Intermittent alternator charge

[Jonty]

Myself I would check the voltage at the battery and alternator with a in car battery load tester or multimeter. See what differences you get. If you question if the battery or alternator have a problem take them somewhere to be tested. Now if there fine then the cables might be bad they don't last forever. I replaced my cables and I did the full ground and power upgrade and gained 1 to 2 volts to the car. So if any car of this age are running with there original battery cables they should be replaced or your just asking for electrical gremlins to plague you.



Dave B.

Thanks all - I just want to confirm I?m not relying on the gauage. I have a multi meter set up. My battery is also new and outputs 12.5v with car off. With alternator charging I get 13.8v and with car runnng and alternator not charging I get 11.1v. Also tonight when you say it can?t be intermittent tonight it was not charging while driving at 30mph then randomly for no reason started charging again and stayed charging when it went to idle. It surely has to be something buggy inside the alternator. All connections seem tight and I have 12v on the field wire.

[Jonty]

Hi all I just wanted to say thanks and let you know I have solved it. Actually Arran and Dgo put me on the right track. It was very hard to tell but the main brown cables we slightly loose on the top post. After tightening it right down all is well! It was in fact intermittently charging but only insofar as it was connecting and disconnecting from the main circuit.