Low voltage at battery

[KingFish]

93L Bench tested the alt got 14.7v 53amps
New batt.
New batt terms, new head and main links, new engine and meters fuses.
Good continutiy(sp?) from b+ lead off the alt to the batt(white wire)
Good continuity to ground.
With the ign in the run position I get 11.2v at the L term on the alt plug.
My charge indicator light does NOT light with the key in the on position engine off. Could this cause my low voltage problem?

I just did a search and every time it seems to be the belt. Mine is new, but I hemorage oil so it looks like poo. I'm gonna swap a new belt in at lunch and try again. Any other suggestions are still very welcome.

I'm gonna feel like a dope if its the belt.....

[jglutz]

Dirty ground connections will produce the results you are experiencing.

Take a voltage reading with the (+) of the voltmeter connected to the battery and the (-) of the voltmeter connected to a clean spot on the alt. Then move the (-) of the voltmeter to the battery. The readings should be the same...if not...a voltage drop is occurring accross some ground connection...dirty ground.

You can repest the same for the (+) of the wire...from the alt to the battery and the readings should be the same.

[sanjeet]

check the specific gravity of each cell of the battery and I can't remember the exact reading but the battery should give a reading of 13.5v fully charged, some hydrometers have a coloured band, green/yellow/red, remember the battery is filled with an acid and its loves to eat clothes, I would look there first, basically check that part is OK, as you have mentioned the "L" terminal my manual indicates that is the terminal for the charge lamp so 11.2v seems OK, the alternator is supplied with DC and check you have a good clean supply because that is the part that feeds the rotor through the brushes and slip rings that is terminal S.

Did you solder the new battery terminals yourself? you could have a dry joint so recheck the soldering, sometimes the solder flux can cause a problem with terminals, but the bench test sounds really good, have you bench tested the alternator L terminal with a small indicator lamp?

[KingFish]

Double checked all connections and wires, don't know which one did it but now I have 13.5v and a peak of 45 amps under load. All good in my book.

[mechanicaldj]

battery should have a reading of 12.6 - 12.8 volts cold with nothing connected

[sanjeet]

13.5v sounds correct with the alternator running, good stuff and happy motoring