Low Volts?

[Batty S4C]

Just a quicky: (steady Podie)!!
my voltmeter is showing very sad reading.
it is just above the red mark with no electrics on, and dips almost to the very bottom of the gauge when heavily loaded.
i guess somethings is not right, but any suggestions to what??
cheers guys on my first Q

Matt

[HarryW]

I'd speak to the guy you bought it from to see if that is normal for the car or not first .

Harry

[Podie]

Batty S4C said:

Just a quicky: (steady Podie)!!

[andyf007]

HarryW said:

I'd speak to the guy you bought it from to see if that is normal for the car or not first . Harry

Aye, and stick a voltmeter on the battery to see what you've really got.

Podie and more like!

[greenv8s]

Low voltage when nothing electric is on suggests the alternator is not charging. Sometimes you need to rev the engine to 2000 rpm or so to bring the alternator to life. If this doesn't work, you might have a blown bulb in the no-charge warning light (you should see it light up when you switch the ignition on) or more likely your alternator or fan belt are knackered.

If the problem is just that the voltage drops off when you switch electrics on, it is more likely to be the plug between the ignition switch and the loom breaking down, or contact resistance in the ignition switch, or in the fuse box. If you have access to a voltmeter I suggest you start by checking the battery voltage is OK (should be over 13 volts engine running) because if it isn't, you could be stranded when the battery runs down.

[tvrgaas]

andyf007 said:

stick a voltmeter on the battery to see what you've really got.

My S1 was dropping a volt or so on the earth point in the NSF wheel arch, to add to Pete's list!