Crawfie Posted April 25, 2017 Report Share Posted April 25, 2017 Well it had to happen sooner or later. I've been hit with an electrical gremlin. A few days ago I was driving home. All my gauges were fine. Suddenly my ammeter went into the negative and stayed there. Up and until then the car has been running fine. Today I replaced the alternator and when turned on, the red lamp was on, but dim. I've cleaned up the battery terminals. Cleaned up the earth connection from battery , to body, to engine. Voltage at battery 11.89 v. Voltage at battery, connected and engine on 12.5v Not good I think !! Just got in the car, started her up, put lights on, heater etc, revved her up and the ignition light got brighter. I've searched the forum and this seems to have happened to a few people in the past. If you good people could give me a few areas to check out, that would be great. Something is sucking the life out of my car. Maybe not linked, but I will throw it in....my ignition switch is always coming loose and the barrel turns with the key. When the bezel is tightened...back to normal. Stuart......you're on standby !!!! Steve Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest ntc Posted April 25, 2017 Report Share Posted April 25, 2017 Earth on the bulb ie housing Quote Link to post Share on other sites
John Bracher Posted April 25, 2017 Report Share Posted April 25, 2017 Does the ignition light bulb/wiring act as the 'exciter' for the alternator?? Thinking like Neil. I had a bad connection on mine some while ago, and the light was coming on and causing the alternator to stop charging. Ended up being a bad connection to the bulb/bulb holder. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Crawfie Posted April 25, 2017 Author Report Share Posted April 25, 2017 Thanks gents. Steve Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lebro Posted April 25, 2017 Report Share Posted April 25, 2017 Earth on the bulb ie housing The ignition warning light does not connect to earth, it connects between the ignition supply & the field winding connector on the alternator. It is required to energise the field winding prior to the alternator taking over - at which point the light should go out. Bob. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RobH Posted April 26, 2017 Report Share Posted April 26, 2017 Yes that's true Bob - but I think Neil was suggesting that an earth might have occurred as a fault on the alternator side of the bulb - in which case the alternator wouldn't get any exitation current to start it up but the bulb would be fully on. However, that does not sound to fully fit the symptoms that Steve has described. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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