rallyruss Posted January 14, 2005 Share Posted January 14, 2005 charge light works directly off the alt. we used to "full field" test alt.s back in the day to verify if it was a bad alt. or wring problem at fault. that way you dont have to pull the alt. and take it in to be tested. look it up on line. Im sure some one else can describe the test better than I. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cougar Posted January 14, 2005 Share Posted January 14, 2005 charge light works directly off the alt. we used to "full field" test alt.s back in the day to verify if it was a bad alt. or wring problem at fault. that way you dont have to pull the alt. and take it in to be tested. look it up on line. Im sure some one else can describe the test better than I. I assume you just grounded the battery sense lead to do this test. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomRhere Posted January 14, 2005 Share Posted January 14, 2005 I would think you need to get the Dash Indicator Light wired in. It is part of the Altenators wiring system. Not real familar with the Subaru wiring in itself, so I could be wrong. But I have swapped the GM Alts into many different vehicles, including farm equipment. You don't really need the Dash Light wired in on these, but you do have to apply a momentary power source to the Dash Light wire to encite the Alt to put out juice. I've done this with a push-buttom switch. Just a thought on the problem.......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rallyruss Posted January 15, 2005 Share Posted January 15, 2005 I assume you just grounded the battery sense lead to do this test. not sure on a sube. depends on how the system is designed. heres a little helpul info. http://www.autoshop101.com/forms/alt_bwoh.pdf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garner Posted January 15, 2005 Author Share Posted January 15, 2005 Right on Rallyruss! You are correct. Without that light, you have no field voltage to the alternator. Not all systems do it this way I suppose but most do I believe. Right on RallyRuss and Cougar!! It was the charge light!!! finally traced out the light from the Brat dash and connected it to the ALT. Started, idled 14+ volts, turned on all lights, heater etc, went up. It even went up with revs!!! In other words it works just like an alternator should. Problem solved. If only I'd listened to you guys a couple days ago..... The wierd thing is as I posted, I've put 500+ trouble free miles on this thing with no charging issues. I mean always had juice to start, wouldn't discharge and die while driving, etc. I can't even begin to speculate on why I was lucky enough to not have this charging problem for those miles.... Oh well, it's fixed and there's no reason to "look a gift horse in the arse" Thanks again guys, several heads really are better than one garner Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vanislru Posted January 15, 2005 Share Posted January 15, 2005 interesting thing I discovered last night: I checked codes from the stock ECU and got a code 13 (starter switch in on possition) I don't know that this is really any clue but it did give me something to think about. I'll track that down tonight. It makes me wonder if there isn't a problem with either the ignition switch, which is certainly a bit suspect anyway or maybe the "on" and "start wires are crossed or shorting to each other. Maybe there is just an extra drain form the starter circuit while running??? I have this on both my ea82t wagons that I swapped over to D/R, I know it's some connector or something I overlooked, don't know where this starter switch conn. is and why on both wagons it's a problem, but I think it drains the batt slowly over time[like a week if not driven], my multimeter says there is juice being drawn when everything is shutoff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edrach Posted January 15, 2005 Share Posted January 15, 2005 How much current is being drawn when everything is turned off? You can start to isolate where, by removing one of the fusible links and seeing what drops out the current reading. With three fusible links, you can narrow the field of search by one third this way. I have this on both my ea82t wagons that I swapped over to D/R, I know it's some connector or something I overlooked, don't know where this starter switch conn. is and why on both wagons it's a problem, but I think it drains the batt slowly over time[like a week if not driven], my multimeter says there is juice being drawn when everything is shutoff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vanislru Posted January 15, 2005 Share Posted January 15, 2005 Around 1/4 of an amp, not much I know but if there's current maintaining a contact closed that would explain it. This code 13 comes up on a friends car that was conv. to MT also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edrach Posted January 15, 2005 Share Posted January 15, 2005 1/4 amp might just be the dash clock. I know it's not much, but your typical batter is around 60 Amp-hours fully charged, so in 240 hours (only 10 days) that would completely discharge your battery. As a temporary fix, get a trickle charger to attach to your battery whenever you're parked for extended periods of time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hooziewhatsit Posted January 15, 2005 Share Posted January 15, 2005 I recently discovered that my dash clock was only pulling about 6-9mA. if something is pulling 250mA (quarter amp) I'd say something's wrong... unless you did the test with the overhead lights on. You can start pulling fuses to see where it's going also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rallyruss Posted January 16, 2005 Share Posted January 16, 2005 Right on RallyRuss and Cougar!! It was the charge light!!! finally traced out the light from the Brat dash and connected it to the ALT. Started, idled 14+ volts, turned on all lights, heater etc, went up. It even went up with revs!!! In other words it works just like an alternator should. Problem solved. If only I'd listened to you guys a couple days ago..... The wierd thing is as I posted, I've put 500+ trouble free miles on this thing with no charging issues. I mean always had juice to start, wouldn't discharge and die while driving, etc. I can't even begin to speculate on why I was lucky enough to not have this charging problem for those miles.... Oh well, it's fixed and there's no reason to "look a gift horse in the arse" Thanks again guys, several heads really are better than one garner nice job. glad you checked it out. dont know how it was getting by before but its good to hear all is well now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cougar Posted January 16, 2005 Share Posted January 16, 2005 Thanks for the fedback on this Garner. Glad you got things going. It would be interesting to know how this was working before you wired the light in. I suppose there may have be a residule magnetic field to allow the exciter to get going. