Battery warning light

[tkpm]

Hi guys,

I'm just finishing up doing the last few connection on my dash, but I cant seem to get my battery warning light to work.

This what I've done,
I've taken a wire from the small spade terminal on the alternator (Ford Pinto Alternator) to the warning light, then another wire the light to a fused connection on second position of the ignition switch.

Terry

[MikeB]

Does it light up before you start the engine (it should do if the engine is earthed)
Not sure on the pinto alternator but you just need 12v to cancel the light out. Try one of the other terminals.

[davedew]

What are you using for the light? Is it a bulb or a LED? If it's an LED you will need to put a resistor in parallel to the LED to allow enough current through to excite the alternator.

[SeriesLandy]

Originally Posted by davedew

What are you using for the light? Is it a bulb or a LED? If it's an LED you will need to put a resistor in parallel to the LED to allow enough current through to excite the alternator.

I've got a std sierra alternator and led on my race tech dash and mine seems fine.

[Wynand]

Originally Posted by davedew

What are you using for the light? Is it a bulb or a LED? If it's an LED you will need to put a resistor in parallel to the LED to allow enough current through to excite the alternator.

I had the same problem with LED charge indicator. Have a resister in parallel to LED to reduce 12V to 3V but it failed to excite the alternator.
Got around the problem by fitting a small globe between LED wires out of sight and that solved the problem and LED works perfectly - light up when ignition is switched on and dies when engine run.

[davedew]

The Led in my Acewell dash worked but it was lazy. Had to rev car to 2.5k before alternator would self excite.
Resistor mod made it start charging instantly.