draw on battery
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Junior Member
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draw on battery
was on my way home last NIGHT and the battery light came on, tuned of my radio and the light went out, its a high out put sony. about half a mile later light came on so i turned off the A/C and the light went out. half a mile later light came on again so i turned off the head lights and out went the light. so i ran home(80 miles) with the lights out just the parking lights on. battery charges if nothing is on. WHERE SHOULD I START????
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Joined: May 2006
Posts: 18,398
From: Wisconsin
Get the alternator checked out. AutoZone & places like that often check em for free.
If the alternator is only putting out 1/4 of what it should, then it SEEMS like it charges when nothing is turned on.
If the alternator is only putting out 1/4 of what it should, then it SEEMS like it charges when nothing is turned on.
Super Moderator
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 18,398
From: Wisconsin
Kinda unusual (not impossible) for a new alternator to be bad.
What year car??
For a lot of years Honda alternators had a control wire in their harness. Maybe labeled as the "C" wire?? When the ECU is happy with voltage, and you don't have any extra stuff turned on, it can shut down the alternator by grounding that "C" wire. IF that wire is pinched & shorted to ground, that might send a "shutdown" signal to the alternator. In that case, the alternator would test OK when it's removed from the car.
What year car??
For a lot of years Honda alternators had a control wire in their harness. Maybe labeled as the "C" wire?? When the ECU is happy with voltage, and you don't have any extra stuff turned on, it can shut down the alternator by grounding that "C" wire. IF that wire is pinched & shorted to ground, that might send a "shutdown" signal to the alternator. In that case, the alternator would test OK when it's removed from the car.
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JimBlake the car is a 1990 what years were the C wire bad? Took the alternator to the shop and it tested good off the car. They rebuilt it anyway well put in a new regulator and brushes, put it back in and everything worked great. Does the C wire intermit or would this be a constant issue.
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Joined: May 2006
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From: Wisconsin
I don't know if the C-wire was present as early as 1990. Maybe Poorman knows? It was there during mid-1990's.
It's not that the C-wire was "bad" during certain years. But (if the wire exists) you need to check whether the insulation is cut or torn allowing the wire to touch ground occasionally.
If it's pinched solidly (say clamped underneath an alternator bracket or something like that) it would disable the alternator completely. If the insulation is cut away, then it would disable the alternator intermittently whenever the wire moved & touched ground.
It's not that the C-wire was "bad" during certain years. But (if the wire exists) you need to check whether the insulation is cut or torn allowing the wire to touch ground occasionally.
If it's pinched solidly (say clamped underneath an alternator bracket or something like that) it would disable the alternator completely. If the insulation is cut away, then it would disable the alternator intermittently whenever the wire moved & touched ground.
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