battery light on permanantly?

[elmo makaroy]

i was driving on the motorway when my battery light on the clocks light up, now it is on permanantly when the van is running,
cvant understand why, the van is starting and running fine,

any ideas wot this might be?

[Hacksawbob]

Your alternator has a fault or the wire to the dash from the back of it is faulty check the output of the alternator for 14Volts *(ish )while engine running.

[Red Westie]

Chances are you will need a new voltage regulator bush pack (held in place with two screws on the back of the alternator)
About £10 for a pattern part.
But as has already been said, check the voltage at the battery....should be 12 something volts without the engine running and around 14 volts once the engine has started. If the regulator is the fault the second reading won't change.

Martin

[BOXY]

Make sure the belt between the cooling fan and alternator hasn't snapped or jumped off. The van will keep running and starting until the battery finally goes flat.

[elmo makaroy]

ive just had a look and the belt has snapped off and is no longer there is it just a case of putting a new belt on it or have i just wreked my van?

[Red Westie]

How lucky are you....if this had been a water cooled engine you may well have been phoning around for a new engine today, as it is a new belt at around £4.00 will get you up and running again.
Just make sure everything rotates freely (no seized or failing bearings)

Martin

[elmo makaroy]

when i get the belt is it just a case of slipping it on? or do i have to unscrew anyhting to fit it?

[elmo makaroy]

ive just had a look and the pulley on the altenator is moving freely but thye pull on the fan will not turn by hand, is this normal?

[BOXY]

but thye pull on the fan will not turn by hand, is this normal?

Yes because you're trying to turn the engine over by hand. You could put a socket on the nut in the middle and try turning it with the van in neutral, but if the engine was running I wouldn't bother. When you fit the new belt there's a bracket on the alternator to adjust the tension. Don't fit it too tight or you'll load up the alternator bearing. The belt should deflect about 15mm half way between the pulleys when you push it with your finger. Belts are £4.50 from GSF P.No 133AA0030 13312.

[kevtherev]

i was driving on the motorway when my battery light on the clocks light up, now it is on permanantly when the van is running,
cvant understand why, the van is starting and running fine,

any ideas wot this might be?

ive just had a look and the belt has snapped off and is no longer there

Why didn't you look in the engine bay first before posting elmo?

[Red Westie]

i was driving on the motorway when my battery light on the clocks light up, now it is on permanantly when the van is running,
cvant understand why, the van is starting and running fine,

any ideas wot this might be?

ive just had a look and the belt has snapped off and is no longer there

Why didn't you look in the engine bay first before posting elmo?

That's why I jumped in with the regulator diagnosis...kind of assumed the obvious would have been checked lol...

The main thing here is an easy and quick fix

[Jayjaysee]

Thanks chaps. I appreciate the posts. Got this one myself today

[Jayjaysee]

I've replaced my voltage regulator this morning but there still doesn't seem to be any charge voltage to the main battery. The alternator is running fine physically, belt in tact.

The battery light is still on. Could it be the split charge system as the voltage in the leisure battery is still well down as well? I suppose that would happen anyway though.

[Ralf85]

I don't know if this is the same issue, but my battery light stays on sometimes, until I rev the engine slightly. Then I hear a click and the light goes out. So possibly a sticking/knackered relay switch perhaps? I'm guessing the relay is on the back of the fuse box, but somebody else will know more than me.

[Jayjaysee]

Would the relay affect the actual charging though or just the light. It's definitely not charging.