Battery Light on Solid

[Proud Pao Owner]

I have a March 1990 Pao. The battery light came on any stays on. The battery doesn't seem to have drained any. My mechanic has looked at it and thinks that it is a diode that is separate from the alternator. Does this seem right , or does anyone have any suggestions.


Thanks in advance.

Terry

 

[Chicago Mark]

Terry, I'm not a mechanic, but ...if your mechanic had not already looked at it I'd say place a battery tester on the battery and with the engine off it should read around 12.6 volts. Then start the motor and check again and it should read around 14 volts (I don't know the precise number for this model).

If it's much less than 14 volts then your lights are draining the battery faster than the alternator can charge it and you may need a new alternator. If you get a reading around 14, but below 12 with the engine off then it is probably your battery. If both your readings are good then you don't seem to have a problem at all except for the light coming on. Do you have a battery tester. They don't cost much.

 

[Proud Pao Owner]

Terry, I'm not a mechanic, but ...if your mechanic had not already looked at it I'd say place a battery tester on the battery and with the engine off it should read around 12.6 volts. Then start the motor and check again and it should read around 14 volts (I don't know the precise number for this model).

If it's much less than 14 volts then your lights are draining the battery faster than the alternator can charge it and you may need a new alternator. If you get a reading around 14, but below 12 with the engine off then it is probably your battery. If both your readings are good then you don't seem to have a problem at all except for the light coming on. Do you have a battery tester. They don't cost much.

 

[Proud Pao Owner]

Coincidentally I tried that exact test this morning. Everything checks out completely normal. What is particularly odd is that the battery doesn't seem to be discharging it all. I appreciate your suggestion and that you're trying to help me out.

thank you

Terry

 

[Proud Pao Owner]

Sorry in not getting back sooner with the fix to my problem.

The alternator was charging the battery just like it was designed to do. What it wasn't doing was telling the in-dash battery light that it was doing its job. I could have left the generator on and things would have continued to work, with the exception the I would have had this bright red light on all the time. I had the alt replaced and everything is good. It took myself and on the third mechanic to resolve the problem.

Thanks for your help.

Terry