Quote:
Originally Posted by Uplander
external regulator
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If it is a conversion, make sure that this has indeed been changed to an alternator type. If someone has tried to keep the original dynamo regulator, then anomalous operation is to be expected. It probably isn't this because they'd have to be quite thick not to have noticed the problem themselves, but it's worth checking in case they were also too thick to twig what they'd done wrong.
Having got that out of the way...
Disconnect the wire to the DF terminal on the alternator, then, with the engine running, connect the DF terminal to battery positive via an indicator bulb (21W) while measuring the alternator output voltage at the B+ terminal. What happens? What you
should see is that the output voltage rises. It might rise rather high, but that won't matter as long as you don't maintain the connection for longer than is needed to get a reading. You should also hear the engine speed drop slightly because the alternator will be taking mechanical power, and the AMP light should go out.
If that's OK, then put the wire to DF on the alternator back; then disconnect the wires to the DF and D+ terminals on the regulator, and connect them together. Again, you should see the voltage on B+ rise, hear the engine speed drop, and see the AMP light go out.
If the first test fails, almost certainly the alternator is knacked.
If the first test is OK but the second one fails, probably the alternator is knacked.
If both tests are OK, it's probably the regulator.
To hear the change in engine speed, it may be useful to do the tests with the headlights and/or the heater fan on, to make sure there is a decent load on the electrical system.
That should be enough, but do post back with the results, because there is always the possibility of unexpected weirdness.
The wiring is a lot simpler than the diagram in the book makes it look (this is always the case with car electrics, because the published diagrams attempt to depict the physical layout of the components and the loom, as well as the electrical topology). Electrically, it looks like this:
"Generating device" is either a dynamo or an alternator.
The node labelled "dynamo only" does not exist in an alternator system; the node labelled "alternator only" does not exist in a dynamo system.