How do I test if my alternator is bad?
Alternator at Fault: An illuminated dashboard light can indicate a problem with an automobile charging system. However, a very simple way to check if the alternator is working is to run the car and disconnect the positive terminal of the battery. If the vehicle stops running, then you probably have a bad alternator.
What does it mean when your alternator is not charging?
If the alternator is not charging the battery, you will have a red “ALT” or “charge” sign on your dashboard. This means that your battery is no longer being supplemented for power by the alternator. You will need to recheck the wiring because the light could also be faulty.
How to test the voltage of a Dodge alternator?
There should be a connection between these two pins. Next test the Pin 10 of the White C2 connector to the GREEN wire pin at the alternator plug. There should be a connection between these two pins.
Why does my alternator get higher than base voltage?
You should get 0.5 to 2 volts higher than base voltage. If you are getting more than 2 volts above base voltage, most likely your alternator is over-charging the battery or the battery is faulty. Other potential problems are a faulty voltage regulator or a problem in the charging system wiring.
Can you drive a car with a faulty alternator?
Faulty diodes can easily be replaced, but you will need to dismantle the alternator. It is impossible to drive the car with a faulty alternator. While it is the work of the battery to power the electrical components in the car, it cannot do this alone.
Another sign that your alternator is not charging is that the dash lights and headlights will get lower when your car is idling, but become brighter when you rev your engine. This means that you could have a weak alternator, or a poor connection at the battery terminals.
What to do if your alternator is bad?
Those test are not 100% accurate. Test it in the car is better. Basically, there is a wire between the alt and battery. It looks like a regular wire, but it has a fuse built into it. If it is bad, no power from the alt can get to the battery.
There should be a connection between these two pins. Next test the Pin 10 of the White C2 connector to the GREEN wire pin at the alternator plug. There should be a connection between these two pins.
You should get 0.5 to 2 volts higher than base voltage. If you are getting more than 2 volts above base voltage, most likely your alternator is over-charging the battery or the battery is faulty. Other potential problems are a faulty voltage regulator or a problem in the charging system wiring.