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In Reply to: With no equipment to check things, you ... posted by Bob on November 15, 2000 at 01:27:42:
Disconnect the battery at the negative post and touch the connector to a 12 bulb (tail lamp is fine) outter barrel, then touch the center bulb contact to the battery post. It should blink on, then die out completely. If it stays on bright or dim, you have something that is NOT turning off in your electrical system.
To test the alternator as well as the in-car circuits, Radio Shack sells a system checker for about $8 that has several LEDs that are voltage calibrated and are marked to indicate proper charging voltage, etc.
You can't get away for less $ to test things than that!
You can remove the alternator and take it to a parts store and they can check it alone, but that doesn't eliminate a wiring problem in teh car's harness.
I am very sorry, but you are dead wrong and advocating a very dangerous procedure here, Bob.
If you connect a 12 volt bulb in series with the battery connector. You are connecting a lighting device meant to hold maybe 1/2 amp to a 200 amp circuit for God's sake!!
The bulb will explode possibly burning poor matt if he has the bulb in his hand, or showering him with hot glass, blinding him at the very least.
You must use an professional ampmeter capable of withstanding at LEAST 200 amps for such a test. Using anything different will destroy the starter and chance serious personal injury to the user. The battery can supply 1000 amps short circuit current, so you really should use a 1000 amp ampmeter to be safe.
If you don't understand these things PLEASE leve them to those of us who do.
Don
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