From: xenolith@optusnet.com.au   
      
   On 15/5/2023 12:33 pm, 😎 Mighty Wannabe ✅ wrote:   
   > On 5/14/2023 9:42 PM, Paul in Houston TX wrote:   
   >> 😎 Mighty Wannabe ✅ wrote:   
   >>> On 5/13/2023 5:51 PM, Paul in Houston TX wrote:   
   >>>> 😎 Mighty Wannabe ✅ wrote:   
   >>>>> On 5/13/2023 9:05 AM, Xeno wrote:   
   >>>>>> On 13/5/2023 10:11 pm, 😎 Mighty Wannabe ✅ wrote:   
   >>>>>>> On 5/13/2023 7:45 AM, Xeno wrote:   
   >>>>>>>> On 13/5/2023 9:24 pm, 😎 Mighty Wannabe ✅ wrote:   
   >>>>>>>>> On 5/13/2023 7:09 AM, Xeno wrote:   
   >>>>>>>>>> On 12/5/2023 2:08 am, Scott Dorsey wrote:   
   >>>>>>>>>>> Xeno  wrote:   
   >>>>>>>>>>>>   
   >>>>>>>>>>>> Then it wouldn't be a single wire alternator, would it?   
   >>>>>>>>>>>> Think about that   
   >>>>>>>>>>>> for a moment. Alternators are, typically, 3 phase. That   
   >>>>>>>>>>>> means 3 +ve   
   >>>>>>>>>>>> power diodes, 3 -ve power diodes and 3 exciter diodes. If   
   >>>>>>>>>>>> there is only   
   >>>>>>>>>>>> one output wire, then all *rectification* and control has to   
   >>>>>>>>>>>> be on-board.   
   >>>>>>>>>>>   
   >>>>>>>>>>> When someone says "GM 1-wire alternator" they are talking   
   >>>>>>>>>>> about a series   
   >>>>>>>>>>> of alternators introduced in 1970 or so, starting with the   
   >>>>>>>>>>> Delco 10SI and   
   >>>>>>>>>>> including some more modern follow-ons.  These alternators use   
   >>>>>>>>>>> internal   
   >>>>>>>>>>> rectification and regulation (really just regulating pulses   
   >>>>>>>>>>> to the field   
   >>>>>>>>>>> coil) and are very, very foolproof.   
   >>>>>>>>>>>   
   >>>>>>>>>>> Because of this they are frequently retrofitted into older   
   >>>>>>>>>>> cars. I see   
   >>>>>>>>>>> them on all sorts of older British cars as part of a   
   >>>>>>>>>>> conversion to a   
   >>>>>>>>>>> modern 12V electrical system.   
   >>>>>>>>>>>   
   >>>>>>>>>>> There isn't much to go wrong other than having the alternator   
   >>>>>>>>>>> go bad.   
   >>>>>>>>>>   
   >>>>>>>>>> What used to happen to them back in the 70s was that heat and   
   >>>>>>>>>> vibration would damage the regulator - even with its   
   >>>>>>>>>> encapsulation. A separate regulator mounted on the inner guard   
   >>>>>>>>>> or firewall and in the underhood airflow was a much better   
   >>>>>>>>>> arrangement.   
   >>>>>>>>>>   
   >>>>>>>>>   
   >>>>>>>>> The OP said it can charge the battery to 13.8V, can't you read?   
   >>>>>>>>   
   >>>>>>>> The voltage can get to 13.8 *without* pumping much current.   
   >>>>>>>> Voltage is *pressure* whereas *current is flow*.   
   >>>>>>>>>   
   >>>>>>>>>>> Mind you it is possible that the original poster's problem is   
   >>>>>>>>>>> that they   
   >>>>>>>>>>> have a three-wire alernator or an alternator with external   
   >>>>>>>>>>> mechanical   
   >>>>>>>>>>> voltage regulator and none of the other wiring is connected.   
   >>>>>>>>>>   
   >>>>>>>>>> Not enough detail in the OPs post to really know what's what.   
   >>>>>>>>>   
   >>>>>>>>> I have already provided full explanation. You are too   
   >>>>>>>>> boneheaded to understand.   
   >>>>>>>>   
   >>>>>>>> You have provided proof that you haven't a clue.   
   >>>>>>>   
   >>>>>>> You don't have the education or practical knowledge to analyze   
   >>>>>>> this abnormal situation. You still cannot answer the question why   
   >>>>>>> the OP says there is no apparent DC current from the alternator   
   >>>>>>> but it can charge the battery to 13.8V when the engine is running.   
   >>>>>>>   
   >>>>>>> I don't think you can think. Pity.   
   >>>>>>   
   >>>>>> It has already been mentioned. It's either high resistance   
   >>>>>   
   >>>>>   
   >>>>> If it has high resistance, and connecting after market [DC] ammeter   
