[TR] Alternator not charging battery - 1976 TR6

Fri Oct 2 10:50:30 MDT 2020

Dave – 

    Battery voltage with engine off is 12 volts. 

    Suspecting a possible battery problem, today we did a load test on the battery and it was OK.  We then hooked up a different battery with the same exact results – no voltage increase noted at the battery with the engine running.  We are still completely confused by the fact that the alternator tested “OK” (although only 13.4 volts instead of the expected 14+) but there is no voltage increase at the battery .  Brown/yellow wire tests OK.

      We are taking a break until Monday when I will pick up my original Lucas alternator from the local rebuilder.  The plan is I will have him verify the o/p voltage and we will put it on the car and test it w/o hooking the brown/yellow wire to the battery.  If it’s registering the same voltage as tested by the rebuilder (hopefully 14+), we will attach the brown/yellow wire and test at the battery. Neither of the rebuilt alternators that we have been dealing with have shown more than 12 volts either at the alternator or at the battery.

Completely flummoxed, 

Dennis  

From: DAVID MASSEY <dave1massey at cs.com> 
Sent: Friday, October 2, 2020 11:00 AM
To: dctr6 at optonline.net; triumphs at autox.team.net
Cc: 6pack at autox.team.net
Subject: Re: [TR] Alternator not charging battery - 1976 TR6

What is the battery voltage with the engine off?

Dave 

-----Original Message-----
From:  <mailto:dctr6 at optonline.net> dctr6 at optonline.net
To: 'DAVID MASSEY' < <mailto:dave1massey at cs.com> dave1massey at cs.com>;  <mailto:triumphs at autox.team.net> triumphs at autox.team.net
Cc:  <mailto:6pack at autox.team.net> 6pack at autox.team.net
Sent: Thu, Oct 1, 2020 10:02 pm
Subject: RE: [TR] Alternator not charging battery - 1976 TR6

Dave – 

    Yes, light comes on and goes off and the belt has about ½ inch of play. Recent notes have made me suspect the battery which we’ve not really considered.  We, too, are grasping at straws…

Thanks. 

Dennis

From: DAVID MASSEY < <mailto:dave1massey at cs.com> dave1massey at cs.com> 
Sent: Thursday, October 1, 2020 7:20 PM
To:  <mailto:dctr6 at optonline.net> dctr6 at optonline.net;  <mailto:triumphs at autox.team.net> triumphs at autox.team.net
Cc:  <mailto:6pack at autox.team.net> 6pack at autox.team.net
Subject: Re: [TR] Alternator not charging battery - 1976 TR6

Hmmm.... confusing.  I think you already answered this but I forgot the response.  Does the Ign light come on when you first switch on and does it go out after starting the engine?

Is the belt tight?

I'm grasping at straws.

Dave 

-----Original Message-----
From:  <mailto:dctr6 at optonline.net> dctr6 at optonline.net
To: 'DAVID MASSEY' < <mailto:dave1massey at cs.com> dave1massey at cs.com>;  <mailto:triumphs at autox.team.net> triumphs at autox.team.net
Cc:  <mailto:6pack at autox.team.net> 6pack at autox.team.net
Sent: Thu, Oct 1, 2020 4:31 pm
Subject: RE: [TR] Alternator not charging battery - 1976 TR6

Dave – 

    We checked that connection and it was clean and tight.  We are STILL not getting any voltage from the alternator to the battery.  We walked through the procedure in Dan Master’s book 3 times and every time, it points to a bad alternator which I had tested and it’s putting out over 13 volts (maybe not enough but more than 12). Why doesn’t this show up at the battery?

We even tested at the back of the alternator and it only shows 12 volts (?). 

Dennis 

From: DAVID MASSEY < <mailto:dave1massey at cs.com> dave1massey at cs.com> 
Sent: Wednesday, September 30, 2020 5:31 PM
To:  <mailto:dctr6 at optonline.net> dctr6 at optonline.net;  <mailto:triumphs at autox.team.net> triumphs at autox.team.net
Cc:  <mailto:6pack at autox.team.net> 6pack at autox.team.net
Subject: Re: [TR] Alternator not charging battery - 1976 TR6

On the 76 TR6 (well all the CF series cars) the alternator output (brown) wire connects to the power tap on the positive battery positive cable with a 3/8 QC connector.  If this connector is not making good connection even a good alternator will not charge the battery.  Check that out before you spend any more money.

Dave 

-----Original Message-----
From:  <mailto:dctr6 at optonline.net> dctr6 at optonline.net
To:  <mailto:triumphs at autox.team.net> triumphs at autox.team.net
Cc:  <mailto:6pack at autox.team.net> 6pack at autox.team.net
Sent: Wed, Sep 30, 2020 11:03 am
Subject: [TR] Alternator not charging battery - 1976 TR6

   Here’s a synopsis – Almost new battery went dead. Charged battery and took car to shop. Meter shows alternator is not charging battery (only 12 volts, not 14.6 as per Dan Master’s book). Buy rebuilt alternator and the same thing happens.  Swap alternator for a second rebuilt unit – same thing, battery is not being charged. Tried 3 different meters – all showed 12 volts.  Hard to believe I got 2 bad rebuilt alternators.  What’s wrong??

Dennis Culligan, 1976 TR6 

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