Low Voltage?

[seminoles2005]

I believe theres a drain somewhere in my wiring for my vehicle. I recently got my car started after a year of sitting and have moved a few wires and also added a high output alternator. Its suppose to be a 200 amp saturn alternator that turns itself on and requires no wiring of the original alternator plug.

The car starts and everything works properly. All electronics start and work like they should but my voltage is very low. I have a bad idle surge which i believe is related to the drain my car is having somewhere. While its sitting and surging the idle will sit around 13.8 with no fans, lights, external pump for my air to water intercooler off. When i cut any of those things on it will drop my voltage to 13.3 and then 12.9 with each additional thing on.

Even while the car is being driven i get the same results. I have a 4 gauge wire to my alternator that runs back to my trunk where the battery is located. With the car on and the alternator 4 gauge wire disconnected i'm getting about 15.2 volts straight from the alternator. When i connect this back to the battery it drops to 13.5-13.8(depends on the idle since it surges)

If there was a short it would blow my fuses/melt wires/do something to where i would smell or affect something if its being grounded where it should not be. So i think there is something that is drawing all my power and keeping me from having a voltage above 13.8

If anyone has any ideas to try that will be great to help me figure out my problem.

Just to add to this I have an optima red top battery, I've already taken this to advance and they tested it and had no problems with it. They also recharged it for me and i've had the same results still.

 

[400hp93talon]

Its Gotta be the alternator,plug to the alternator,or a shitty ground if its droping randomly or not stayin steady on the gauge or possibly to much resistance in your battery cable somewhere thats highly doubtful but its a thought.

 

[seminoles2005]

Just to add to this I have an optima red top battery, I've already taken this to advance and they tested it and had no problems with it. They also recharged it for me and i've had the same results still.

There is no plug attached to the alternator. It is a self exciting alternator which means when the pulley moves the alternator starts to put out power. There's a 4 gauge wire attached to the alternator and the other end connected to the battery, removing the side connected to the battery and measuring what the alternator is putting out without the car drawing any power from it i've measure between 15.1-15.4 volts and stays there even when the car is reeved up.

 

[seminoles2005]

Does anyone have any suggestions in ways to check for something that is drawing all the power?

 

[PatricksDSM]

I had a simular problem and found that the automatic door solenoids were drawing the power out. I pulled the fuse and the problem went away. Dont know if this would help you?

 

[seminoles2005]

Like the solenoid that moves the seat belt? Basically did it just get stuck and couldnt move but was drawing power constantly? Like if you hold the power window switch down even when it cant move kinda thing?

Howd you notice that power was being drained? Were the lights constantly dim or did you notice the voltage drop?

 

[seminoles2005]

Nobody has any kind of advice?

I've tried removing my alternator power cables away from the battery and attaching some jumper cables to my dads truck to see if maybe the trucks alternator will keep the voltage up on my car while both are on. The trucks battery posts read 14.4 before attaching the cables and the dsm's post read 13.3 No accessories were on either car. With the cables attached there really was no change. Truck was at 14.3 and my car moved to 13.4

So i figured its not a faulty alternator on my car. Something is just draining the power while its on.

My only problem is that i'm not sure how to test where the drain is coming from?

 

[JAXWHITE1G]

13.5-14.4 are the normal voltage for most cars. Being a Saturn alt the rotational speed may be slower than necessary because of a smaller pulley size than Mitsubishi and may need to be spun faster to get the correct output. Hooking jumper cables from your dads truck may not help because of resistance in the cables.
You can isolate a battery drain by placing a test light between the negative battery cable and the negative post (cable disconnected) If the test lamp lights there is a drain. The radio will have a small drain to hold the time and stations. Unplug the fuses one at a time checking the lamp. If it goes out check to see what circuit that fuse controls and the components that are on it. You can do a similar test with the engine running and remove fuses until the voltage
Hope this may be helpful.

Mike

 

[PatricksDSM]

Sorry for the delayed reply. Hw I fiqured out it was the doors noids, was after my battery would be drained and dead after 2 days, I happen to go in my garage one night and heard a faint clicking sound coming from the driver door. I listened closer and heard it. I finally realized what it was and pulled the fuse. Low and behold, the battery did not drain.

Dont know if yours is doing the same, but it might be a place to start.