anthonym Posted August 4 Share Posted August 4 2006 is long enough to cook wires 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anthonym Posted August 4 Share Posted August 4 (edited) rj isn't it the small B wire that carries the charge and that can be cooked? seen that a few times on my K Edited August 4 by anthonym Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Jonathan Kay Posted August 4 Member Share Posted August 4 1 minute ago, rj said: PS: If the lamp does not come on when turning on ignition, then certainly not the battery. If it comes on and does not turn off when the engine is started, it's not the battery, nor the lamp wire. 1 hour ago, Orange said: The ignition light on the dash is normal - on when ignition on and off when running. Jonathan 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anthonym Posted August 4 Share Posted August 4 and it doesn't sound like we have parasitic drain so the diodes should be ok Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Jonathan Kay Posted August 4 Member Share Posted August 4 I give up. Orange; please feel free to Private Message me if you think that I can help in any way. Jonathan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anthonym Posted August 4 Share Posted August 4 3 minutes ago, Jonathan Kay said: I give up. why? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rj Posted August 4 Share Posted August 4 Anthony, I wouldn't call it small, but the B+ is the one carrying the output from the alternator to battery or maybe via the starter motor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anthonym Posted August 4 Share Posted August 4 yes agreed. Wondering how it is routed on his car Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anthonym Posted August 4 Share Posted August 4 if it's not the wiring it's time to replace it - assuming we are not in to replacing components like brushes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orange Posted August 4 Author Share Posted August 4 It’s a Banner battery Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anthonym Posted August 4 Share Posted August 4 I've always used Banner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rj Posted August 4 Share Posted August 4 Unless you find a faulty wire it's most likely to be the alternator, and even if the light goes out, the output could be intermittient. This could be caused by a soldering inside the alternator, worn brushes or even worn bearings. In any case it's time for a new alternator 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orange Posted August 4 Author Share Posted August 4 The larger wire B+ is red and goes from the alternator via the starter motor to the +ve terminal on the battery. i have checked the voltages at each junction and the voltage is the same. Many thanks all - new alternator it is. Anybody with a 2006 eu3 K Series that can still see the part no? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anthonym Posted August 4 Share Posted August 4 (edited) most people these days seem to prefer WOSPs. Maybe a new thread to ask which one K series owners buy? I don't have one so please check with everyone else on here. https://www.wosperformance.co.uk/search-results?p=1&mid=101&fs=caterham OR CONTACT Redline at sales@redlinecomponents.co.uk Edited August 4 by anthonym add WOSP link 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrightpayne Posted August 4 Share Posted August 4 Quoted by Mr Revill, our resident K expert… https://www.caterhamlotus7.club/forums/topic/254880-eu3-alternator-part-number/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rj Posted August 4 Share Posted August 4 27 minutes ago, anthonym said: most people these days seem to prefer WOSPs. Maybe a new thread to ask which one K series owners buy? I don't have one so please check with everyone else on here. https://www.wosperformance.co.uk/search-results?p=1&mid=101&fs=caterham OR CONTACT Redline at sales@redlinecomponents.co.uk It's not a direct replacement and requires both ballast resistor and an extra wire. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anthonym Posted August 4 Share Posted August 4 (edited) Ballast resistor seems a good idea. What’s the extra wire? A sense wire ? interesting wosp doc https://www.wosperformance.co.uk/clientarea/files/downloads/Wosp Alternator Instructions.pdf wrightpayne has given link to perfect details above Edited August 4 by anthonym Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orange Posted August 4 Author Share Posted August 4 Thanks all - alternator is off (but not out) I think I need to remove an engine mount to wiggle it through. oh the joy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rj Posted August 4 Share Posted August 4 2 hours ago, anthonym said: Ballast resistor seems a good idea. What’s the extra wire? A sense wire ? interesting wosp doc https://www.wosperformance.co.uk/clientarea/files/downloads/Wosp Alternator Instructions.pdf wrightpayne has given link to perfect details above The WOSP needs an "enable" - a switched +VE to start charging. It has warning lamp output that on an EU3 needs a ballast resistor in parallel with the warning lamp to prevent it from being on permanently. A 68 ohms 3W resistor should do. Mind you it gets hot! The sense wire can be connected either to the battery +VE or to the post at the alternator that connects to the battery. Of course the best is to connect it to the battery as the regulator can then compensate for loss in the wire, but you'll be OK with the simpler solution. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anthonym Posted August 5 Share Posted August 5 wonder if there's anything in "spanners" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anthonym Posted August 5 Share Posted August 5 nothing but I found this old thread, very interesting read Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orange Posted August 5 Author Share Posted August 5 Thank you all. This is now solved. New alternator sourced locally and fitted this evening. I had to remove an engine mount to get the old one out (car is an SV so not sure if this allows access on an S3) Battery is charging, the voltage is now back up at 14+v when running and early signs of garage running is that the misfire is gone. I will take it for a run tomorrow to make sure nothing drops off. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BadBoyBakewell Posted August 6 Share Posted August 6 I’m chasing a similar problem with my K series SV. Not sure what’s caused the issue in my case, but I’ve fudged round it by adding a ‘temporary’ manual exciter wire by piggy backing from the brown / yellow wire, via a push switch to the battery +ve terminal. I start the car and the dash reads 12.1v max then when I push the button to put voltage to the terminal on the alternator it starts charging and the dash reads 14.5v Might be a useful bit of knowledge to get anyone out of a bind / breakdown - once the engine is running a touch of a wire to the battery +ve bridging to the brown/yellow wire will have the same effect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revilla Posted August 6 Share Posted August 6 I've seen a few like that. The LED indicator used by Caterham only passes about 4mA. It's sometimes not enough to excite the alternator and get it started. The alternator was designed to bee excited through a small incandescent bulb, or at least something that passed rather a lot more current. You can add a power resistor from the alternator wire to +12V as an alternative to manual switch, to emulate a bulb load. Just make sure it is adequately rated and preferably safely attached to metal somewhere as it will also emulate a bulb by getting quite warm if you leave it with the ignition on but the engine off for a period of time. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orange Posted August 6 Author Share Posted August 6 I may have spoken too early. New alternator is working and charging but the red light on the dash does not go off once started….. Misfire has gone but it is now sometimes hunting on tick over and then almost or completely stalling. I checked fault codes and P0501 engine speed sensor was there. I cleared this and it seems to have stopped hunting. Any ideas? (Why red light remains on now and hunting) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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