Anyone understand alternators and their control systems?
I have a Peugeot 306 LX Auto 1600cc reg 2000. It failed while driving at night - all the electrics failed slowly until it wouldn't run. Clearly it wasn't charging and just went until the battery died.
RAC man tested the battery and declared it to be fine (though now flat). He jump started it and then metered the output and it was not charging. Next he put a wire between one terminal of the alternator and... another point, don't know where, could have been the battery? When this extra wire was connected it started charging.
Next he took off the extra wire, turned the engine off, restarted it, REVVED IT TO approx 3000RPM and it started charging AND KEPT CHARGING EVEN WHEN IDLING.
This is how I've been running it for about 4 months. Every time I start the engine I blip the throttle to a good 3000rpm - at this point THE BATTERY WARNING LIGHT COMES ON which now indicates it's charging. It stays charging until the engine is turned off. I've tested this many times with the meter, it works every time, NOT INTERMITTENT, and it's been fine for 4 months. The battery has never been charged other than by the alternator.
So what's the problem? Well I don't want to keep revving it hard from cold, and I don't like driving with a red warning light permanently on. I'd like to fix it rather than just get round it.
My local garage insist that I need a new alternator and/or battery. I don't see this when the battery behaves perfectly and the alternator consistently puts out 14.5v - when it's told to. The bit I need help with is how to instruct the alternator to start charging other than revving the engine.
My impression is that there's a broken connection somewhere between the alternator and the battery warning light - but where?
Thanks for reading this far! Got any ideas?
Cheers
IanB
I have a Peugeot 306 LX Auto 1600cc reg 2000. It failed while driving at night - all the electrics failed slowly until it wouldn't run. Clearly it wasn't charging and just went until the battery died.
RAC man tested the battery and declared it to be fine (though now flat). He jump started it and then metered the output and it was not charging. Next he put a wire between one terminal of the alternator and... another point, don't know where, could have been the battery? When this extra wire was connected it started charging.
Next he took off the extra wire, turned the engine off, restarted it, REVVED IT TO approx 3000RPM and it started charging AND KEPT CHARGING EVEN WHEN IDLING.
This is how I've been running it for about 4 months. Every time I start the engine I blip the throttle to a good 3000rpm - at this point THE BATTERY WARNING LIGHT COMES ON which now indicates it's charging. It stays charging until the engine is turned off. I've tested this many times with the meter, it works every time, NOT INTERMITTENT, and it's been fine for 4 months. The battery has never been charged other than by the alternator.
So what's the problem? Well I don't want to keep revving it hard from cold, and I don't like driving with a red warning light permanently on. I'd like to fix it rather than just get round it.
My local garage insist that I need a new alternator and/or battery. I don't see this when the battery behaves perfectly and the alternator consistently puts out 14.5v - when it's told to. The bit I need help with is how to instruct the alternator to start charging other than revving the engine.
My impression is that there's a broken connection somewhere between the alternator and the battery warning light - but where?
Thanks for reading this far! Got any ideas?
Cheers
IanB