Alternator and charging questions

I just recently picked up a 92 notchback. I put a new battery in the car when I bought it and I noticed that the battery light on the cluster is staying on.

I have drove the car a few times and let it idle a ton and I even tested the alternator by taking it to a local advance and getting them to test it. It was putting out right at 15 volts. So my question is this basically.

Can the alternator be charging the battery fine and the battery light still be on in the cluster? I also have zero light in the cluster when I turn the headlights on.


I was thinking that if the alternator wasn't charging the battery that I wouldn't have been able to drive and start the car as much as I have without the battery dying.................

This morning I noticed that there is a small wire that is burnt into going to the starter solenoid on the fender. The car starts and runs fine but could that small wire have anything to do with the car not charging?

I went to start the car this morning and it was dead so now I know that the battery isn't getting any charge at all.

jrichker said:

What color is the wire? Knowning the wire color would tell me the circuit function and wire size.

Click to expand...

I will definitely let you know what color the wire is so I will know what size fuse to use this afternoon when I replace the burnt section.

It's a smaller green and black looking wire that goes to the top left of the solenoid.

What wire is this and would it make the battery not get any charge from the alternator?

Here are some pics of the wire in question that was burnt completely into on my car. It's the one that attaches to the new yellow wire I used to patch it up with.

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I tried several size fuses and every time I would start the car the fuse would blow. The battery light was off every time with the car running even though the fuse was blown. So I started testing with my voltmeter and the battery wasn't receiving any charge at all.

I then just patched it with solid wire and FINALLY I GOT A CHARGING BATTERY!!!...lol The factory wire was all corroded and looks like it just finally gave out. I replaced it with some nice thicker new wire and everything is working like it should now...........


Also here are a couple shots of the car I am working on. I just picked it up last week for $2,500......

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I think the previous owner was just fed up with the small issues the car had when I bought it. So far I've fixed the wiring and charging issues, put new autometer gauges in it since the cheap sunpro ones that were in it were all wired up wrong, fixed two exhaust leaks, welded up a new exhaust hanger on one muffler and gave the car a good cleaning. It already had the carbed 306 in it along with a built C4. I don't think I did too bad especially considering it's a notch.