Technical T/A Trekking Alternator?

[Liteboy]

Yesterday on the way to work my wife had a few odd things on the dash, the gear change up/down indicator seemed to throw a wobbler at one point telling her to change up when she was in top gear and the external temp sensor suddenly dropped to - 2 plus the car is running a bit rough.
When she got home I put a meter on the battery it was 12.7v with or without the engine running which seems low to me.
I put it on my ctek charger overnight and the battery went up to 13.9v and once off charge stabilised at 13.31v.
I reconnected everything and the battery stayed around 13.31v, started the car and it didn't rise or drop even with a load on from the lights, heater and heated window.
All the earth's look OK and the battery is a Yuasa 7000 series battery I put on in 2021.
I also connected up the laptop with multiecuscan to see if there were any errors logged but only had two errors from a while ago, one was the knock sensor and one was a DRL failure I hadn't cleared nothing else.
I am thinking alternator hoping it isn't as it looks a right pain in the.... to get to.

 

[jackwhoo]

Oooòoops sorry didn't read your first post properly

 

[jackwhoo]

Can you measure voltage via accessory socket headlights on vent fan on whilst driving going down a hill with accelerator not pressed at all?
If you have a smart alternator those are the conditions which should cause alternator to operate

 

[jackwhoo]

Possibly you could drive as suggested but with mes connected graphing the voltage

 

[Liteboy]

Possibly you could drive as suggested but with mes connected graphing the voltage

Give that a go later in the week and see what's recorded.

 

[lingottobuilt]

Give that a go later in the week and see what's recorded.

An easy and cheap way of knowing if the alternator is producing the correct volts.about 13 -14, is to buy a cheap plug in USB charging and voltage reading thingy......

 

[Herts Hillhopper]

Note that Pandas with Stop/start have ‘intelligent alternators’, which means that at some times they offer very little charge but at other times (low engine load such as going downhill) they briefly charge the battery (which relies on a reverse current across the plates) at as much as 16 volts. A modern stop/start battery should read 12.8 volts a few hours after last being driven. If it down to 12.5 it’s 50% depleted and if below 12.2 lots it’s had it.

 

[Liteboy]

Note that Pandas with Stop/start have ‘intelligent alternators’, which means that at some times they offer very little charge but at other times (low engine load such as going downhill) they briefly charge the battery (which relies on a reverse current across the plates) at as much as 16 volts. A modern stop/start battery should read 12.8 volts a few hours after last being driven. If it down to 12.5 it’s 50% depleted and if below 12.2 lots it’s had it.

I picked up one of those voltage display gadgets for the cigarette lighter socket yesterday. Initially when plugged in it read 12.5, on my wife's journey to work this morning it read 13.3 most of the time but went up to 14.8 under braking down hill from 50mph. When she got to work it showed 13.1 without the engine running, she is going to check it on her lunch break to see how much it has dropped. So I am now suspecting the battery is on its way out.

 

[Liteboy]

I picked up one of those voltage display gadgets for the cigarette lighter socket yesterday. Initially when plugged in it read 12.5, on my wife's journey to work this morning it read 13.3 most of the time but went up to 14.8 under braking down hill from 50mph. When she got to work it showed 13.1 without the engine running, she is going to check it on her lunch break to see how much it has dropped. So I am now suspecting the battery is on its way out.

12.1v after sitting for about 4 hours and 12.2 this morning before going to work. Have ordered a new battery.

 

[varesecrazy]

An easy and cheap way of knowing if the alternator is producing the correct volts.about 13 -14, is to buy a cheap plug in USB charging and voltage reading thingy......

That's what I use

My 2012 ta charges in a weird way, but obviously fine as the Factory battery is still working

 

[Liteboy]

New Bosch battery fitted, car seems to be running fine except for the exterior temperature sensor which is on the replacement list now.