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Alternator Voltage question - answered!

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Alternator Voltage question - answered!

Postby kjdiscos » Thu Jan 06, 2011 9:17 pm

Whats your alternator voltage @ idle
and also with lights full beam and heater full
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Re: Alternator Voltage q - Whats yours ?

Postby Enzo200500 » Fri Jan 07, 2011 10:49 am

Righty, battery tested from sitting overnight.
Tested with two digital voltmeters. Both within 0.01 of each other.

12.68v Van door open engine off.

14.46v Van door open. Engine on idle.

14.34v Van door open. Engine idle. Lights on low beam. Heater on full blow.

12.80v Van door open. Engine idle. Lights on High. Heater blower on full, Screen and mirror heaters on.

14.21v As above but revving to 2k RPM.

Normally engine charging is checked with the engine revving to simulate driving conditions.
On tickover, the alternator is not spinning fast enough to cover the load on the system!

:D
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Re: Alternator Voltage question - answered!

Postby Enzo200500 » Fri Jan 07, 2011 3:48 pm

Ooops, typo error!

14.34v Idle with Lights on low and heater blower on full NOT 14.46v

Sorry, can't seem to find the edit post button?

Can a mod please change?

Thanks.
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Re: Alternator Voltage question - answered!

Postby Altransit » Sat Jan 22, 2011 11:38 pm

Enzo200500 wrote: Can a mod please change?

:wink: :D
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Re: Alternator Voltage question - answered!

Postby Kent Discos » Sun Jan 23, 2011 2:10 am

good post....

with reference to this, i figured out my voltage regulator isn't working... time for a new alternator.... could have guessed that anyway running at 15.8v ~ 16.2v!!
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Re: Alternator Voltage question - answered!

Postby Grenadekid » Mon Jan 24, 2011 8:17 pm

A lot of people will find the extreme cold weather seemed to wipe out a lot of alternators on vehicles especially ford smart charge systems
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05 220 tdci connect (remapped to 115)
94 toyota rav4 2.0 petrol
2011 kia sportage kx3 2.0 diesel
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Re: Alternator Voltage question - answered!

Postby martinryder » Fri Mar 11, 2011 8:04 pm

Like countless others my alternator light appeared.

As a novice mechanic I would like to share my experience. After disconnecting the battery :

1. Remove intercooler plastic cover (2 torque screws). A special torque screwdriver needs to be purchased
2. Remove electrical sensor left on intercooler (squeeze it between pliers and pull off)
3. Loosen jubilee clips on rubber hoses and remove 4 bolts securing intercooler and lift off and uncouple hoses
4. Now looking at alternator. (its a tight squeeze) remove rubber protection from 10 mm bolt and remove cable to gain access This is located on the right
5. Remove 3 nuts holding the plastic black casing on the right. Use a small socket set as the nuts are recessed
6. Now you can see connector plug on the front of the alternator (3 wires). Using pliers pinch the clip and pull off. This can be awkward
7. Undo all the fixing connectors around the rad and fan. Follow it and undue the plug at the top.
8. Now the complete loom has been removed use a multimeter and test continuity of all 3 wire. If you find the one that's gone discard the loom otherwise the problem is elsewhere
9. Go to you local Ford parts centre and purchase a new loom. This now costs £16.43
10. Replace and reassemble in reverse

Should be now OK. This took me 2 hours. It was fairly OK but I would consider help if your not confident.
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Re: Alternator Voltage question - answered!

Postby Kenarf » Thu Apr 07, 2011 5:36 pm

Had the same issue after being parked up in Northampton for a week during the last cold snap.

AA changed my battery to 'get me home' - home being 100 miles away - cheaper for them than relaying. AA said to get alternator changed. Took the Connect to my local garage (Morgan/Lotus/Aston Martin !) and they duly changed the alternator. Drove away to find charging light came back on now accompanied by a loud squeaking sound. Checked for trapped mice etc. - none. Drove down to Dover, charged battery off van 'just in case'. Drove to Portsmouth, going up the steep windy single carriageway no parking places road to Hindhead and the 'airbag' light started blinking on and off. The the dash lights went out.... I nursed her over the top and found a parking space, pulled in, turned on the hazards (v.slow and dim) and called the AA.

They relayed me to Portsmouth, but jump-started the old gir,l and she then ticked over just fine but the charging light still on and the squeak still squeaking. When we got there the van started unaided so I could drive it off the flat-bed and I parked up and went and googled auto electrics in Portsmouth.

In the morning I'd found 2 Bosch electric shops and one garage (OWL in Southsea) and started phoning. Both Bosches couldn't see me for days so I phoned OWL who said 'bring her in'. Drove there and as I got onto the forecourt a guy came over and said 'your fanbelt is flapping about' Stopped and explained who I was and what the issue was and he told me to go and get some breakfast. When I returned an hour later he waved the alternator lead at me. Of three wires, one was broken, one was showing the conductor and one was OK. I left the van there for the day and when I got back in the afternoon it was all fixed and he told me the fanbelt had been put on wrong when they changed the alternator. Didn't know that was possible but my local didn't dispute it when told.

