VS 3 instrument cluster short and now no alternator charge?

[a.revhed]

Hi Everyone,
I've lurked here for years, but only now that I need to post realised I hasn't signed up...
I have a VS series 3 5.0L Stato. All largely stock
I was trying to replace some of the bulbs in the instrument cluster on the weekend. opened the under-dash cover and was trying to get at them through the windows in the steal frame of the dashboard mounting. When I couldn't turn them with my fingers I went for the pliers....and think I touched something I shouldn't have! Now, the warning lights are all off. But Tacho, Speedo, indicator lights and the fake seatbelt warning lamp all still work. Everything seemed fine, but now I get the chime for the handbrake on while moving sounding at intermittent intervals. The battery seems to be slowly going flat, so assume no alternator charge. (It's a new battery)
All other electrical components seem fine. Radio. AC blower, headlights. etc all working. I checked the obvious fuses and all look ok.

Any ideas on a quick fix for the alternator issue? I've sourced a new cluster, but it will take a few weeks to arrive, and can't afford to park the car up that long!

 

[lout]

charge battery each night and dont use heater/demister and try to limit headlight use

 

[ephect]

Pop the cluster out to check traces at the back to set the extent. Could be a simple one

 

[a.revhed]

charge battery each night and dont use heater/demister and try to limit headlight use

yeah, I did think of that....but not sure how the instrument cluster can affect the operation of the Alternator. Seems a bit fragile if something in the warning light system can stop the charging system from working..,.

 

[lout]

if it uses old school bulb in the exciter circuit
then who knows what happened

 

[Smitty]

if it uses old school bulb in the exciter circuit
then who knows what happened

probably does ! (as no BCM control back then)
so
yeah who knows what has happened

 

[Immortality]

Probably blown the loop for the warning light circuit, the alternator excite circuit runs via the dash warning light and with this not functioning the alternator won't charge.

In theory, you could cut the wire at the alternator, wire in a 2w 12 volt light bulb to ground and then it should work.

 

[a.revhed]

Could I run a lead from the battery to the alternator sense terminal instead, bypassing the need for splicing in the bulb?

 

[lout]

need to drop the voltage down to around 8 volts

 

[Immortality]

No.

There are 2 wires, the sense wire is for the regulator to monitor battery voltage and adjust output to suit, the excite wire is different and it needs a small electrical load (the light bulb) to pull a small current.