BobMGT@aol.com wrote:
> The ammeter in my TD has always read around plus 15 amps at crusing speed.
> This amount of constant charging didn't seem right to me, so I hooked up a
> voltmeter and discovered the generator was pumping up the battery to 16
> volts. This sounds too high, but the shop manual indicates the correct
> setting is 15.8 to 16.4 volts at room temperature. The rule of thumb in EE
> circles is 14 volts for charging a car battery. Does anyone know why MG set
> the charging voltage so high? Does anyone else get +15 amp readings on the
> ammeter all the time? (Yes, the battery is losing water faster than it
> should.)
>
> Bob Donahue (Still stuck in the '50s)
> EMAIL - BOBMGT@AOL.COM
> 52 MGTD - under DIY restoration NEMGTR #11470
> 71 MGB - AMGBA #96-12029, NAMGBR #7-3336
Bob
Lower the regulator voltage setting to 15.5V. Start the engine and hold the
RPM to about 2000 than disconnect the battery and measure the D terminal. The
generator is now running the car and you can see were the regulator is set. If
it is at around 15.5V yhan you have a bad cell in the battery which is drawing
the extra current. The amp meter should be flickering around zero when you are
drive at steady 2000-3000 RPM.
Jerry Felper
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