I.Mupferit Posted August 14, 2006 Share Posted August 14, 2006 Can anybody please confirm what this should be, read at the battery terminals (engine running of course). Does 13.4v sound a tad on low side? I seem to recall that 14.1v or so was roughly about right. Brent 2.3 DURATEC SV Reassuringly Expensive R 417.39 😬 Edited by - Brent Chiswick on 14 Aug 2006 16:02:03 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom_C Posted August 14, 2006 Share Posted August 14, 2006 14V + would be normal, though may need a few revs as the alternator might not get full voltage at idle. Cheers Tom FH54WLX - only the car supports ManU, honest! see here - UPDATED Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Whitley Posted August 14, 2006 Share Posted August 14, 2006 That's low, it should be at least 14V, higher when the battery has just been used to start the car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I.Mupferit Posted August 14, 2006 Author Share Posted August 14, 2006 Yes it seemed on the low side to me, hence the enquiry. What would cause it to read low 🤔 Brent 2.3 DURATEC SV Reassuringly Expensive R 417.39 😬 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Support Team Shaun_E Posted August 14, 2006 Support Team Share Posted August 14, 2006 Knackered battery or knackered alternator. What's the battery voltage with the engine off? Probably best to find one of Chris W's posts on the matter - aah found one for you. A fully charged battery should show 12.6v (2.1v per cell) for a lead acid type. It may show higher than this for a few minutes after charging due to the electrolyte's not being mixed properly. Switch on the headlights for 5 minutes and then re-measure; you should find 12.6v. With the engine ON the figure should be around 13.8v to 14.5v depending on the actual alternator and regulator. Have someone crank the engine having disconnected the fuel pump (at the fuel cut-off switch for simplicity) to prevent the engine's starting. Measure the battery voltage whilst cranking. If it's below 9v, the battery needs replacing. Yellow SL #32 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I.Mupferit Posted August 14, 2006 Author Share Posted August 14, 2006 It does read 12.6v I think with the engine not running and it is only 18 months old and always on a battery conditioner so I guess that is ok which leaves the alternator as prime suspect. ☹️ I think I'll keep running it as is and see what happens. Brent 2.3 DURATEC SV Reassuringly Expensive R 417.39 😬 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I.Mupferit Posted August 14, 2006 Author Share Posted August 14, 2006 Forgot to say.............errmmm, could accidentally and very briefly, touching a spanner between live terminal and earth damage the alternator 🤔 It was only very briefly as I picked up a spanner to hang it up on the rack having just finished the engine install and finally connected the earth lead before cranking the engine. I leaned over from the drivers side to pick up a couple of spanners and one swung down to touch the live terminal as the other one briefly clipped the fuel rail as I straightened up. ☹️ The resulting arc was very brief in duration as I obviously reacted to the sudden spark. Brent 2.3 DURATEC SV Reassuringly Expensive R 417.39 😬 Edited by - Brent Chiswick on 14 Aug 2006 17:16:30 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I.Mupferit Posted August 15, 2006 Author Share Posted August 15, 2006 Can anybody tell me if this could be the cause please? Brent 2.3 DURATEC SV Reassuringly Expensive R 417.39 😬 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom_C Posted August 15, 2006 Share Posted August 15, 2006 If you mean you shorted the battery +ve to the block, that is more likely to do for the battery than the alternator. Or have I misundersood? I'd try borrowing a battery first and see if you get a better reading that way. Cheers Tom FH54WLX - only the car supports ManU, honest! see here - UPDATED Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Brother Posted August 15, 2006 Share Posted August 15, 2006 Brent Just a thought......as you recently refitted the engine, do you have a seperate earth for the alternator (do Raceling rubber mount the alternator on the Duratec) - and if you do - is it connected OK? As for shorting out the battery, I'd have thought it would be highly unlikely that it would have damaged the alternator. Especially if the engine was not running at the time. Steve SE7EN-UP! The difference between ignorance and apathy? I don't know, and I couldn't care less! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I.Mupferit Posted August 15, 2006 Author Share Posted August 15, 2006 I have to say that it hasn't manifested itself as a problem as such. It's just that while I was carrying out a few checks after starting the engine, it just seemed to me that the charging voltage was lower than it used to be...............and then the paranoia kicked in as I thought about the battery briefly shorting to earth. 😳 The alternator earth wire is definitely connected. That went on before the engine was lowered in place on Friday. Brent 2.3 DURATEC SV Reassuringly Expensive R 417.39 😬 Edited by - Brent Chiswick on 15 Aug 2006 09:58:26 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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