Re: Alternator overcharge

["Dejong, Paul" <Paul.Dejong@domain.elided>]

Daryl wrote:

>It seems that for a breif period today the alternator on my Stag was
>overcharging. I was alerted to this by hearing the fuel pump speed up
>dramatically (a non-standard Facet model that is not rubber mounted and is
>generally irritatingly noisy in its normal operation). A quick glance at
the
>volt meter and I saw the needle almost in the red (not normal). I stopped
>the engine, restarted it and all seemed back to normal. What might have
>caused this? Is it dangerous and if so, to what?

>Daryl Gatenby
>New Zealand
>73 MOD

Daryl,
In my instruction manual it says that the voltmeter may read 15 V for about
10 min if started from cold and after that it should read at least 13 V. The
cause of this is that the control unit contains a transistor which is
probably not compensated for its temperature. In the winter I though it was
rather exciting because it really was in the red and I did not dare using
any electrical equipment except my headlamps (which did not seem to be
shining any brighter than normal). On the other hand I experienced very low
readings when I left the car in the sun for a while after a long ride. Only
after a few kilometers it got back to normal readings (just above 13 V).
If yours does not come back to normal readings your control unit is probably
ceased. I think you should not drive it anymore in that case since voltage
could rise far above 15 V.

Hope this helps
Paul '71 Stag manual OD