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| Joined: | 07-06-2005 |
| Location: | Eugene, Oregon USA |
| Posts: | 162 |
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My alternator gave up two weeks before the Healey Rendezvous. It wouldn't charge the battery, and the ignition light stayed on unless I revved above 4500 rpm. Then it would flicker, but the voltmeter stayed glued to 12. I figured it had given up the ghost.
Because I needed to be on the road soon, I purchased a rebuilt alternator from a reputable national chain. The new alternator seemed to be working OK until the second day of the meet, when the ignition light wouldn't come on, and the battery wasn't getting charged. I drove for a few minutes before I noticed the problem, so I turned around and headed home. On the way there, it picked up again, and started charging, and the ignition light would come on, properly, when I had the key on and the motor off.
But.... since then it's been charging on the high end of the range, and sometimes up in the red zone, above 15 volts. It's all over the place, too, varying between 13 and 15+ volts. The old alternator was very reliable (until it wasn't!), and always kept the needle at 14 volts, unless I ran several accessories.
Should I be concerned about charging up in the red zone?
Thanks,
Edward