Quick Check Please! Alternator Lamp

[Smurf]

Hi All,

Please could you all do a quick check for me next time you get into your Calibra?

When you turn the ignition (not start the engine) so that the instrument panel lights come up, is the alternator lamp glowing brighter than the oil pressure warning and handbrake lights? (i.e is it glowing the brightest out of all the red ones?)

If you could please post your results up it'd be much appreciated and contribute to my current fault-finding! [img]/biggrin.gif[/img]

Thanks to everyone [img]/smile.gif[/img]

[Robert_Dale]

Smurf does it come on when you drive etc - if its brighter it normally means a fault on the alternator or its on its way out.....dunno if that helps

[Dan Willis]

Mine are all the same... nothing is brighter..

[Stupink]

yes, im fairly sure its brighter than the rest. it has nice thick wire to the alt, and only a short wire from there to the dash so voltage drop isnt an issue [img]/smile.gif[/img] also it doesnt go through any of the dash circuitry so no voltage drop there either [img]/smile.gif[/img]
Whats ya problme then? [img]/smile.gif[/img]

[Smurf]

Thanks for the replies guys - much appreciated.

My situation is that if I have too much on, the lamp starts glowing dimly. It normally comes on if I have the headlights on, the heater, and the heated seats. With more stuff on, it just gets brighter.

I thought that I might have the wrong wattage bulb for the alternator and that it could be causing the problem. I've been advised on Mig that the alternator wiring is pretty poor and that it's quite normal for it to glow! Well it's still doing it's job so I can live with it!

[peter]

The reason its glowing dimley is because your drawing a lot of current. Headlights/Heater and seats all will take a lot of current. Your alternator is struggling to push out enough current to power all of them.

It is ok if it dims slightly, but you may risk running your battery down at some point.

You got any amps in your car ? . they will also pull alot of current.

Cheers

Pete

[Stupink]

Yes.. these cars do have a fault with poor wiring,
If you check the voltave over your battery compared to engine off, odds are you will still find it is actually *still* charging even though the light is on dimly.. vauxhall wiring is very good... honest... If it isnt charging and has begun to drain, then you need to look at double checking all the wiring is up to scratch then testing/fitting a new alt.

[Smurf]

Hi Pete,

Yes, I have one amp in the boot but nothing amazing - just a small 250W sub amp.

Thanks

[Smurf]

Thanks Stu - I've got someone taking a look at the wiring this weekend anyway just in case it's a dodgy connection somewhere, but if he can't find any problem then I'll just live with it until it packs up (or even IF it packs up). I'll then make good use of my recovery service (who I haven't had to use for three years - touch wood!) and get it fixed after that.

[Col_UK]

neil, mines been doing it as long as I've had the car and thats b4 and after i had a new alternator fitted
u can get round it, so I'm told, by upgrading the earth strap from the battery and from the gearbox I believe

[MarkV6]

As you have a V6 can you not look at the voltage guage and see if it drops below 12.5 - 13v when you apply the loading on the alternator??

A multimeter across the battery on setting 0 - 20v will show you what is going on as well.

Mine drops to just over 13v with everything on, 14.5 with just the radio on...

[Smurf]

Thanks for the replies guys.

Col - you may well have a point there. I've got a mechanic taking a look at the wiring tomorrow just to be sure there's nothing untoward going on. If it's ok I'll live with it for now [img]/biggrin.gif[/img]

Mark - With everything on I normally see about 12.5v, and with just the radio and amp I see just over 14v. I watch that gauge like a hawk when I've got too much on - last thing I want is to be stuck at the side of the road!