please help, not getting enough voltage from alternator
edit: the thread title should actually read: please help, not getting enough voltage from alternator
hey guys, i have a powermaster 140 amp alternator that i recently installed in my 1965 stang again, after it had been repaired by powermaster for not putting out enough voltage. i got it back and they had a test sheet that was signed and said that it was now working as it should.
anyway...the car had been sitting for a couple of weeks ever since i installed it again
the battery was strong enough to crank the engine for some time, until the carb got some gas in it. it fired up and i let the car run for about 5 minutes. and i made sure that the alternator was triggered on by revving it past 1500 rpms.
anyway...when i put the car in drive, turn on the headlights, and then the brights...it dies. and i can see the voltage go lower as i'm turning on the lights.
also, if i turn on the lights, and the blinker, sometimes it dies too. and i can see the volt meter guage go up and down as the blinker is turning on and off.
could this be a bad ground? the alternator again?
also...after those 5 minutes, i turned the car off, disconnected the battery, and tested the battery, and it was only reading 11.92 volts...i'm pretty sure it should be reading higher than that right?
it's an optima red top battery and i've already cleaned the posts. i've had the battery in there a few years...maybe 4 years?
any advice???
edit: the thread title should actually read: please help, not getting enough voltage from alternator
hey guys, i have a powermaster 140 amp alternator that i recently installed in my 1965 stang again, after it had been repaired by powermaster for not putting out enough voltage. i got it back and they had a test sheet that was signed and said that it was now working as it should.
anyway...the car had been sitting for a couple of weeks ever since i installed it again
the battery was strong enough to crank the engine for some time, until the carb got some gas in it. it fired up and i let the car run for about 5 minutes. and i made sure that the alternator was triggered on by revving it past 1500 rpms.
anyway...when i put the car in drive, turn on the headlights, and then the brights...it dies. and i can see the voltage go lower as i'm turning on the lights.
also, if i turn on the lights, and the blinker, sometimes it dies too. and i can see the volt meter guage go up and down as the blinker is turning on and off.
could this be a bad ground? the alternator again?
also...after those 5 minutes, i turned the car off, disconnected the battery, and tested the battery, and it was only reading 11.92 volts...i'm pretty sure it should be reading higher than that right?
it's an optima red top battery and i've already cleaned the posts. i've had the battery in there a few years...maybe 4 years?
any advice???