Mean Green hi output alternator fuse source

[LTtaco]

The red wire in the middle was the 'dead' wire. For grins I also tightened the lower alternator mount bolt like crazy and it seems to have worked, so I guess the ground is through the brackets etc. The truck is charging now and not showing any battery light. I'm still going to run a piece of 0-gauge from the alternator to the frame just to insure I have a good consistent ground.
Thank you for your help.

[LTtaco]

Ok, back to the drawing board.
I believe I was still not getting a good consistent ground after tightening the lower bracket bolt, the battery indicator light was staying off all the time, and it would be fine when first starting up for a few minutes, then I would start having high idle problems a few minutes down the road. I went ahead and ran a 0-gauge ground wire from the alternator lower bracket bolt straight up to the negative battery terminal to make sure is was getting sufficient ground. Now its not charging at all, and the battery light is constantly on. The only other thing I can think of it being would be the voltage regulator, but this is a brand new Mean Green hi output alternator....
Any idea or input would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
P.S. Previously the high idle issue was due to the IAC getting low voltage.

[Enola Gaia]

It might be worthwhile to get the new alternator tested. There's always the chance it's a 'bum' unit.

[LTtaco]

Originally Posted by Enola Gaia

It might be worthwhile to get the new alternator tested. There's always the chance it's a 'bum' unit.

So I pulled the new MG "high output" alternator off and took it to a local specialist. He tested it and found the unit to only be good for 125amps and suffering from bad voltage drop at that level too. So we'll see how customer service handles this tomorrow. I'll keep everyone updated. Also, he said its just a Denso unit they are selling, he also showed me a 160amp unit he had which had way more copper coiling in it that my MG.

[LTtaco]

Originally Posted by Enola Gaia

It might be worthwhile to get the new alternator tested. There's always the chance it's a 'bum' unit.

Ok, I got another OEM unit to bolt on the rig temporarily while the bunk MG unit is sent off. I stuck the OEM unit(which I had tested, it was good) on the truck and got everything hooked up, started the truck and the battery light was off and stayed off. So I took it for a quick spin and after it came up to temperature, it started with the high idle business again(low voltage symptom causing idle air control problems), so with the engine idling at 900-1000 rpm and the head lights on I took a reading at the battery posts with the multi-meter and it was only seeing 11.8 volts, lights off 11.9, and after key off was showing 12.1, so this tells me it isn't charging for whatever reason. I can't figure out what it might be. Something has to be burned up or broken. Any ideas? I know it has multiple good grounds. The only thing I can figure is the three wire plug.

[Enola Gaia]

I'm starting to wonder if you've got a parasitic power drainage somewhere ...

[LTtaco]

I'm gonna check the "cube style" fuses tomorrow and see if either of those might be the culprit.

[LTtaco]

Originally Posted by Enola Gaia

I'm starting to wonder if you've got a parasitic power drainage somewhere ...

Enola, it wouldn't surprise me a bit. There's so much chaos going on with all the electrical additions. I'm just gonna have to take it to someone who knows what they are doing.
I'm gonna check those two fuses first, but they're probably fine.

I really appreciate your info.

[LTtaco]

All the fuses were good.... I pulled the harness from the fuse block to the alternator/starter and found a broken wire.

[flatboy]

Electrical just baffles me, hope that broken wire is it.