   >>>>> to the alternator registers cannot detect [DC] current, then it   
   >>>>> won't be able to charge the battery to 13.8V and next time the   
   >>>>> battery won't have enough juice to crank the motor. Do you have no   
   >>>>> brain?   
   >>>>>   
   >>>>>   
   >>>>>> or a faulty regulator. I'd be checking connections for resistance   
   >>>>>> and continuity before I condemn the regulator. Testing current   
   >>>>>> with a load, ie. headlights on, is the usual practice.   
   >>>>>   
   >>>>> The OP already said there is no detectable [DC] current from the   
   >>>>> alternative when the headlights are on. Can't you read?   
   >>>>>   
   >>>>>> I used to use a large dummy load, to test alternator and generator   
   >>>>>> output. I'd also give it a big rev   
   >>>>>   
   >>>>> The OP already said "No amperage reading even at 2000 rpm". Can't   
   >>>>> you read?   
   >>>>>   
   >>>>> Remainder of your bullshit snipped. Just answer to above question   
   >>>>> and you will realize that you are stupid.   
   >>>>   
   >>>> The op never said that the alt would charge the batt to 13.8v.   
   >>>   
   >>> Then find your reading glasses and read again.   
   >>>   
   >>>   
   >>>>   
   >>>> The op never said what kind of ammeter or voltmeter.   
   >>>   
   >>>   
   >>> The OP said the external ammeter corroborates with the car's   
   >>> dashboard ammeter. Can't you read?   
   >>>   
   >>>   
   >>>>   
   >>>> A $10 ammeter would likely not show milliamps.   
   >>>>   
   >>>   
   >>> NO car ammeter deals with milliamp. Do you have a brain?   
   >>>   
   >>   
   >> You obviously have no knowledge of basic electricity or electronics   
   >> and are just a troll.   
   >> By the way, there are no germanium power rectifiers.   
   >   
   > Before silicon there were only germanium rectifiers. It was an old car   
   > so most likely the person who modified the car used germanium bridge   
   > rectifier. A germanium rectifier has lower forward voltage, so in high   
   > current application germanium rectifier will consume less power and   
   > generate less heat. That makes it more likely to be used in cars because   
   > of the high current and low 12V battery. Germanium rectifier has higher   
   > reverse leakage current than silicon rectifiers. In this case it   
   > explains perfectly why the OP says the ammeter has negative current flow   
   > when the engine is not running but the key is on.   
   >   
   > Apparently you have no imagination to diagnose abnormal situation like   
   >   
   I hate to break this to you but *imagination* plays no role in   
   diagnosis. We mechanics deal with the *facts* of any situation.   
      
      
     this. The OP says there is no apparent [DC] current from the alternator   
   > but the battery behaves like normal with a rest voltage and a running   
   > voltage. And there is reverse [DC] current when the car is not running   
   > but the key is on. >   
   > The reverse current is the current from the battery leaking through the   
   > germanium bridge rectifier back into the alternator coil.   
   >   
   > As I have explained in detail in my previous posts in this thread, long   
   > time ago somebody did not fix the alternator problem, and simply used   
   > the AC from the alternator to connect to a germanium bridge rectifier   
   > hidden somewhere inside the dashboard.   
   >   
   > By the way, my education background is electrical engineering in   
   > university.   
      
   You wasted the money!   
      
      
   --   
   Xeno   
      
      
   Nothing astonishes Noddy so much as common sense and plain dealing.   
          (with apologies to Ralph Waldo Emerson)   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)