Not sure if this is the correct place to put this, but here goes. Now the alternator in my Tahoe had, what I believe, a bad voltage regulator as the volt gauge on my dash would wage back and forth over 14v and cause my lights to flash. I bought a used one off a member here and put it in today. For the first 10 minutes that the truck was running after I got done switching them out, the voltage gauge stayed just one tick over 14v, and didnt wage like it used to do and didnt flash/flicker the lights. Even with my subs turned up and my lights on, the needle never moved. But after taking the truck for a short test drive through campus, I notice the volt gauge drop to 1 tick over the 9v mark and the battery light came on. I turned my lights off and pulled the fuses on my amp and it didnt change anything. Im just curious as to what anyone might think is wrong.
Charging issue
- Thread starter nickl011
- Start date
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Im not saying that any one here would sell you a bad alt. but try taking it off and there are some autopart stores that can do a bench test on it at least you can start rulling out stuff,because the gauge doesnt measure volts on the battery it measures the alt. output.If your gauge is doing what you say it is it has to be the alt. or a bad gauge.The problem you had with the first alt. I have had on one of my old trucks and it was a bad ground on my charging system.
Swapped the alternators back. The original one work just like it should! Holds a charge at a little over 14v, no wagging volt gauge or flashing lights. I decided to switch them back after I notice the voltage gauge slowly going down until it got into the orange area on the gauge. Took the used one I just bought to NAPA, they bench tested it and its shot. No DC voltage coming out of it.
