Hey guys, my battery light came on during a trip to the coast while towing my boat. I pulled off the road to checked things out and found around 12.7VDC on my batteries with the truck off and about 12.5VDC running. I thought the alternator was bad so I called my brother, already at the coast and told him to get me an alternator and be waiting by the phone. I was going to try and go as far as I could. I made it to the coast and pulled into a carwash ( it was raining) to change out alternators. After installing the new alternator I checked the output and only got 12.8VDC running. The batteries were already down to 12V with the engine off by now. I thought the output should have been around 13.8v. But I was still atleast getting a small charge and the battery light was now out. the light stayed off for about 3 weeks and came on again, no output from the alternator. I pulled into an AutoZone and asked them to check out the alternator. The voltage was low and she said that the alternator was putting out 166 amps. I asked how many amps was it suppose to put out, (I did not have 13V out and didn't care about the amperage). She checked the book and said the alternator was suppose to put out 110 amps and that my new alternator was overcharging the batteries. I responded with a big no because the voltage was now down to 11v and if I was overcharging the voltage would be high and my batteries would be swelling up. Any way they gave me a new alternator and the voltage was still less than 13V but was more positive than my batteries so I knew that I would atleast charge the batteries and this would get me home. On the way home I remembered talking to a guy that had a 2000 F350 and had put six alternators on in about six months. He sold the truck. Does anyone know of this as being a problem? and if so any suggestions. My truck is a 2000 F250 4 wd. Thanks, Maddog.
I'd try a different vendor. Mine crapped out at about 150k. One of my employees installed a new one that was way overcharging, 18v or more. Took it back to Autozone they put it on there machine and it wouldn't even charge. Ended up getting a good one from another store. One strange thing is, the truck has to run for about 2 Min's. before the alternator starts charging. Has since new. jim
altenator try soldering the cabel end that goes for the 2nd altenator. i went threw 3 and haven't had to replace one sinse then. A bad connection will cause it to read wrong a cause it to over charge. Good Lukewaytogo
ok, I only have one alternator, where do I find the cable for the second alternator? Thanks guys for the feedback. Maddogburnout
it is on the passager side it is the extra wire package setup for ambulance packages. Sorry about the delay getting back been out of town.
