For months now,Ive been delivering this exciter voltage to my alternator,by making momentary contact between the alternators negative post,and the positive terminal on the battery with a piece of wire. Since the alt.light wasnt working,I tried replacing it but it didnt make the alt. work.
Do I need a new instrument pod,or can I do the fix that BMW did when they realized the car wouldnt charge if the dash light is broken. I see that BMW wired in a bypass after '87 in case the dashlight burned out so the alternator will still charge.
Could the dead SI light batteries be the problem? Will I burn out my voltage regulator if I continue to deliver the exciter voltage in the aforementioned way? Any help would be greatly apreciated,
Jse28.
Exciter voltage to alt./dead alt.dashlight question
Calling all electrical gurus! I know that the exciter voltage is completing some sort of magnetic field
that makes the alternator charge. I was desperately trying to find the link that told me about the currents of the alternator. I think I remember there were two sepearate currents of some sort that the alternator works off of. Anyone have that link?
Jse28.
that makes the alternator charge. I was desperately trying to find the link that told me about the currents of the alternator. I think I remember there were two sepearate currents of some sort that the alternator works off of. Anyone have that link?
Jse28.
You've been WHAT?Jse28 wrote:For months now,Ive been delivering this exciter voltage to my alternator,by making momentary contact between the alternators negative post,and the positive terminal on the battery with a piece of wire.
I really hope what you meant in that you've been momentarily connecting the D+ terminal (the blue wire at the alternator) to the positive battery terminal. You can do this from the diagnostic connector. Just briefly connect pin 12 to pin 14 (this is on the 15-pin type). In fact, if you connect pin 12 to pin 15 with a 12V light bulb from Radio Shack, you will have duplicated the circuit that's already in your car.
One side of the light bulb in connected directly to the blue wire at the alternator. The other side is connected directly to the ignition (green wire). Test for continuity.Since the alt.light wasnt working,I tried replacing it but it didnt make the alt. work.
Do I need a new instrument pod,or can I do the fix that BMW did when they realized the car wouldnt charge if the dash light is broken. I see that BMW wired in a bypass after '87 in case the dashlight burned out so the alternator will still charge.
Unlikely, unless they leaked all over everything and destroyed the traces on the circuit board. The circuit for the charge light is the light bulb, and the resistor that may or may not be in parallel with it. The SI lights have nothing to do with it.Could the dead SI light batteries be the problem?
If you do what I think you're actually doing, I don't think so. If you do what you SAY you're doing, you'll burn out your piece of wire, and maybe take your fingers and your car with it. And yes, that in turn could burn out your voltage regulator. My advice is, don't connect the positive terminal of the battery to negative anything, ever.Will I burn out my voltage regulator if I continue to deliver the exciter voltage in the aforementioned way?
[Edited 4/18/2008 to enable BBCode]
Last edited by RonW on Apr 18, 2008 11:05 PM, edited 1 time in total.
Thank you RonW. Im glad U corrected me. Im sure I musta been going to the blue wire,not the negative.
Sorry,...electrical is not my thing.
Do U mean that if I permanently attach a bulb to #s 12 & 15,my car will charge without the dashlight working? Meaning,that the exciter voltage will be delivered normally,and I wont have to do the alt.to batt.with a wire trick anymore?
I will count how many pins the diagnostic port has,and will get back to U.
I really apreciate your input,
Jse28.
Sorry,...electrical is not my thing.
Do U mean that if I permanently attach a bulb to #s 12 & 15,my car will charge without the dashlight working? Meaning,that the exciter voltage will be delivered normally,and I wont have to do the alt.to batt.with a wire trick anymore?
I will count how many pins the diagnostic port has,and will get back to U.
I really apreciate your input,
Jse28.
I know I checked the voltage on my 15-pin diagnostic connector, and found 12V when the ignition is on. But the ETM doesn't mention pin 15 for the 535i. If the wire in green & white, it's probably right. It's the ignition wire, but it goes through fuse 6, so if that fuse blows, your alternator won't work.
The accessory fusebox (the little one with two fuses, next to the main fusebox) also has 12 volts when the ignition is on. It's the fuse on the green wire.
HTH
The accessory fusebox (the little one with two fuses, next to the main fusebox) also has 12 volts when the ignition is on. It's the fuse on the green wire.
HTH
Thank you RonW! You wrote "In fact, if you connect pin 12 to pin 15 with a 12V light bulb from Radio Shack, you will have duplicated the circuit that's already in your car."
This saved me this morning. I've been having alternator problems. I have a new alternator in the trunk, but my mechanic said mine was still working. This morning I noticed my battery light was not lighting up. My voltmeter said 11.9v. I shut the car down. I frantically searched everywhere for a new bulb before I realized the dozen that I had were in my wife's car and hour away. I pulled the bold and used a nine full battery to test it to my surprise it was functioning perfectly. I went down to RadioShack and got some connectors. I took the bulb soldered it to a couple wires and put connectors on the end I jumped the #12 and #15 connectors on the diagnostic plug. I started the car back up and got a perfect 13.75.
I must have something wrong in the cluster or in the wires on the way to the cluster.
Thank you again RonW!
PS. Is this something that's not advisable for long periods of time?
This saved me this morning. I've been having alternator problems. I have a new alternator in the trunk, but my mechanic said mine was still working. This morning I noticed my battery light was not lighting up. My voltmeter said 11.9v. I shut the car down. I frantically searched everywhere for a new bulb before I realized the dozen that I had were in my wife's car and hour away. I pulled the bold and used a nine full battery to test it to my surprise it was functioning perfectly. I went down to RadioShack and got some connectors. I took the bulb soldered it to a couple wires and put connectors on the end I jumped the #12 and #15 connectors on the diagnostic plug. I started the car back up and got a perfect 13.75.
I must have something wrong in the cluster or in the wires on the way to the cluster.
Thank you again RonW!
PS. Is this something that's not advisable for long periods of time?