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Topic: battery light is dim when engine is running

in Forum: C3 Electrical

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battery light is dim when engine is running

Posted: 7/31/07 12:12pm Message 1 of 12
jharris
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Joined: 6/27/2007
Posts: 18
hello,
 
First this the BEST web site ever... thanks to all that make this happen!!!
 
now more Electrical fun...
 
on my 80 vette..battery light is dim when engine is running very very dim but still on...  and the volt meter shows a little over 13.. like around 14 1/2..   after a while ..like about 15 min or so the meter goes down to 13 and i think there is no light...
 
ideas?
 
Joe



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battery light is dim when engine is running

Posted: 7/31/07 1:20pm Message 2 of 12
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Sarge81
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WEST SENECA, NY - USA
Joined: 12/3/2001
Posts: 2379
Vette(s): 1981 Blue Ice Met. w/pearl ghost flames TKO500 5speed. LS1 Swap 3.45 Dana 44.
I would check the voltage with a mutimeter (perferably a digital one) to get an accurate voltage reading.
 
Take a reading off the back of the alternator while running, then check at the battery while running.
 
Check the condition of the 2 wire connection where it plugs into the side of the alternator. Sometimes those get a little corrosion at the terminals or sometimes the wires break due to age and heat.
 
Let us know if you find anything. Good luck!




GEN III 5.7L "LS6" Engine swap
TKO500 5 spd.
3.54 Dana 44
'69 "N11" Sidepipes
Borgeson Steering Box
Born 8/1981
Sequence #3975




Click here to see more pics of my Vette on CarDomain.


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battery light is dim when engine is running

Posted: 7/31/07 2:31pm Message 3 of 12
ranger3
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North Charleston, SC - USA
Joined: 3/20/2004
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Vette(s): 1975 L48 AT AC T-top
Also, check all of the battery and ground connections. I suspect the problem is with the alternator or voltage regulator but connections need to be clean and tight.

Scott


battery light is dim when engine is running

Posted: 8/1/07 4:26am Message 4 of 12
vettedreams79
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Grand Blanc, MI - USA
Joined: 8/7/2002
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Vette(s): 1979, 350sb, as my kids affectionately call it "shit brown" Corvette purchased in 1996. 84,000+ miles. Not a show car, but I love her just the same.
I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that the regulator inside the alternator is going bad.  I had the same problem a couple years back and KStyer helped me change this $6.00 part and save an expensive rebuild.  There are plenty of how-to articles on the net about tearing down an alternator.  I got mine from corvettefaq.com.  The entire operation lasted about an hour, with most of that being the taking out and putting back in of the alternator.  Good luck.  Hope you find your problem soon.


battery light is dim when engine is running

Posted: 8/3/07 11:05am Message 5 of 12
jharris
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well i did put a meter on it and it is comming out at 14.8..  I was told this is normal by a local corvette shop.

 
Joe



battery light is dim when engine is running

Posted: 8/3/07 2:02pm Message 6 of 12
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Joanne
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listen to vettedreams had the same.easy now rather then out on the road.


1979 Corvette

battery light is dim when engine is running

Posted: 8/3/07 7:45pm Message 7 of 12
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Adams' Apple
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Duncanville, TX - USA
Joined: 11/8/2003
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Vette(s): #1-1974 L-48 4spd Cp Med Red Metallic/Black deluxe int w/AC/tilt/tele./p/w-p/b/ Am-Fm/map light National/Regional/Chapter NCRS "Top Flight" #2-1985 Bright Red/Carmine Cp.L-98/auto Member: NCRS, NCRS Texas, Corvette Legends of Texas
If the alt. is putting out 14.8 volts, and the light is on, there is a bad connection between the alt and the light. Try unplugging/replugging the 2 wire connector on the side/back of the alt to see if that helps.
Check the batt. connections as has been suggested, also.
While the light is on, and dim, if you turn the A/C, or headlights on, does the light go out? If so, then you probably have a grounding issue with the gauge cluster.
If it gets brighter, it is probably a loose connection at the alt, or the batt., or starter.
Almost every time the light is on, but the alt is putting out the correct voltage, the problem is traceable to a bad ground connection.

byw...14.8 volts is OK, but it shouldn't stay that high all the time. As the load goes down, such as once the battery has been recharged from starting, it should settle down to around 13.5 or so. If yours is staying high like that, or even higher(15+ volts) at a higher RPM, the regulator is not doing it's job.


Joel Adams
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battery light is dim when engine is running

Posted: 8/6/07 11:48am Message 8 of 12
jharris
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ok so here is the latest..  I started the car today and the light was dim and the meter was at 14.4  and i turn on the headlights and heater and the light got brighter.   after about 5 min the light was gone...
 
Joe



battery light is dim when engine is running

Posted: 8/6/07 7:46pm Message 9 of 12
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Adams' Apple
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Duncanville, TX - USA
Joined: 11/8/2003
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Vette(s): #1-1974 L-48 4spd Cp Med Red Metallic/Black deluxe int w/AC/tilt/tele./p/w-p/b/ Am-Fm/map light National/Regional/Chapter NCRS "Top Flight" #2-1985 Bright Red/Carmine Cp.L-98/auto Member: NCRS, NCRS Texas, Corvette Legends of Texas
Sounds like a loose ground wire. Are you taking your meter readings from the batt, or the alt?


Joel Adams
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"Money can't buy happiness -- but somehow it's more comforting to cry in a CORVETTE than in a Kia"

battery light is dim when engine is running

Posted: 8/7/07 7:48pm Message 10 of 12
jharris
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Joined: 6/27/2007
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batt...  where do i put the leads to test a the alt..  i know the where to put the hot lead.. do i put ground to the frame or block ?


in Forum: C3 Electrical


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