charging issue
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
From: biloxi ms
charging issue
My voltage runs at 13.9 with nothing on at idle, if I turn on my AC or rear defrost it drops to 11.5 volts and the battery light comes on. the alternator is an AC delco replacement ( 1 year old) and the battery is new. the volts will run at 12.8 -13 when driving with AC or defrost on. do i need a stronger alternator at idle?
85 stock motor
140 amp alternator
85 stock motor
140 amp alternator
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 54,124
Likes: 30
From: Cincinnati, Oh USA
First remove your battery cables (neg first) and clean the cable lugs and the battery posts until clean and bright and replace (neg last). If you still have the serious voltage drop (to 11.5 with a/c or rear defogger), then you have a defective alternator and it needs replacement.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 22,267
Likes: 15
From: The light that never warms.
St. Jude Donor '12
If you decide to replace the alternator, take a look at this. It's a tech tip I did a while back. The email is old, if you need the correct one it is in my bio.
