Once the DRL's or headlights are turned on, it goes wacko. Also when the DRLs are off, and i flick on the turn signal, it flickers again.
:wtf: |
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| midnite |
thats fukd up steve
so when lights and stereo arn't on then everything is ok? |
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| BLK_LBL |
yeah.
and when the lights and stereo ARE on, and the gauge is going CRAZY, the alternator is still putting out 14v and the battery is still at 14v
:blink: |
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