No juice from alternator

[Chris Gonzales]

Well, as I was told I checked the output of the alternator on my 5411 at the battery. With engine off and nothing drawing power off the battery there was 12.7 volts. Engine ON there was 11.8! Oh Oh.Bad alternator? Maybe bad wiring? The engine runs fine, though. Any suggestions for the next step? I'm a dummy when it comes to diesels and engine electrics, for sure.Chris

 

[Joe Luciano]

Try this

To determine if your problem is the alternator itself, I'd do the following:With the engine running, use your multimeter to check the voltage right at the output of the alternator terminals. It should put out upwards of 13 volts when you first crank the engine up. If you don't get this kind of output at the alternator terminals, it isn't putting out.

 

[Larry Watkins]

alternator output

Chris; with the engine running, place a screwdriver blade close to the rear bearing of the alternator. If you can feel a good pull, the alternator is working. If not, look for a broken/corroded wire anywhere in the charging circuit. In fact, clean and tighten every connection you can find, including the negative side. If still not putting out, you might have a regulator problem. Easy to fix. Visit balmar.com and download a troubleshooting guide. When you find the trouble and fix it yourself, you'll know one of the joys of boat ownership.Larry W.

 

[Chris Gonzales]

On with the screwdriver

Larry,I'll give that a try and next check wires. Thanks for taking the time to post, guys!Chris