 battery drain, Is my generator bad? |
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| ruby914 |
 Mar 17 2012, 03:52 PM
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#1
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Senior Member  Group: Members Posts: 720 Joined: 26-April 09 From: Hawthorne, Ca Member No.: 10,305 Region Association: None  |
The WRX914 has a battery drain. Pulled all fuses, relays, grounds. No change.
I ended up at the generator? I pulled the two big white wires off (coming from the battery) and removed the plug with two small wires. The pole that the two big wires went to has continuity to ground. Is this telling me that the $200 generator is bad? |
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Replies(1 - 19)
| mrbubblehead |
Mar 17 2012, 04:05 PM
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#2
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Twodollardoug Group: Members Posts: 1,155 Joined: 17-December 10 From: calimesa ca. Member No.: 12,492 Region Association: Southern California |
QUOTE(ruby914 @ Mar 17 2012, 02:52 PM)  The WRX914 has a battery drain. Pulled all fuses, relays, grounds. No change. I ended up at the generator? I pulled the two big white wires off (coming from the battery) and removed the plug with two small wires. The pole that the two big wires went to has continuity to ground. Is this telling me that the $200 generator is bad? your generator may have turned itself into a motor. have you checked the voltage regulator? |
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| ruby914 |
Mar 17 2012, 05:05 PM
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#3
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 720 Joined: 26-April 09 From: Hawthorne, Ca Member No.: 10,305 Region Association: None |
QUOTE(mrbubblehead @ Mar 17 2012, 02:05 PM) QUOTE(ruby914 @ Mar 17 2012, 02:52 PM) The WRX914 has a battery drain. Pulled all fuses, relays, grounds. No change. I ended up at the generator? I pulled the two big white wires off (coming from the battery) and removed the plug with two small wires. The pole that the two big wires went to has continuity to ground. Is this telling me that the $200 generator is bad? your generator may have turned itself into a motor. have you checked the voltage regulator? Generator is what the manual calls it. Alternator / generator, am I correct in thinking there is no regulator to be checked on the WRX charging system? |
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| mrbubblehead |
Mar 17 2012, 05:21 PM
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#4
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Twodollardoug Group: Members Posts: 1,155 Joined: 17-December 10 From: calimesa ca. Member No.: 12,492 Region Association: Southern California |
QUOTE(ruby914 @ Mar 17 2012, 04:05 PM) QUOTE(mrbubblehead @ Mar 17 2012, 02:05 PM) QUOTE(ruby914 @ Mar 17 2012, 02:52 PM) The WRX914 has a battery drain. Pulled all fuses, relays, grounds. No change. I ended up at the generator? I pulled the two big white wires off (coming from the battery) and removed the plug with two small wires. The pole that the two big wires went to has continuity to ground. Is this telling me that the $200 generator is bad? your generator may have turned itself into a motor. have you checked the voltage regulator? Generator is what the manual calls it. Alternator / generator, am I correct in thinking there is no regulator to be checked on the WRX charging system? hmmmm, not sure. i thought you may still be using the stock alternator.... |
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| ruby914 |
Mar 17 2012, 05:28 PM
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#5
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 720 Joined: 26-April 09 From: Hawthorne, Ca Member No.: 10,305 Region Association: None |
Best I can tell, the system is charging fine but will drain over night.
When alternators go bad, I think of them just not charging anymore? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif) |
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| mrbubblehead |
Mar 17 2012, 05:42 PM
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#6
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Twodollardoug Group: Members Posts: 1,155 Joined: 17-December 10 From: calimesa ca. Member No.: 12,492 Region Association: Southern California |
QUOTE(ruby914 @ Mar 17 2012, 04:28 PM) Best I can tell, the system is charging fine but will drain over night. When alternators go bad, I think of them just not charging anymore? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif) sometimes when the voltage regulator goes bad, whether its internal or external, the alternator actually becomes the opposite and turns into a motor and will drain your battery. |
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| ruby914 |
Mar 17 2012, 05:52 PM
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#7
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 720 Joined: 26-April 09 From: Hawthorne, Ca Member No.: 10,305 Region Association: None |
I just checked the truck and there is no continuity through the alternator like the WRX.
