Charging problem

[mbc630]

My 96 Explorer has 230000 K on it. In the last few days the charging system (voltmeter) works fine for the first minute or so, then drops to, I suppose, 0 charge. The alternator and regulator have been replaced, but the problem hasn't gone away. Anybody know what's up?

 

[Larry2010]

The alternator and oil pressure guages are idiot guages and simply indicate on and off the alternator guage is driven directly off the regulator. So if your battery isn't constantly draining it seems more like a guage problem. My book shows the wiring goes from the regulator to the guage, through the interior fuse block (doesn't look like it's fused, just passes through) and the circuit is completed throught the ignition switch. I'd sure check the connections going to that fuse block first. A lot of shops will stick their charge system tester on for free and that's certainly something to do first just to make sure.

 

[budwich]

Lots of posts like this.... basically, you need to take a meter and determine if you are actually putting out voltage from your alternator and your meter is bad / intermittent.... or you aren't putting out voltage and your cabling and / or alternator is bad. If your alternator is bad, it is quite likely that your battery would die fairly so and eventually your truck would die.