1998 5.0 explorer not charging battery

[stevesmustangs]

I am new to this site i am sorry if i posted this in wrong spot. Anyways i bought a 1998 ford explorer with a 5.0 liter 302 with 80,000 miles for my 17 yearold. My problem is it wont charge the battery. It has a new 130 amp alternator on it and a new battery. I took new alternator and battery to advanced auto to have em tested to make sure they are good, the alt was good he said it should be between 13and17 volts it was at 14, the battery is a 650 cold cranking amp and it registered 695 and good. It hold a charge great but its not being charged from alt. I checked the 30amp fuse in panel under hood, the 5.0 needs the 30amp, it was good, i took 2 ground in front of driver fender off and cleaned em along with the one hooked to the negative cable, i also cleaned the 2 on fire wall. I also have a 4.0 2001 explorer and i had a problem with the negative cable being corroded way down the cable i had to cut insulated stuff off to find that problem. What do you think is the problem with my 5.0 explorer? sorry the message is so long, thanks for your help in advance

 

[Lube]

Sounds like the wire that provides excitation to the alt has no juice on it. Alternators require a very small source of 12v in order to get them working. Without it, it's just another pulley for the belt to run around. One of the wires on the alt. should have 12v on it besides the main charging wire.

 

[stevesmustangs]

i also clean the 2 terminals and wires that go into the power distribution box. Can the 175amp fuse or whatever it is under the 2 wires cause this not to charge? Some one told me they heard if the compter isnt grounded it can cause no charging? thanks again in advance

 

[stevesmustangs]

how can i check this?

How can i check it out and which wire, you have the 2 wire harness that clips into the top of alt and you have the top wire that is bolted to the top of the alt. Thanks in advance

Sounds like the wire that provides excitation to the alt has no juice on it. Alternators require a very small source of 12v in order to get them working. Without it, it's just another pulley for the belt to run around. One of the wires on the alt. should have 12v on it besides the main charging wire.

 

[stevesmustangs]

does the wire that bolts to alt. go to the power dist. box? i am just wondering if i should change it, this all has me stumped

 

[SoNic67]

You have to check the connector that provides excitation voltafe. It is not the bolted one.
Also check the fuse for that circuit.

 

[budwich]

as suggested, get a meter and check to see if the alternator is "seeing" the battery. Sounds like it might not.

 

[stevesmustangs]

thankyou, is the only fuse the 30amp one in the dist. box?

 

[stevesmustangs]

just for the heck of it i went thru fuse panel with test light to check all fuses, there were 2 fuses in spots that in manual said not used, i pulled both of them out and now its charging, the amp needle is more then half way, it would move off bottom b4, i have ac, headlights, radio, blower in rear of vehicle all running and its not dropping a bit. I think old owner put fuses in wrong locations, the rear blower motor fuse was missing and i put the correct one in and it works, i think the 2 fuses that were in not used spots were for the blower motor and not sure on other fuse, the rest all work and are in correct location, i guess it block charging circuit?

 

[budwich]

probably more likely where the fuse needed to be to provide voltage to the alternator as suggested. Once you put the fuse in the right place, the alternator was able to get a "reference" and allowed the charge circuit to "complete". Good!