BRAND NEW ALT NOT CHARGING wtf

[DRCKISS 10+ year member]

I have a brand new alternator installed and it is not showing a charge, I am running it to 2 yellowtop batts, and it was suggested to be it could be the batts are low and the alt is not going to be able to charge them when they are low, the alt just helps hold the current charge the batts have, do you think that is true. I have runs of 2/0 everywhere including the big 3 so I am sure my wiring is ok. what do you think could be the problem? Either way if I cannot get the alt to charge I will be selling all of my brand new equipment. so today is basically the end all be all of my stereo existance if it works, I have a pretty loud bassracer but if not I am selling and going to pocket the money. I have been dealing with stupid little issues like this for the past month, broken fuses wrong alt sent to me then the corrected one sent to me and now is not showing a charge, I just do not know what to do.

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[MegaHurtz 10+ year member]

Maybe the new alt is simply no good. Have it tested.

 

[Worlddre 5,000+ posts]

//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/word.gif.64b12e39f936af3b4fff38a1c0bd0244.gif have it tested and go from there

 

[QtrHorse 10+ year member]

Are you saying that the new alternator is not showing a charge or just not charging your batteries? A alternator will not completely charge dead batteries.

If it's just not charging the batteires, have the batteries and alternator tested seperately.

 

[johnecon2001 5,000+ posts]

you need to charge the batts to a standing charge with an actual BATTERY CHARGER.

Who did you buy the alt from?

 

[MegaHurtz 10+ year member]

The alternator will charge the batteries even if they are dead, why wouldn't it? Ever jumpstarted your car? Ever have to jump start it again after jumping it and driving for a bit?

 

[iagrdshaka 5,000+ posts]

Who did you buy the alt from?

x2

 

[noob with an RS 10+ year member]

when you spin the alternator current is produced.. if your car runs and your alt is spinning its sending current to your batterty.. have u tried checking voltage at the positive and negative terminals of a battery? you should read at least 13.5 volts when the car is on and about 12 volts when the car is off. if you dont see any increase in voltage when the car is started then i would say your alt isnt working.. but i bet its not the alt thats bad.

 

[QtrHorse 10+ year member]

The alternator will charge the batteries even if they are dead, why wouldn't it? Ever jumpstarted your car? Ever have to jump start it again after jumping it and driving for a bit?

Let me rephrase what I said then, it's very hard for a alternator to recharge a dead battery and the battery will most likely never get to it's recommended rating. You need to have your batteries trickle charged if you run them dead. A dead battery can easily shorten the life of a alternator because it creates such a large spike.

A alternator is just a basic charging unit (nothing real fancy about them), it's not made to recharge dead batteries, that's why they make battery chargers. You don't just stick a dead battery in a running car to recharge it, now do you? Almost 99% of the time, when you jumpstart a vehicle, it's not because the battery was completely dead. It was because the battery just didn't have enough power to turn the motor over.

 

[GI JOEY 10+ year member]

Or do you mean there is no charge coming off it at all. I f that is the case you might have arced the wire and cooked a fuse. Ive done it when I used a pos terminal connector after doing my big 3 in my f 150. Cost me almost 100 bucks for a 2 dollar fuse. Just check that too.

 

[johnecon2001 5,000+ posts]

The alternator will charge the batteries even if they are dead, why wouldn't it? Ever jumpstarted your car? Ever have to jump start it again after jumping it and driving for a bit?

You're wrong.

Let me rephrase what I said then, it's very hard for a alternator to recharge a dead battery and the battery will most likely never get to it's recommended rating. You need to have your batteries trickle charged if you run them dead. A dead battery can easily shorten the life of a alternator because it creates such a large spike.
A alternator is just a basic charging unit (nothing real fancy about them), it's not made to recharge dead batteries, that's why they make battery chargers. You don't just stick a dead battery in a running car to recharge it, now do you? Almost 99% of the time, when you jumpstart a vehicle, it's not because the battery was completely dead. It was because the battery just didn't have enough power to turn the motor over.

What he said.

 

[Anonymous 10+ year member]

Where did this alt come from?

 

[Blunt 10+ year member]

make sure the wireing plug is in all the way.

 

[Decipha 10+ year member]

alt manufacturer?

 

[XDrkmanX 10+ year member]

You shouldn't put a new alternator on a battery that's lower then 75% charge.