- Check the condition of the battery wires where they are connected to the battery terminals. Check the reliability of the terminal clamps;
- Check the battery status. If necessary, recharge the battery (see Chapter Vehicle settings and routine maintenance), or replace it with a new one;
- Check the condition of the wiring and electrical connections of the generator and voltage regulator;
- Check the condition and tension of the alternator drive belt (see Chapter Vehicle settings and routine maintenance). Replace if necessary;
- Check the generator mounting bolts for tightness;
- Start the engine and evaluate the intensity of the background noise emitted by the generator;
- If equipped, check the condition of the fuse links in the fuse box in the engine compartment of the vehicle (see Chapter On-board electrical equipment). If any of the inserts fail, investigate and eliminate the causes of the overload;
- Check the proper functioning of the charge indicator lamp in the engine instrument panel. When the ignition is on and the engine is not running, the lamp should light. Otherwise, check the condition of the corresponding fuse in the fuse box (see Chapter On-board electrical equipment), as well as the filament of the lamp itself. Make the necessary replacements. If the lamp and its wiring are in order, the generator should be replaced, or the necessary restorative repairs should be made;
- If the indicator lamp remains on after starting, stop the engine and check the condition and tension of the alternator drive belt (see Chapter Vehicle settings and routine maintenance);
2. After turning off the ignition, use a voltmeter to measure the voltage produced by the battery on the rear side of the generator with the electrical consumers disconnected (heater fan, radio, cigarette lighter, cooling system fan, etc., etc.). The measurement result should be around 12.5 V, or slightly higher if the engine has been running for the last hour.
3. Start the engine and repeat the measurement. At a crankshaft speed of about 1500 rpm (the speed should be increased until the voltmeter readings stabilize) the voltage should be 13.8÷14.2 V.
4. Turn on the high beam headlights, run the heater fan at maximum speed, turn on the rear window heating and the radio - if the charging system is functioning normally, the voltage should drop for a short time, then return to the normal operating level of about 13.5 V. If the voltage drops below 13 V, then the system is not functioning properly.
5. Reduce engine speed to idle - the charging voltage should not fall below 13 V. Pressing the foot brake should not lead to a further decrease in voltage (below 13 V).
Some low power generators may allow the generated voltage to drop below 13V for a short time, but it should then recover quickly.
6. Turn off all electrical consumers, increase engine speed to 1600 rpm and read the voltmeter again. Now the voltage should not rise above 15 V (minor deviations are permissible, inversely related to the ambient temperature).
7. If the voltmeter registers values different from the specified ones, the generator assembly with the voltage regulator should be replaced, or appropriate repairs should be carried out in a car service workshop.
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