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garner Posted January 16, 2005 Author Share Posted January 16, 2005 Around 1/4 of an amp, not much I know but if there's current maintaining a contact closed that would explain it. This code 13 comes up on a friends car that was conv. to MT also. Oddly enough, My ECU is from an auto and my tranny is Manual as well. I know there is some way to "tell" the ECU it is in a manual car but I never looked into it too deeply. garner Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vanislru Posted January 16, 2005 Share Posted January 16, 2005 Oddly enough, My ECU is from an auto and my tranny is Manual as well. I know there is some way to "tell" the ECU it is in a manual car but I never looked into it too deeply. garner a connector maybe? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cougar Posted January 16, 2005 Share Posted January 16, 2005 To Vanislru: If you have a 1/4 amp draw on the battery while parked that is too much. There should be no more than 80 milliamps draw. You will have to start pulling fuses to find the source of the problem. I would start another thread on this problem also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vanislru Posted January 16, 2005 Share Posted January 16, 2005 To Vanislru: If you have a 1/4 amp draw on the battery while parked that is too much. There should be no more than 80 milliamps draw. You will have to start pulling fuses to find the source of the problem. I would start another thread on this problem also. I think I'll do that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SubaruJunky Posted April 28, 2011 Share Posted April 28, 2011 OK ive been having charging problems also. I have a new battery, new altanator and a new regulator all with less then 100 miles on them. My charging system voltage at 2000 rpms with all my accessories ( lights heater blower motor radio ect. ) off wont reach 13 volts. with all the accessories ON and engine rpm at 2000 rpms it will maintain an even 12 volts... i have checked every thing. Fuses are good. I just replaced the battery charge wire from the battery to the altanaotr while replacing the battery charge wire fuseable links with new. The one thing I do find a bit interesting is that my Field wire voltage at 2000 rpms is only at 3 - 3.5 volts?? what will cause this?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cougar Posted April 29, 2011 Share Posted April 29, 2011 (edited) You have found the trouble area. There should be near battery voltage on that connection when the alternator is working. The problem with the exciter/field wire may be due to a bad connection on the wire coming from the warning light, the warning light itself may be bad, or there is a bad connection to the light in the socket. Check to see if the battery warning light turns on when you turn the ignition on and the engine isn't running. If the light doesn't turn on then remove the plug on the back of the alternator and use something like a pin or piece of wire to make a connection to the field wire and a good ground point. If the warning light still doesn't work you need to find out why that is. If the light does turn on then the alternator has a problem inside it. Edited April 29, 2011 by Cougar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SubaruJunky Posted April 29, 2011 Share Posted April 29, 2011 ok. The battery light and brake light turn on KOEO ( Key On Engine Off ) and with KOER ( Key On Engine Running ) the battery and brake light turn off. I have manually commanded the altanator to full field by manually forcing the regulator to full field the alt. and the alt at idle produces good voltage ( 13.5 + or - ) and with all accessories on at 2000 RPMS is at about 13.5 volts + or - ) I have ohm checked and load tested all the wires to and from the regulator and the alt all are with in acceptable readings. Ive cleaned all the grounds and even added a ground to the alt. with no changes. the one thing i did notice tonight while checking things out is that when I remove the white wire from the connector at the regulator which is the Voltage sensing wire it commands the alt full field... then when re connected while at idle the voltage is at around 13 volts or so. Unless you or any one else has any other ideas im about to add a resister in nthe sensing wire to ( trick ) the regulator in to thinking the battery voltage is lower then it really is.. It appears the regulator is trying to m aintain about 12 volts. The funny thing is is that when its hooked up at 2000 rpms with all accessories on ( head lights heater fan radio ) Ive been having this problem for some time... this is my 2nd replacement regulator and all of them have done the same thing... Like I said my last resort is to add a resister in between the white power / sensing wire to trick the regulator.. im at a total loss at this point.... any other ideas or sugestions?? ( how much of a voltage drop should i see from the white / red wire comming from the instrument cluster / battery charge indicator? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cougar Posted April 30, 2011 Share Posted April 30, 2011 (edited) I didn't realize you had an external regulator. I was thinking of an internal one. From what you say it seems to me that the regulator voltage isn't set correctly. Is there a way to adjust that? Like a screw adjustment on the relay. Have you checked for AC voltage across the battery while the alternator is running? There should be less than .1 volts. Edited April 30, 2011 by Cougar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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