retroadder

hi wonder if anybody on here knows been doing my head in a while battery light glowing on a mk3 escort I have checked alternator output and its kicking over 14 volts out checked the notorious thin blue wire and this is fine had a look at the ignition the thick red wire which comes off the ignition goes into a plug which seems to dissapear down the loom and up to the fusebox it seems warm to me especialy if everything is switched on as anybody had this problem and any help would be much appreciated moneys tight at mo cant afford autoelectritian!! thankyou

Twins

iTrader: (18)

Normally the loom from the starter alternator to battery ,you can buy it separate about £25 ,link loom

primedog

sounds simple but have you checked your belt is tight?

retroadder

chrz twins and prime dog for your help I have tried that loom I have a mk4 escort van I borrowed it off that and still glowing the belt is fine its that red wire that is getting warm it comes from ignition switg and goes into like a block connector it feels warm after this and disappears down the loom to the fusebox should this wire be warm anybody no any help would be grateful thanks

Twins

iTrader: (18)

Perhaps try another ignition switch ,could be a bad earth

retroadder

chrz twins I will do mate it has been on 33year a suppose all earths seem ok thanks for your help I do appreciate it

retroadder

managed to get another ignition switch and its still glowing battery light!!may be it wants to go to ford heaven getting me down now I have tried another alternator to no avail such a shame to scrap it but that's just how I feel!!!

martysmartie

iTrader: (1)

Check something inside the car, i.e the cigarette lighter power, I bet there is a discrepancy between this and the battery.

Is that measurement under load?

Martin

retroadder

hi martin thanks for your reply when its ticking over its just over 14 volts when u start switching everything on its down at 12 volts and that thick red wire that comes off ignition seems warm like a hot spot could this wire be breaking down mate?when everything is off it cools down?wish my temper would!

GVK.

Where the ignition switch loom plugs into that block connector you may need to hard wire it. (ie remove the plug completely and connect the wires)

martysmartie

iTrader: (1)

That voltage isn't necessarily bad, does it increase with revs?

Measure the power @ the alternator itself vs the battery...

The ignition hot side may get a little warm, due to the load, this won't be helped by the old wiring which more than likely has high resistance, what is the power there?

Martin

retroadder

thanks gary and martin for your replys the voltage on that wire when ticking over is over 14.25 volts when lights heater blower and wipers are on the voltage is down to 12 when you increase revs it goes up to 13 .3 volts the battery light seems to go brighter when everything is on and when everything is off you cant see it glowing!iwill hard wire that black connector and see were we are at.thanks

martysmartie

iTrader: (1)

Now compare those readings with that at the alternator...

The WL is very simple in it's design and does not really tell you much.

What is happening is the voltage is greater on the other side of the warning light (which has a direct feed from the alternator) the bulb extinguishes by having equal potential on both sides.

Therefore, the supply side has lower power than the other side. This is no doubt caused by old wiring, which you can prove by doing the above.

Martin

retroadder

i have finally found the fault with the glowing battery light twins you was right mate it was a bad earth I only found it by accident as I was fitting new speakers in the front footwell took drivers side speaker pod out and noticed two earth wires were loose the self tapper screw was loose tightened it up and bingo cured it all that grief for summet as simple as that am now happy as larry whoever he was!!big thankyou to everyones help realy appreciated.