"New" TO20 not charging.

[Tomindallas]

TO20 I bought the other day....
I checked the charging system just to make sure things were working.
Well, they weren't.
Idle battery voltage was 12.6v. Normal.
With engine running, battery voltage was about 11.7. The engine was running off the battery. No good.
Found the dummy light wire with the diode not connected but tucked away hidden. Someone didn't know what to do with it, so they just hid it away just to sell it and let me worry about it.
Connected it properly. Anchored in with a cushioned clamp. Charging voltage is now 13.8-14.3 ... This is better.

 

[Jim L WA]

Good job. Looks like the cushioned clamp was an afterthought and a good one.

 

[Jim.ME]

(quoted from post at 15:53:49 09/10/23) TO20 I bought the other day....
I checked the charging system just to make sure things were working.
Well, they weren't.
Idle battery voltage was 12.6v. Normal.
With engine running, battery voltage was about 11.7. The engine was running off the battery. No good.
Found the dummy light wire with the diode not connected but tucked away hidden. Someone didn't know what to do with it, so they just hid it away just to sell it and let me worry about it.
Connected it properly. Anchored in with a cushioned clamp. Charging voltage is now 13.8-14.3 ... This is better.

You should add a wire from the #2 spade terminal to the alternator output post to give system voltage feedback to the regulator, now that it is charging.

 

[Tomindallas]

Jim, are you talking about the unused connector to the right of the push-on to the idiot light terminal? To the output stud?

This post was edited by Tomindallas on 09/15/2023 at 11:58 pm.

 

[Jim.ME]

Yes. That terminal is used by the regulator to sense the system voltage. It is common to just run a wire to the output post. If you want to run a longer one, it should be run to the battery terminal of the solenoid to get a sense of what the voltage is closer to the battery (which is depicted in your drawing). Most parts stores have the correct replacement connect to fit those spades and lock into the alternator to secure the connector, reduces the risk of the wires getting disconnected.

This post was edited by Jim.ME on 09/16/2023 at 03:58 am.