New one on me. My alternator was bugged!

[Chrisj CMA]

OK, I just posted on the general board about the battery needing replaced.  All went well with that Volts up to 13.5 non running and 14 while running (just like the picture I posted of the volt meter when this alternator was brand new a few years ago)



But...it wasn't steady as I rode the voltage would slowly drop to 13.7or8 and then stay there for a little while and then go up to 14 then just under 14 but not jerky movements that bad connections will cause.  Just in case though I took the volt meter off its mount and checked all the connections as a loose connection there did cause erratic readings one time a while ago.  All was good.

So after church today I took the alternator off and opened it up, blew the dust out and checked all the moving parts and wires and connections.  When I pulled the back off (the part with the brushes in it...there was a dead bug kinda wound up in dust and stuff.  Other than that it was pretty clean inside but I still gave it a shot of compressed air and made sure the brushes were good and put it all back together.

Now its dead nutz on 14 and rock steady again.

any thoughts of could that bug "floating" around in there have caused the wandering readings or did I just happen to tighten one connection or by removing and replacing a connection cased a better flow of electricity.

First time I ever removed a dead bug from an alternator but I am glad I went in, them dead bugs cannot be good for business in there...lol  

[old2soon]

Well least ways it are a GOOD bug!  Maybe the resistance was raised cuz of the corpse? RIDE SAFE.

[Firefighter]

My battery voltage would be a volt or less low then look normal again, then I noticed with brake on, voltage was lower than usual. I pulled my alternator, cleaned and replaced the brushes and never had anymore problem. My old brushes were worn but not below the wear marks, so I don't know what exactly fixed it.

Gauges are great to warn of trouble before you have to start walking, and give piece of mind when you smell something burning while out in the middle of nowhere! Hope yours is fixed.

Guess you had better get your house fumigated!

[Jess from VA]

Watching the history channel the other day, I was informed the expression that something was bugged or had a bug in it, originated from the Navy finding an actual bug in some malfunctioning electrical device (long before computers) (as opposed to a listening device).    

Sounds reasonable.

Now, it covers all manner of electronic malfunctions.

[Dale_K]

Yes indeed.  Grace Hopper, the women who invented cobol and was a rear Admiral in the US Navy.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grace_Hopper

[Chrisj CMA]

My battery voltage would be a volt or less low then look normal again, then I noticed with brake on, voltage was lower than usual. I pulled my alternator, cleaned and replaced the brushes and never had anymore problem. My old brushes were worn but not below the wear marks, so I don't know what exactly fixed it.

Gauges are great to warn of trouble before you have to start walking, and give piece of mind when you smell something burning while out in the middle of nowhere! Hope yours is fixed.

Guess you had better get your house fumigated!

Everything worked perfectly on a test ride today. Did around 60 miles or so and the Volt meter didn't flinch high side of 14 Volts (exactly like the picture I posted) but I guess I was having too much fun.  It ran out of gas at 130 miles and I usually get to 150-155.  Flipped to reserve and made it the 10 miles to the station.  Filled up and it said 5.206 gallons.  Most I have ever put in.   

[Steve-L]

Maybe they were Navy guys who became IBM field service guys, but a vacuum cleaner was standard equipment with the original tube type mainframes. First thing you did was "debug" the system before trying to make any fixes.

Another interesting factoid in the electronics world. Not long after that in a major telephone company strike, it was discovered that as soon as a strike happened and orders weren't filled and techs weren't touching anything. All of the trouble calls just came to an almost complete stop. Most electronic problems are man made.

But I do believe Chris debugged his alternator.