Alternator Question

[Sean Shoemaker]

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Using good old deduction I believe I have narrowed down my problem, but a s=
olution still eludes me.  I have had earlier postings about electrical prob=
lems and many, many incorrect assumtions on my part.  I have finally listen=
ed and worked on eliminating systems.  I found that I was getting a 1.5 amp=
 draw on the battery with no fuseable equipment connected.  I disconnected =
the alternator and the draw went away.  I wanted to prove what the problem =
was so I performed the following experiment.

Here is my test that in included 4 alternators and one known good battery. =
 I constructed the circuit with only the battery and the alternator on a be=
nch.  I ran the ground to the alternator chassis and put my multimeter, set=
 to measure current, between the postive battery post and the alternator po=
st.  I tested with the exciter wire on and off of ground as I was not sure =
about the proper testing conditions.

The first three alternators have been tried in the car previously.  The las=
t one was in another car and was used as a baseline for sanity.  A showed 1=
.5 amp draw; B and C showed 4 amps.  Fearing that I was going insane and th=
at I was doing something wrong I tested D and that it showed .30 amps.  So =
one would think that I have found my problem, but it still bothers me that =
this problem has shown in 3 seperate alternators.  One of them is a new reb=
uild.

I guess what I am looking for someone to tell me why this test isn't showin=
g me the right thing or that it is possible to have this many bad alternato=
rs.  If they are just bad, then is there anything in the car that could be =
causing them to go bad before I go sticking more alternators into the car a=
nd potentially ruining them.  When I first started all of this the wiring w=
as not in the greatest shape, but I have tried to clean up all of the groun=
d straps and wires I could find.

Thank you once again and please help me to get this thing out of Ben's yard=
.  Besides I have owned this car for 6 months now and I have yet to be able=
 to drive it.

-Sean Shoemaker
'84 Coupe GT WE 5spd