Electrical Charging Problem
 

Before I started my new mod (installing a custom dash cluster), my charging system worked great, my battery was reading around 13V with the engine off, and my AutoMeter gauge (DVM confirmed) showed around 14.5V when the engine was running. It was like this for the last two years (with my underdrives, no A/C and 3G Alt.).

My new mod was to install a custom dash cluster (Florida 5.0 with an Autometer Tach & Speedo) and 12V LED's for Turn Signals, High Beams, Seat belts, etc. Well, the cluster install went fairly well, I traced all the connections to the two stock connectors, and all of my LED's function properly, and my gauge illumination works fine, and I even spliced in the anti-slosh module for my Autometer Fuel Level gauge. Now, my problem is - my battery is NEVER charging - the Volts do not fluctuate with engine RPM, after charging my battery to 13.5V with a charger, it steadily dropped to around 11V on my drive in to work today - and now it won't start again. When I put on the turn signal, it lights up for about 1.5 seconds and then turns off for about a second, then repeats (it does not blink rapidly like it used to).

I know I am reaching for straws - but if you guys could point me in the right direction to start checking things I would really appreciate it!

I guess the first thing I should do is completely remove the new cluster and see if I have a short of some kind (or maybe I didn't ground something that should have remained grounded?).

Could the alternator have "suddenly" gone bad when reconnecting the battery after my gauge install?

I can't imagine that I have a direct short to ground - and I really don't want to take that darned cluster out if it is not causing the problem.

Thanks for your help!

BTW, the car ran fine today for my 20 mile drive to work, the battery just slowly drained (as I watched the volts go down from 12.5 to 11V).

Hey! I think I know your problem. I have a 95 mustang but it shoudl be the same principle. I took my guage cluster out one day to work on it but then got a phone call to pick someone up who lived 20 miles away. So i got in the car without the ins. cluster in and drove off. I pick them up, but when I went to start the car, it barely started. And then I started driving back and after 2 minutes the car just died...flat dead while my foot was on the gas! So I get jumped and start out again. 2 minutes later...car dies again while driving. I call up my bro to go get my ins. cluster, put it in, get jumped again and it works now.

So there must be some connection in the ins. cluster that enables the alternator to work is my guess. Get a haynes manual and look at the wiring specs. in the back. Good luck!

Had the same problem when I built my custom dash. I thought that i could just unplug the gauges and run my autometers. Wrong!!! I can't remember exactly what I did to fix it but I do remember it had something to do with the stock volt gauge being disconnected. I think there was a input and output for the volt gauge so I just connected the two wires. I think that that the wire that gives you a reading on your gauge is a sending wire for the voltage regulater if I remember correctly. If it is not connected it will not get a reading and the alternator will not know to charge.

Hope this helps,
Wade

Thanks for the info! There is a 580 ohm resistor on the back of the cluster that goes between the ignition +12V and then to the Alt charging connection. I thought this was only needed if I wanted to keep the Alt. idiot light. I guess I will try hooking the resistor across those two wires and see if it works (then I guess I would be the idiot!). Thanks again.