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Home » Public Forums » GMCnet » [GMCnet] blown fuses: alternator saga, continues...
[GMCnet] blown fuses: alternator saga, continues... [message #303664] Sat, 16 July 2016 16:48 Go to previous message
Ek_Lektro is currently offline  Ek_Lektro   United States
Messages: 167
Registered: March 2011
Karma:
Senior Member
OK, might’ve found the problem here! (and learned a bit about alternators)
Last December we were so caught up with Birchhaven stuff,
we had a local pickup mechanic (AutoZone parking lot mechanic) do the Eleganza alternator swap for us.
So... when we needed to swap it again, ourselves, last month, we just mimicked the way they had it hooked up.
Well, today Jim B tells me that the wires had been reversed all along!

the way we had it hooked up:
thinner black wire to terminal 2 (top)
larger red wire to terminal 1 (bottom)
start it up and alternator gives 16 to 16.5 volts

the way its supposed to be hooked up:
larger red wire to terminal 2 (top)
thinner black wire to terminal 1 (bottom)
.. but now the alternator gives low voltage… 3.5 volts.
So it sounds like we’ve found the problem.. and gotta swap it again (here at the beach)? (brought a spare)

Before we rip into that job, Does that sound like “normal” behavior for reversed wires,…
alternator charges… but overcharging?
And with wires brought back to normal, very low voltage = “blown” alternator?
Wrenches at the ready, seeking confirmation ….

Oh, the agony and ecstasy of life with 2 GMCs :) (changing alternators at the beach)
Thanks everbody; Ken, Jim and Jim…
cheers,
Greg

> 14.5 is the high end of normal. 17 will hurt stuff long term. You should
> only see that immediately after startup or heavy battery drain. Check the
> two conductors that exite the slip rings. If loose, bad ju ju.
> Jim Hupy

>> alternator (Autozone Duralast 100amp installed just
>> this past december) was putting out 16 volts?
>> soon started creeping up to 17 volts.. so eventually we blew a headlight.
>> Then last month, repeatedly blew the turn signal fuse, so we replaced the
>> alt under lifetime warranty,

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