So, I was finally properly mobile and, as a parting shot, the man from OWL said I might not have needed a new alternator after all......

Anyway, if you're ever stuck near Portsmouth, go to OWL. The place doesn't look much but they certainly know their onions.
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Re: Alternator Voltage question - answered!

Postby Grenadekid » Thu Apr 07, 2011 11:41 pm

Just changed the focus alternator last week and guess what it had got to around 50k the same as my van when it went. dont know if its a coincidence or are they prone to going at these mileages.
At home
05 220 tdci connect (remapped to 115)
94 toyota rav4 2.0 petrol
2011 kia sportage kx3 2.0 diesel
2001 RAV4 NG
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Re: Alternator Voltage question - answered!

Postby DJEC » Fri Apr 08, 2011 5:38 pm

Do all of the connects have the smart charge system? Mines an 05 and I think it does but haven't got round to checking much beyond the fact the little plug on the alternator has 3 wires in it.

I want to fit a secondary battery to power my inverter and can get decent capacity sealed lead acid batteries for not a lot, charged by a split charge relay. However I won't be able to use a normal lead acid battery if the van has a smart charge system as it will over charge it and cook it :( and the calcium batteries with a decent capacity are silly expensive :evil:
When I've got time I forget what I wanted to do, and when I remember what I wanted to do, I have no time!
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Re: Alternator Voltage question - answered!

Postby eigerton » Thu May 12, 2011 12:10 pm

I first suffered warning light syndrome 15 months ago, took it into a local independent garage where I got a new £300+ alternator. A couple of days ago the light was back and the battery failed two days later. Had a go at martinryder's method above and got it sorted; the red wire had broken (in fact it was a previous repair that had failed - did I really need that new alternator last year ?), £20 for a new loom - the ford parts man keeps lots in stock. Thanks martin
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Re: Alternator Voltage question - answered!

Postby eclipse1 » Mon Nov 21, 2011 5:39 pm

hi,

i recently had my water pump and fan belt w pulley replaced about 2 weeks ago and now my Connect T200 is having the same problem(abs lights/CEL/Battery follow by dash going off and van stopping by the road side.).

Can I know what is the loom's part number?


Anyone have any idea how long does an alternator last? this existing one is already on 50k km. should I get an alternator as a spare too?
Thanks
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Re: Alternator Voltage question - answered!

Postby Grenadekid » Tue Nov 22, 2011 11:54 pm

Also just to mention some autosparks can also repair/recondition these alt as i realized with my local place, he repairs them for £90. Thats alot cheaper than ford at £145 roughly for replacement, and not all models available through motor factors back earlier this year You will get part no for loom in this topic viewtopic.php?f=54&t=37471#p343214 or its Part no. 1496586. if it hasnt been superseeded
At home
05 220 tdci connect (remapped to 115)
94 toyota rav4 2.0 petrol
2011 kia sportage kx3 2.0 diesel
2001 RAV4 NG
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Re: Alternator Voltage question - answered!

Postby Mrspot » Mon Jan 02, 2012 6:53 pm

[Like countless others my alternator light appeared.

As a novice mechanic I would like to share my experience. After disconnecting the battery :

1. Remove intercooler plastic cover (2 torque screws). A special torque screwdriver needs to be purchased
2. Remove electrical sensor left on intercooler (squeeze it between pliers and pull off)
3. Loosen jubilee clips on rubber hoses and remove 4 bolts securing intercooler and lift off and uncouple hoses
4. Now looking at alternator. (its a tight squeeze) remove rubber protection from 10 mm bolt and remove cable to gain access This is located on the right
5. Remove 3 nuts holding the plastic black casing on the right. Use a small socket set as the nuts are recessed
6. Now you can see connector plug on the front of the alternator (3 wires). Using pliers pinch the clip and pull off. This can be awkward
7. Undo all the fixing connectors around the rad and fan. Follow it and undue the plug at the top.
8. Now the complete loom has been removed use a multimeter and test continuity of all 3 wire. If you find the one that's gone discard the loom otherwise the problem is elsewhere
9. Go to you local Ford parts centre and purchase a new loom. This now costs £16.43
10. Replace and reassemble in reverse

Should be now OK. This took me 2 hours. It was fairly OK but I would consider help if your not confident.


With regard to point 7..... What "plug" at the top?...mine seems to start at the alternator with the 3 pin plug and disappear underneath the fuse box
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Re: Alternator Voltage question - answered!

Postby GasEngineer » Sat Feb 11, 2012 10:23 am

Great forum - I have just joined and already fixed my battery light! I just cut the damaged sections of the wires (about 50mm) and spliced together with some heat shrink crimp connectors.

As with Mrspot, I am puzzled about step 7 though -there is the plug on the alternator but the wire then just heads up to the fuse box behind the battery. I can't see any plug at the top end.

Also I took the intercooler off as advised, but there was no cover as mentioned in steps 4 & 5 - the plug is just accessible there on the alternator. I had a new starter motor a year ago and I'm wondering if something may have been removed when this was changed and not replaced?
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