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif) Last week I blew some fuses and lost my head light motors for some unknown reason. They all work now. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/idea.gif) |
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| mrbubblehead |
Mar 17 2012, 06:29 PM
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#8
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Twodollardoug Group: Members Posts: 1,155 Joined: 17-December 10 From: calimesa ca. Member No.: 12,492 Region Association: Southern California |
QUOTE(ruby914 @ Mar 17 2012, 04:52 PM) I just checked the truck and there is no continuity through the alternator like the WRX. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif) Last week I blew some fuses and lost my head light motors for some unknown reason. They all work now. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/idea.gif) were they blown, or did they blow when you pulled on the switch? |
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| mrbubblehead |
Mar 17 2012, 06:33 PM
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#9
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Twodollardoug Group: Members Posts: 1,155 Joined: 17-December 10 From: calimesa ca. Member No.: 12,492 Region Association: Southern California |
QUOTE(mrbubblehead @ Mar 17 2012, 05:29 PM) QUOTE(ruby914 @ Mar 17 2012, 04:52 PM) I just checked the truck and there is no continuity through the alternator like the WRX. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif) Last week I blew some fuses and lost my head light motors for some unknown reason. They all work now. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/idea.gif) were they blown, or did they blow when you pulled on the switch? is your alternator fairly new? or is its life unknown? |
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| ruby914 |
Mar 17 2012, 06:47 PM
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#10
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 720 Joined: 26-April 09 From: Hawthorne, Ca Member No.: 10,305 Region Association: None |
QUOTE(mrbubblehead @ Mar 17 2012, 04:33 PM) QUOTE(mrbubblehead @ Mar 17 2012, 05:29 PM) QUOTE(ruby914 @ Mar 17 2012, 04:52 PM) I just checked the truck and there is no continuity through the alternator like the WRX. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif) Last week I blew some fuses and lost my head light motors for some unknown reason. They all work now. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/idea.gif) were they blown, or did they blow when you pulled on the switch? is your alternator fairly new? or is its life unknown? unknown or about 60k miles that was on the wrx that was installed. Now that I have the alternator out, I check continuity through and get nothing with the black lead to the terminal and red to the body. With the red lead to the terminal and black to body I get resistance. I thought it didn't matter + or _ with continuity. I went back to the truck and did the same and got the same. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/mad.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wacko.gif) So it's good (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif) |
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| ruby914 |
Mar 17 2012, 07:03 PM
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#11
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 720 Joined: 26-April 09 From: Hawthorne, Ca Member No.: 10,305 Region Association: None |
QUOTE(mrbubblehead @ Mar 17 2012, 04:29 PM) QUOTE(ruby914 @ Mar 17 2012, 04:52 PM) I just checked the truck and there is no continuity through the alternator like the WRX. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif) Last week I blew some fuses and lost my head light motors for some unknown reason. They all work now. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/idea.gif) were they blown, or did they blow when you pulled on the switch? Not sure, one night I jumped in and the lights didn't come up. found a blown fuse got 1/2 way home did it again. A front blinker wire was almost broken, and the light socket had some funk. I rewired both blinkers with new connectors, new fuses, fixed the funk and everything worked after. until a week or so and got this slow drain. I did completely unplug the blinkers and it still drained. |
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| mrbubblehead |
Mar 17 2012, 07:27 PM
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#12
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Twodollardoug Group: Members Posts: 1,155 Joined: 17-December 10 From: calimesa ca. Member No.: 12,492 Region Association: Southern California |
hmmm, my next suggestion was going to be to disconnect the alternator and see if it still drains. but it sounds like you have a voltage tester have you checked to see if you still have a draw with the alternator removed? that woul be my next move....
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| ruby914 |
Mar 17 2012, 08:12 PM
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#13
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 720 Joined: 26-April 09 From: Hawthorne, Ca Member No.: 10,305 Region Association: None |
Well, I took it down to Pepboys and they tested the alternator. Said it was bad.
