Alternator Stuffed?

[ibrooks]

OK chaps just looking for someone to confirm my suspicions here.

 

I've just got home and turned the engine off and the ignition warning light came on when I took the key out and stayed on. If I turn the key to position 1 (when you'd expect the light to come on) it goes off. I started the engine back up and the voltmeter came back up slowly but only to 11v.

 

Am I right in thinking the alternator's diode pack is stuffed (I've only just got home so I'm in no mood to go get the multimeter to try and diagnose this until after I've eaten). I've disconnected the battery for the moment.

 

Oh yes - it's the Scimitar and not the Hood.

 

Iain

[Guest rizla]

sounds like the alternater to me

[Guest salty_monk]

& me although it could be a knackered battery or a bad earth...

[ibrooks]

Oh well my boss arrives back from holiday tomorrow - he may have to authorise half a day off.

 

Iain

[Guest sparkt]

its the diode pack thats has gone for shore sorry to say

[ibrooks]

Swapped it for my spare this morning and it's fine now.

 

I get stick for running old "un-reliable" cars but the bad alternator had a warranty sticker on it dated 1997. Now if I was driving a 1997 (P-reg) car which would have the same age alternator as the one that's failed, what's the chance that I would only have been an hour late? i.e. how likely would I be to have a spare and be able to fit it so quickly. This winds me up because the only times I've let work down through the failure of my cars are today and once when I was asked to go into Manchester the brake shoe on my Rover broke up as I was getting petrol so I had to take the works van instead. Not a bad record in 8 years I would say.

 

Iain