New Alternator, New Voltage Regulator

[VN Commy]

Is it possible for the battery warning light to come on due to a faulty instrument cluster? The other week my battery went flat and my battery warning light has been on. I replaced the voltage regulator yesterday with a new one and that didn't turn the light off so today I just put in another alternator with the new voltage regulator. The battery warning light still didn't come off. The battery warning light has been on ever since I changed a circut board inside the instrument cluster (the one everyone resolders to stop sticky gauges, I got a 2nd hand one for cheap). So I changed back to my old circut board and the warning light didn't come on. So now I'm not sure which circuit board is the faulty one. Anyone know more about this? The battery that went flat was fairly old I think, so it could have gone flat on its own..

 

[calais_cruzin]

Have u put a multi-meter on it to see how many voltz the alternator is chargin at...Should be a around 14.3-14.4 volt when car is running.The Battery light only comes on when ur alternator is not chargin properly or ya dash not workin properly....If it is gettin 14.4volt when car is running n the light is still on its the dash but if it is on 12.4 or lower its the alternator....im thikin its ur light thats playin up....

 

[VN Commy]

Got a brand new battery today and put it in the car. Started it up and the battery warning light came back on. Got the multimeter out and found it was reading only around 8V between the alternator B+ output terminal and ground (where the negative battery terminal bolts to the chassi). Is this the correct way to hook up the multi? How can this be as the voltage regulator is brand new? Im pretty sure the alternator is good too because it was working in the car I took it out of. I'm really lost on this... any help is appreciated.

 

[commy92]

correct method is to start car.. chuck multimeter + on battert + and multimeter - on battery - . Now it should run a minimum 13.5v any less and ide be getting myself another alternator. Actually anything less then 14 and i would be considering it. It SHOULD be around 14.4v

 

[VN Commy]

Oh ok cheers. I did that the other day, I wasn't sure if that was the right method. The battery read 12.7V but then droped down to only 12.0V when the car was started. Looks like I might have to fork out for another alternator. New ones are so expensive, the one I recently bought is just second hand with the new voltage reg.

 

[Snotty]

yeh sounds low. my mate had a similar problem with the light coming on, check and the alternator was fine, it was a bad earth from the engine block

 

[VN Commy]

Started the car up again today to run some more tests and for some reason the battery light didn't come on. I connected the multimeter and it read around the 14.4V point. I have no idea how this happened but I'm happy. The car some how came right by itself... :unsure:
Must have been a bad connection somewhere.

 

[11gothevt11]

Where abouts is the earth on the engine block???
As i am haveing same problem with new regulator

 

[Defected]

Was lucky.. picked up a reco alternator from pick a part.

Try ya local wreckers.. some of em may have vn/vps with decent gear in it

 

[Vlad01]

err umm? the fusible link? check that. Its the brown little bit of wire at the positive terminal. Check it for continuity with the meter.