Having issues with my charging circuit. I did go ahead and get a brand new NAPA battery. It has NOT been cycled, been run for 15 minutes at the longest with no alternator input, to release a surface charge. I checked out the wires, and sure enough I left off a circuit. I also re-did a wire that came loose, a shop guy hookd it up on one of the non-main bolts of the alternator, there appears to be only one.. It came loose, and I hooked it back up. I made it longer than it has to bem,a s illustrated, but it appears to function. I still left off a connection, so please tell me what that wire does, or explain the circuit to me?
This is my first wiring job on this. I also photographed my bad grounds, separately. I also ran a home-made ground. I drove alllllll the way around NJ like this the other day, all the way to Metuchen and back. Grand opening of BJ's on Rt 1 in North Brunswick. I will be a greeter there.
Here are the photos:
Photo 1. You can see the connection I left off here. I do not know what it does.
Photo 2. The wire I taped back together, and the photo under it is how I could make it shorter, though I may not need to.
Photo 3. A nice up close view of the connection That I left off the main bolt of the alternator, WITH NO IDEA WHAT IT DOES. Capitalized for emphasis.
Photo 4. (unrelated) How my Coolant Temp Sensor looks. It should be pointed out that this one matched how other vehicle's looked; I had to look around for one like this, out of a 5.7L.
So, there you can see the wiring dilemma I face.
Now, some notes about how I tested it:
1. I unplugged the "clip" from the side of the alternator, to see if I could get the volt gauge to flash the battery light. When it was running, it did not . When the engine was off but ignition was on, it did.
2. That wire, all taped up and long and taped in three places? That wire SEEMED to act the same when connected to the main (large) nut on the back of the alternator.
3. I have new battery cables coming.
4. I have bad grounds. Who wants to see?
5. I ran a "home-made- ground, from part of the alternator, back to the frame. Again, who wants to see??
So, what is wrong with the wiring, what have I done wrong. The way you see it, even with the disconnected ring terminal from the main bolt, I achieved 14.7V when the engine was running.
Any help on this topic is much appreciated. Thank you!
And, also related to battery: What is "surface charge?" I ran the vehicle for 15 minutes under load with no alternator input to get past said surface charge, then charged the battery all night on a slow charger (the brand new NAPA battery.) Thanks!
This is my first wiring job on this. I also photographed my bad grounds, separately. I also ran a home-made ground. I drove alllllll the way around NJ like this the other day, all the way to Metuchen and back. Grand opening of BJ's on Rt 1 in North Brunswick. I will be a greeter there.
Here are the photos:
Photo 1. You can see the connection I left off here. I do not know what it does.
Photo 2. The wire I taped back together, and the photo under it is how I could make it shorter, though I may not need to.
Photo 3. A nice up close view of the connection That I left off the main bolt of the alternator, WITH NO IDEA WHAT IT DOES. Capitalized for emphasis.
Photo 4. (unrelated) How my Coolant Temp Sensor looks. It should be pointed out that this one matched how other vehicle's looked; I had to look around for one like this, out of a 5.7L.
So, there you can see the wiring dilemma I face.
Now, some notes about how I tested it:
1. I unplugged the "clip" from the side of the alternator, to see if I could get the volt gauge to flash the battery light. When it was running, it did not . When the engine was off but ignition was on, it did.
2. That wire, all taped up and long and taped in three places? That wire SEEMED to act the same when connected to the main (large) nut on the back of the alternator.
3. I have new battery cables coming.
4. I have bad grounds. Who wants to see?
5. I ran a "home-made- ground, from part of the alternator, back to the frame. Again, who wants to see??
So, what is wrong with the wiring, what have I done wrong. The way you see it, even with the disconnected ring terminal from the main bolt, I achieved 14.7V when the engine was running.
Any help on this topic is much appreciated. Thank you!
And, also related to battery: What is "surface charge?" I ran the vehicle for 15 minutes under load with no alternator input to get past said surface charge, then charged the battery all night on a slow charger (the brand new NAPA battery.) Thanks!
