Attention: under no circumstances should you check the presence of a charge by disconnecting «-» terminals from the battery with the engine running. In this case, the failure of the electronic components of the car is possible.
To check the efficiency of the generator, you can simulate the maximum load mode by turning on the maximum number of powerful consumers, for example:
- high beam headlights;
- electric fan of the heating system;
- windscreen wipers;
- heated rear window.
When the engine is rotating at an average speed (about 2500 rpm) the voltage at the battery terminals should be in the range of 13.9-14.2 V.
In the generator maximum power mode, the voltage drop between the generator case and «-» terminal should not exceed 0.5 V. If the voltage drop exceeds the specified value, you should check the reliability of the connections in the ground circuit.
Inspect, clean, tighten and recheck all ground connections.
Checking the charge control system
During normal operation, the alternator indicator should illuminate when the ignition is turned on and should go out immediately after starting the engine.
To check, disconnect the wiring harness from the generator, turn on the ignition. When closing to «mass» terminals «L» the glow of the indicator indicates the serviceability of the charging control circuit.