unsteady voltimeter
08-03-2002, 04:15 PM
#1
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unsteady voltimeter
Hi all. Am seeing my voltimeter drop below 14 when I turn on the AC and the car is at a standstill... at all other times it seems to be fine. A few times it has dropped when I turned the headlights on, but most of the time the headlines do not produce this effect. Is this normal with the AC and I just never noticed it before? For as long as I've had the car (1 year), when I turn on the turn signal the voltimeter ticks back and forth ever so slightly.
Several months back I replaced the alternator because the voltimeter was waving up and down quite drastically based on the engine's RPMs... also put in a new battery while I was at it. I'm wondering if the new alternator is going bad already, or if there is some other larger problem with the electrical system that is ruining the alternators. Any ideas on what this could be? Car is a 1987 Maxima with 176,000 miles on it... and has high hopes for many more.
Several months back I replaced the alternator because the voltimeter was waving up and down quite drastically based on the engine's RPMs... also put in a new battery while I was at it. I'm wondering if the new alternator is going bad already, or if there is some other larger problem with the electrical system that is ruining the alternators. Any ideas on what this could be? Car is a 1987 Maxima with 176,000 miles on it... and has high hopes for many more.
08-03-2002, 05:41 PM
#2
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Yeah, my car does the same thing too. I just put in a new alternator as well, at 110K. As long as it stays around 14 while driving it shouldn't be a problem. Right before my alternator/voltage regulator started going, it would only be at 12 volts with no accessories running and would sometimes drop down to 10 volts and subsequently decharge the battery.
-C-
-C-
08-03-2002, 07:32 PM
#3
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Join Date: Mar 2002
Posts: 250
Voltage
My '82 does the same thing. But, having a Triumph and an MG in the stable also, I'm just glad the wipers and radio work at the same time and no fires start when I turn on the headlights. 
The MG had been doing just as you described for some time before I realized the bearings in the alternator (no, it's not a dynamo, damnit!) were going out. I'm not going into how I found that or why it took almost two seasons to figure it out. 
The MG had been doing just as you described for some time before I realized the bearings in the alternator (no, it's not a dynamo, damnit!) were going out. I'm not going into how I found that or why it took almost two seasons to figure it out.
08-03-2002, 07:48 PM
#4
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How low does your voltimeter drop when you turn on the AC, Charles? Mine goes to 12 if I'm at a standstill.
Originally posted by Charles Bisel
Yeah, my car does the same thing too. I just put in a new alternator as well, at 110K. As long as it stays around 14 while driving it shouldn't be a problem. Right before my alternator/voltage regulator started going, it would only be at 12 volts with no accessories running and would sometimes drop down to 10 volts and subsequently decharge the battery.
-C-
Yeah, my car does the same thing too. I just put in a new alternator as well, at 110K. As long as it stays around 14 while driving it shouldn't be a problem. Right before my alternator/voltage regulator started going, it would only be at 12 volts with no accessories running and would sometimes drop down to 10 volts and subsequently decharge the battery.
-C-
08-04-2002, 02:42 PM
#6
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It goes down to around 12 when I'm in Drive (750 rpm) and at a standstill. When I'm in Neutral (idling about 1000 rpm) or when I drive, it's around 13 volts.
Originally posted by bobandhismaxima
How low does your voltimeter drop when you turn on the AC, Charles? Mine goes to 12 if I'm at a standstill.
How low does your voltimeter drop when you turn on the AC, Charles? Mine goes to 12 if I'm at a standstill.
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