In a message dated 97-11-24 20:04:24 EST, lsmc@lightspeed.net writes:
> Well, the voltage at the battery reads 12.3 volts at idle and goes to
> 12.5 if i rev the motor up. Is this correct.....I was expecting more of
> an increase than that.
Lew:
A good battery should read 12.6 volts, with no load. With the engine reved up
moderately, an alternator should produce about 14.6 volts, and I would think
the same would be true for a generator as well.
It would be difficult to say which is the bad component - the generator or
the regulator, but it sure sounds like one or the other is not up to snuff.
Unfortunately, I'm not familiar enough with generators and electro-mechanical
regulators to offer any advice. In general, though, I recomend taking the car
to a battery dealer and let them check it out for you. They usually don't
charge for this, and it only takes a few minutes to do. They have very
specialized equipment for this, such that it doesn't take an expert to do the
test and get an accurate result.
Dan Masters,
Alcoa, TN
'71 TR6---------3000mile/year driver, fully restored
'71 TR6---------undergoing full restoration and Ford 5.0 V8 insertion - see:
http://www.sky.net/~boballen/mg/Masters/
'74 MGBGT---3000mile/year driver, original condition
'68 MGBGT---organ donor for the '74
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