Volt gauge maxed out? ( 18 + volts)

[2GEEZEY]

I tested out my volt gauge( autometer phantom 2) just hooked it up to the battery really quick, just ground and positve, and it maxed out. It went all the way to the right ( 18 +)

whats the deal here?

 

[Codester]

Do you have a different voltmeter or a multimeter? I have a nice one at home and a cheap $3 harbor freight meter in the trunk. Are any of your interior or exterior bulbs like really bright? If so sounds like your voltage regulator in your alternator is dead.

Until you verify if it's the gauge or the alternator I wouldn't drive it anymore as you can cause some serious damage.

 

[nuclearr]

was the car running when you tested it?

 

[ziggo0]

My alternator randomly likes to output higher voltage than I'm comfortable with. I've seen it at 18v before, sometimes 16v and usually mid 14's to highest of 15. I fixed up all my grounds with higher gauge wire (mostly for the stereo) and everything started behaving much better.

 

[2GEEZEY]

I do remember braking the ground I belive off the alternator, It screws into this plastic piece, ill take a pic. could that have anthing to do with it? I super glued it back on. look at the pics.

 

[viprez586]

That's the oil pressure switch. Completely un-related.

 

[2GEEZEY]

It is? I thought its a ground for the alternator.

 

[BLINKY619]

yea its for the oil pressure

 

[viprez586]

The alternator is grounded to the engine block by it's casing.

 

[turboglenn]

if the bulb for the alt in the dash is out or the "field or source" wires (one is the bulb but i can't recall which) i have seen the alt keep going higher and higher trying to get a reading back to itss self.. best thing you can do is a saturn alt swap, it's so simple anyone can do it with a grinder and a soldering iron (or even more ghetto a crimper) and all your chargin issues will go "bye-bye"

 

[2GEEZEY]

But the thing is the car is running fine, none of the dome lights or anything is super bright, you cant even tell its a issue. The only way i figured out i had a problem is when i hooked the gauge up to the battery really quick.

 

[viprez586]

Get a volt meter and verify the gauge is reading accurately.