Alternator ailments

[Bernie Benz]

On Jun 26, 2007, at 1:59 PM, Kneale Brownson wrote:

> Finally got a chance to test my charging system that started acting  
> up while we were in Columbus, OH, over the weekend but managed to  
> get us home.
>
>   With the engine off, the battery reads 12.5 volts.  Same reading  
> for the positive terminal post under the hood.
Implies no current flowing between the two points.
>
>   With the engine running at idle (voltmeter in car reading ~12),  
> the reading with my multimeter is 12.17 at both the battery and the  
> jump post.
Still no current flowing.
> I presume that means the regulator ain't regulating properly, but  
> the dreaded wiring "weld" in the passenger footwell is passing on  
> its voltage without any resistance.
Resistance only impedes current flow, not voltage.
>
>   Is it possible the "exciter" circuit (blue wire) would be the  
> culprit?
No! The blue wire is not an exciter circuit. It provides a ground  
path and a bucking voltage to respectively lite and extinguish the  
alternator warning lite, among other unrelated things.

I’d say that you have a bad regulator or regulator ground path.

Bernie
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