How do i know if my alternator is smart

Bad battery or bad alternator symptoms how to tell the difference brief not charging. Connect the negative terminal to the negative test lead and the positive terminal to the positive test lead.

Run engine at 2000 rpms for tests and turn on the blower fan for the AC or Heater the headlamps and any other accessories that put a strain on the alternator and watch the gauge to see if it decreases voltage or amperage.

How do i know if my alternator is smart. Heres how you determine if you have a smart alternator or not. Locate your main vehicle battery. Start the engine ensuring any fans radio lights etc.

Take a voltage reading across the main vehicle battery. Variable Voltage Alternators require some sort of battery sensing technology to determine load coming from the. Battery and this is done by a battery sensor which is found on one of the battery terminals usually the battery.

Please see pictures below for examples. If your reading is closer to 125-135V then its likely that you have a smart alternator. If you do happen to have a smart alternator this isnt an issue.

Here at Rayne Automotive Ltd we use a CTEK D250SA DC DC charger specifically designed and wired to charge leisure batteries from smart alternators. Variable Voltage Alternators require some sort of battery sensing technology to determine load coming from the battery and this is done by a battery sensor which is found on one of the battery terminals usually the battery negative. Please see pictures below for examples.

Egular Battery Terminal Standard Alternator Battery Terminal with Sensor. This is a way to minimize the load on the engine when needing the power of the engine and then maximize the load when the vehicle is slowing down. Heres how you determine if you have a smart alternator or not.

Locate your main vehicle battery 2. Start the engine ensuring any fans radio lights etc. Smart charge alternators can usually be identified from their regulator plug type LIN BSS and COM To check if a vehicle has a smart charge visit the Autoelectro website that contains information on the plug regulator and the pin functions for each vehicle application.

An Autoelectro spokesperson said. In a non smart charge alternator when the engine is running the a constant voltage of between 138-144 volts is produced depending on the. How do I tell if I have a smart alternator.

Smart alternators are par for the course in most modern vehicles but when measuring or monitoring output voltage from a vehicle with a variable voltage alternator you will find the voltage can range between 123V-15V. More correctly it should be called an ECU controlled alternator as the device itself isnt smart it just has the voltage regulation controlled by the ECU. The easy way to tell is if you can hook up a voltmeter inside the car and just observe it as you drive.

With a smart alternator you should see significant variations in the charging voltage. The sense module for the smart alternator can be connected between the battery neg and the chassis. Also someone noted that some ECU have a sense wire which presumably signals a positive to the ECU when the lights are switched on.

Is my alternator a smart alternator. If your readings are around 144V DC then then you most likely have the traditional non-smart alternator. If your reading is closer to 125-135V then its likely that you have a smart alternator.

If you do happen to have a smart alternator this isnt an issue. If your car has a smart alternator you will see a small box connected to the Neg clamp of starter battery disconnect this small plug from the box sensor this then turns smart off and standard charging will be initiated normally around 1424 volts continuous. Check the alternator gauge.

If you have a voltamp gauge it will read the alternator output for you. Run engine at 2000 rpms for tests and turn on the blower fan for the AC or Heater the headlamps and any other accessories that put a strain on the alternator and watch the gauge to see if it decreases voltage or amperage. If the smart alternator controller detects a system fault the smart charging functionality will be disabled Diagnostic Trouble Codes DTCs set and the engine management and battery warning lights illuminated.

Provided the fault is not within the alternator it will still function conventionally with its. If this circuit goes open the default charge rate from the alternator is 138 volts. One way to outsmart the smart charging system is to disconnect the current sensor or SARVC module.

On some systems youll see 155 volts with the engine running and a light electrical load applied. Bad battery or bad alternator symptoms how to tell the difference brief not charging. What If My Battery or Alternator Light Is On.

Or the Gauge Is Not Showing a Charging Condition The Battery or Alternator light is an indication that there is a significant mismatch between the voltage that the charging system is producing and the battery voltage. Some vehicles use a voltmeter or current meter to indicate if the charging system is working. Look for the number on the alternator.

If you cant see the entire number remove the adjustable bracket with a wrench. Take off the alternator and find the part number on it. Once you have the number you have the identification of your alternator.

Use the part number to find a replacement online or at a physical auto parts store. I know Tritons dont have a smart alternator but Pajeros and Pajero Sports do so what I say here is relevant for members with those vehicles. As for charging read my earlier post.

On my Pajero which does have a smart alternator just a slightly smart VSR does the job beautifully. How to Identify Your GM Alternator Used on Buick Cadillac Chevrolet GMC Hummer Pontiac SAAB Saturn History of the GM Alternator. This is just a quick visual identification guide for Delco type alternators.

10DN - 12 Volt 61 Amp - 1963-1972. First Alternator used on. Connect the negative terminal to the negative test lead and the positive terminal to the positive test lead.

Select the correct range on your voltmeter that corresponds to the voltage of the battery. Alternators should put out between 135 and 145 volts. If the battery is below 13 volts the alternator is probably bad.

On the other hand a smart alternator also known as a variable voltage alternator allows the vehicles ECU. To control the output voltage and current based on the engines operating conditions. As a result a smart alternator efficiently reduces the electrical load that in turn reduces the mechanical load on the engine.