Alternator charging issues after upgrading on a 2f

[roadkill]

Hi All,

well yesterday i decided it was about time i got a decent alternator for the 2f in my fj40 landcruiser. They only come with a 35amp alternator which isn't going to run the spotties, headlights and stereo.........

Anyway, seeing as they use the same alternator as the one as the 2t/18r etc etc i decided to go the ea falcon 85a bosch alternator. I've got it fitted and all seems to be good BUT my amp guage on the dash is showing that with the lights on it's at about -15amp (so draining the battery) It's a 1976 landcruiser so it doesn't have an actual battery light on the dash and i'm fairly sure that that style alternator needs the 12v through that light to set off diodes in the regulator to make it work properly???? My previous alternator was internall regulated so it should have been a straight swap.

I don't have a amp meter but i should be able to borrow one tomorrow and check to see if it is charging but any ideas on if i actually need the light on the dash for it?

I'll check the voltage on it all tomorrow and throw some results back up here.

Thanks for lookin

bEn

[toyboyracer]

The internal regultor in the alternator is buggered - Proffessional guess

Or I could be just wrong..

[oldcorollas]

what are the connections for the old and new, regarding the sense wire?
does the alternator body have GOOD contact with the block? can run seperate earth wire from alt body to battery, since it has to pass just as much current as the pos wire will..

15 amp = 210 watts.. how big are your lights?

mayeb amp gauge is incorrect?

[roadkill]

Hi,

there were three wires on the alternator as it was internally regulated. I'd have to double check the old, but the new was main battery, s and l. I'll make sure tonight that they've gone to the right places though too - got me paranoid about that now.......

Alternator has great contact with the block - no issues there, but may look at an additional earth to be sure.

15amp = 180 watt @ 12v if there is no charge

2x50 headlights, fan going (for heat) park lights, engine power. Plus the guage has -30, 0, +30. It was sitting at about halfway between 0 and -30. So 15 is just a guess.......

bEn

[oldcorollas]

if the alternator is not working at all, then it will have 12V, but it should be 14V if it is workign properly.
is it only 12V?

15 amp doesn't sound like an unreasonable draw?

100W headlights..mayeb another 20W for parkers.. fan = ?50W or so? 20-30W for coil maybe (or lss) thats around 200W there, and equal to what you were measuring.

it won't ever do 85amps unless you have 1200W of stuff going (which is heaps!), or your battery was completely and utterly dead (and even then, it may not have that high a charging rate)