No ignition warning light. Bat flattery

Post by **kevtherev** » 07 Dec 2007, 16:02

No not gremlins ...elves ....it's a classic case

you'll need this:-

[IMG:196:225]http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c229/ ... /elves.gif[/img]

Post by **Canaldrifter** » 10 Dec 2007, 08:35

The elves are quiet at the moment (touch wood). Having survived a trip to Eastbourne, I am now picking up a friend in central London, and taking her up to Middlewich, then on to Abram in the van. Keep yer fingers crossed for me...... charging light is working at the mo......

Post by **Canaldrifter** » 15 Dec 2007, 11:10

After a longish, but successful trip up to the Wigan area and back, the battery is now charging, But, occasionally, before starting, the charging light does not come on straight away. However it will, then immediately go out, once the engine is revved up.

Also, I note that when the battery is fully charged, the charging light glows faintly at lowish revs with no load on the system, but will go out when something is switched on, like the lights.

A new alternator rectifier has just been fitted, and there are no apparent bad connections in the blue wire to the light.

But, it is great to have the van back on the road again.

Post by **Simon Baxter** » 15 Dec 2007, 12:55

The regulator relies on a live being fed back to the alternator via the blue wire to get it to "self excite" meaning if there bulb goes or the blue wire becomes disconnected then the alternator won't charge or if it does it won't charge as it should.

If your battery light doesn't come on with the ignition then you have problems.

If the warning light is glowing when the engine is running this indicates a difference in voltage between the alternator and the battery.

If this is the case then either the alternator is goosed or you have a high resistance somewhere in the charging circuit, this could be anything from bad earths to poor connections, even faulty ignition switches and knackered PCBs on the dash.

Post by **Canaldrifter** » 16 Dec 2007, 05:32

Yeah, thanks Simon. If you read the rest of the thread you'll find we're well past that stage.

I am now favouring the bad earth theory..... or elves.

Post by **Simon Baxter** » 16 Dec 2007, 18:13

I was just sumaraising it, and embelishing it with the correct terms.

Post by **Canaldrifter** » 16 Dec 2007, 23:31

Simon Baxter wrote:I was just sumaraising it, and embelishing it with the correct terms.

Does that make it go faster?

Post by **Canaldrifter** » 20 Dec 2007, 11:30

airhead wrote:Its the blue wire going into the back of the alternator, down at the bottom of it on the back. Make sure its not corroded or broken. Pull on it slightly to make sure its not just hanging on by a thread. I had this very same problem, reconnected the blue wire and I was away.

You're a genius, Airhead!

After all that, my tame sparks pulled the blue lead out of the back of the regulator plug. New plug. New spade connectors, all nicely soldered up. Job done. £10.

(I hope!)