Alternator overcharging

[Petros 0]

My alternator seems to be supplying 16 volts to the battery while the engine is running.

 

From what I've found by searching, this shouldn't be more than about 14 volts.

 

Obviously I'll need to get my regulator & alternator checked, but does anyone know how urgent this is? I'd have thought that if the high voltage was going to cause any serious damage (i.e. cooked ECU etc.) it would have done so by now... What's likely to go wrong (aside from a boiled battery) if this is left as is for a few weeks?

 

I tried searching for similar problems, but a search on 16v doesn't bring up many electrics related posts. Can't figure out why :lol:

[Blue_Joe 0]

Sounds like the Voltage Regulator on the back of the alternator might have had it!"

[Petros 0]

Sounds like the Voltage Regulator on the back of the alternator might have had it!"

 

That's what I'm hoping! Certainly cheaper than a new alternator :roll:

[james_88 0]

Think it is the voltage regulator, i had similar problems and the wire from the alternator to the battery ended up being cooked twice! Easy enough to change and not too pricey!

[Stan 24v 0]

Dude I had this problem with mine a few months back and it blew a lot of bulbs, started cooking the battery and binned the ABS :shock:

 

Look for an auto leccy in the yellow pages, most places do the regulators. What engine is it? Im selling a VR alt ;)

EDIT: Just re read and seen its a valver :(

[Petros 0]

EDIT: Just re read and seen its a valver

 

Nope, it's a VR.

 

Sounds like it'd be better to get this seen to sooner than later. I'll look up a local sparky this afternoon.

 

Is the regulator an off-the-shelf part, or is it specific to the car/engine? Had a look on GSF and ECP to price one, but neither have them listed.

[Petros 0]

Just spoken to a guy at a local alternator specialists...

 

In his opinion, it won't be the regulator because it's producing a steady 16 volts, irrespective of engine speed. If it was the regulator, he says, the voltage would increase with engine speed.

 

He recommended buying a new battery as a first step. I'm ill convinced.

 

Any thoughts on this advice?

 

EDIT: Should mention, in his defence, he wasn't offering to sell me a battery, and he did give me the name of another local place that makes & tests car batterys.

[h100vw 0]

What did you measure the votage with?

 

Can't see the battery going like that. Even if it were flat only the current would increase not the voltage.

 

If you are reading the voltage set to DC and there is an AC component in the reading, it'll read higher. This is like the difference between AC and RMS voltages, one is .707 of the other.

 

Gavin

[Petros 0]

h100vw, I used a fairly basic multimeter, set to measure a DC voltage.

 

What could cause an AC at the battery?

[Stan 24v 0]

Not much.

 

He is right about the regulator though, it does increase with voltage, as mine did, 17v and rising :shocked:

 

Get it down to the leccies mate, they'll sort it for you.