Alternator question., Not Charging. Options

[Olympic 914]

Took the car out for a drive today, planning on going to dinner. everything is working as it should. getting on the PA turnpike and I had to accelerate briskly to get into traffic, and a moment later I noticed that the RED alternator light had come on. Pulled of at a wide spot to check the belt and wires and shut it off. Not checking the belt with it running. Belt good, plug tight, tapped the VR a couple times for good measure and started it back up. Light still on and now my Autometer AFR gauge just had bars. I know that is because it doesn't turn on until the voltage is +13v So not charging.

Now I am on a limited access highway with the next exit `12-15 miles away. Good thing had the battery fully charged on the tender before I left the house. So I made it to the next exit, turned around and headed back home for a total of 35 miles on battery only. Whew. But that shot dinner.....



Replace the VR with another I had that previously tested good. still no charging. checked the plug on the relay plate again. looks good.

I have not yet checked the wire connections at the alternator, possibly a wire vibrated loose during the brisk acceleration.

Now the question

I read to test the VR to short between D+ and DF and if the alternator is good voltage at the battery will go to alternator maximum of about 15-16V

So do I REMOVE the VR for this test? and jump between the D+ and DF at the relay plate.
OR
Leave the VR in place and short between those pins?

[Gatornapper]

Post I just made on Pelican's forum:

Greg -

Did your test. Plugged VR directly into alternator harness. Hit D+ with other side of lamp with 12+ on the opposite side. Lamp lit up - just like dash light - as it took the place of the dash GEN light in the circuit. Still no charging. 12.2 v at battery.

So clearly something is wrong, and it's not in the relay board or dash light circuit.

AND YET, using the 2 tests in this Pelican article,

https://www.pelicanparts.com/techarticles/9...roubleshoot.htm

The alternator checks out fine.

Test 1 "checks the B+ diodes, the alternator windings, and the common diodes. It does NOT test the D+ diodes". I hit DF with 12+ volts, and the system charged at full normal voltage: 14.1 volts.

But as soon as I removed the 12+ v from DF, the charging ceased. Once the armature is energized, shouldn't it stay energized?

Test 2, we know, tests the D+ diodes and "D+ portion of the system", by jumping D+ and DF - my system also passed this, producing 17+ v at the battery.

So what part of the system is failing? I can't see how it is the harness - as in both tests 1 and 2 full charging voltage is being produced at the battery....using the existing harness.

Seems to me the problem is indeed inside the alternator - as it will not retain its charge on the armature once charged. Something is preventing the armature from retaining its charge......all other things seem working properly.

Any insight and wisdom is greatly appreciated.

GN