Not one to trust their test I took it to O'Rielys, they said the same. On the 2nd test I was able to get a detailed report of what failed, an overcharging regulator. I think it's time to throw some money at it. Thanks for the help. |
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| mrbubblehead |
Mar 17 2012, 08:18 PM
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#14
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Twodollardoug Group: Members Posts: 1,155 Joined: 17-December 10 From: calimesa ca. Member No.: 12,492 Region Association: Southern California |
QUOTE(ruby914 @ Mar 17 2012, 07:12 PM) Well, I took it down to Pepboys and they tested the alternator. Said it was bad. Not one to trust their test I took it to O'Rielys, they said the same. On the 2nd test I was able to get a detailed report of what failed, an overcharging regulator. I think it's time to throw some money at it. Thanks for the help. glad you got it sorted.....i would have gotten a second opinion too. im not very trusting myself. |
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| ruby914 |
Mar 18 2012, 03:09 PM
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#15
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 720 Joined: 26-April 09 From: Hawthorne, Ca Member No.: 10,305 Region Association: None |
QUOTE(ruby914 @ Mar 17 2012, 06:12 PM) Well, I took it down to Pepboys and they tested the alternator. Said it was bad. Not one to trust their test I took it to O'Rielys, they said the same. On the 2nd test I was able to get a detailed report of what failed, an overcharging regulator. I think it's time to throw some money at it. Thanks for the help. Autozone was willing to order one over the phone yesterday. I went down to pick it up and my old one tested good. Went to another Autozone and it tested good. Went back to O'Rielys it tested bad. Went back to the first Pepboys and it tested good. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/screwy.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smash.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/av-943.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/lol-2.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/WTF.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blowup.gif) It's going back in the car. |
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| mrbubblehead |
Mar 18 2012, 03:23 PM
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#16
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Twodollardoug Group: Members Posts: 1,155 Joined: 17-December 10 From: calimesa ca. Member No.: 12,492 Region Association: Southern California |
what a nightmare bro.....
so your gonna reinstall the og one? |
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| ruby914 |
Mar 18 2012, 03:45 PM
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#17
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 720 Joined: 26-April 09 From: Hawthorne, Ca Member No.: 10,305 Region Association: None |
QUOTE(mrbubblehead @ Mar 18 2012, 01:23 PM) what a nightmare bro..... so your gonna reinstall the og one? With no good indication it's bad. It's going back in. Taking it apart gave me a chance to put a gloss coat on the CF intake and paint some brackets. I still don't understand how I could see continuity one way, flip the leads and see an open circuit the other way? I will keep digging as I go... |
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| mrbubblehead |
Mar 18 2012, 03:50 PM
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#18
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Twodollardoug Group: Members Posts: 1,155 Joined: 17-December 10 From: calimesa ca. Member No.: 12,492 Region Association: Southern California |
QUOTE(ruby914 @ Mar 18 2012, 02:45 PM) QUOTE(mrbubblehead @ Mar 18 2012, 01:23 PM) what a nightmare bro..... so your gonna reinstall the og one? With no good indication it's bad. It's going back in. Taking it apart gave me a chance to put a gloss coat on the CF intake and paint some brackets. I still don't understand how I could see continuity one way, flip the leads and see an open circuit the other way? I will keep digging as I go... it may be going thru the diode from + to - but the diode will prevent it from - to +. |
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| ruby914 |
Mar 18 2012, 03:57 PM
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#19
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 720 Joined: 26-April 09 From: Hawthorne, Ca Member No.: 10,305 Region Association: None |
QUOTE(mrbubblehead @ Mar 18 2012, 01:50 PM) QUOTE(ruby914 @ Mar 18 2012, 02:45 PM) QUOTE(mrbubblehead @ Mar 18 2012, 01:23 PM) what a nightmare bro..... so your gonna reinstall the og one? With no good indication it's bad. It's going back in. Taking it apart gave me a chance to put a gloss coat on the CF intake and paint some brackets. I still don't understand how I could see continuity one way, flip the leads and see an open circuit the other way? I will keep digging as I go... it may be going thru the diode from + to - but the diode will prevent it from - to +. Yea, If that is the case, I thinking my tests may have been as faulty as O'Rielys. |
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| mrbubblehead |
Mar 18 2012, 04:03 PM
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#20
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Twodollardoug Group: Members Posts: 1,155 Joined: 17-December 10 From: calimesa ca. Member No.: 12,492 Region Association: Southern California |
LOL.... i would bet its the alt. did your battery drain last night while it was out? if all of your drainage test ( pulling fuses and such) point to the alt, what else could it be? the battery maybe? maybe google DIY alternator test?
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