charging issues

[moparvwfreak]

this is on my Pathfinder. battery shows 12.5v off. at idle with no accessories on its 14v. with the lights and heater fan on it will flux between 12-14v. i crank the engine speed up it brings it back to 14v but as soon as i let off it drops back down to 12. lights are REALLY dim, heater fan keeps changing speed, radio volume fluxes. sounds like a bad alt to me. what do you guys think??? oh and the belts were changed last Friday 11-21-08.

[ppeters914]

Voltage numbers sound normal. I would pull the alt and have it tested. A minor PITA, but it'll tell you whether it's the alt or whether you need to start searching elsewhere.

[]2eDeYe]

I like a minimum of 13V.

[moparvwfreak]

Voltage numbers sound normal. I would pull the alt and have it tested. A minor PITA, but it'll tell you whether it's the alt or whether you need to start searching elsewhere.

 

i will have the wife take the Mercury to work tomorrow then. i'll pull it and have it tested and go from there. what a PITA!

 

2eDeYe;100261'']I like a minimum of 13V.

 

yeah me too. which is why this is so frustrating.

[hang_510]

i crank the engine speed up it brings it back to 14v but as soon as i let off it drops back down to 12.

 

is the idle set properly?

old battery?

 

doesnt seem unusual though, w/a load on it the alt seems to be functioning.

 

 

same reason why you cant recharge a flat battery at idle, but drive a few miles and it will.

[DISLEXICDIME]

i wonder if its dirty conections

[moparvwfreak]

dunno. maybe. i think i am gonna hit pull-a-part adn jsut snag a spare alt when i get the chance and have it rebuilt. i drove the path to moms yesterday and even at idle it would flux badly. almost to the point of no dashlights. at idle OR under load. it didn't matter. i am REALLY thinking the alt is not doing so hot.