Alternator was from Andrew Page cost £215+vat

Had to go out this afternoon, battery read 12.1 when we left... varied between 12.8 and 14.1 during the trip which was an hour and a half at motorway speeds, on return I left it for an hour and the battery read 12.3.... mine always sat at 12.6 until the flat battery recently...

Will check it out more next week... battery is still under warranty as well......

I did check all the earth connections when I fitted the Winch but I'll go through it all again anyway....

Had to babysit some furniture in the garage but it's gone now so I can get fatty back in there....  Pete
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2014 L405 Autobiography SDV8 4.4 Loire Blue Ebony interior
2011 L322 Vogue SE 4.4 TDV8 Baltic Blue. Parchment over Navy Interior. Sold
2012 L322 Autobiography 5.0 Supercharged Ipanema Sand, Jet Interior. Sold
2002 L322 Vogue 4.4 V8 Epson Green, Ivory over Aspen Interior (Fatty Offroader) Sold
-Click for Project Fatty off roader-

Pete are there any repair specialists in your area? Someone with a test rig? cos if your voltage is going up and down like a yoyo, it might pay you to get it tested before it's sent away for replacement, or not

think that these are the closest to you http://www.chapmanautoelectrics.co.uk/about.html Yesterday I couldn't spell Engineer... Today I are one!
Inventor of the 'Guide-o-Matic automatic wheel alignment tool'
Former long term L322 owner, Up/Down graded to a Classic Tractor!

There is one in Hull... I don't think it's the alternator, I think it's whatever controls the alternator... which bit decides how much output it puts out??? It's got a wire going to the ECM does that control it???

The old one did the same, if they put out what they should, 150amps, the battery would be charged in minutes, my battery charger is a 6amp and after an hour the battery is fully charged....!!!

Rave is no help at all.... Pete
__________________________________________________
2014 L405 Autobiography SDV8 4.4 Loire Blue Ebony interior
2011 L322 Vogue SE 4.4 TDV8 Baltic Blue. Parchment over Navy Interior. Sold
2012 L322 Autobiography 5.0 Supercharged Ipanema Sand, Jet Interior. Sold
2002 L322 Vogue 4.4 V8 Epson Green, Ivory over Aspen Interior (Fatty Offroader) Sold
-Click for Project Fatty off roader-

I'm not sure if they have an internal regulator any more, got a feeling that my Jeep didn't either, in which case it would be an ecu varying the input voltage to the rotor to adjust the output, but it still could be the brushes, if they are worn or "Rusty" , they might not be making proper contact with the rotor and producing the same result. Ie, as the brushes arc the voltage drops in the field and the output goes south  Yesterday I couldn't spell Engineer... Today I are one!
Inventor of the 'Guide-o-Matic automatic wheel alignment tool'
Former long term L322 owner, Up/Down graded to a Classic Tractor!

Can't bloody sleep

So I had a nose around, and from what I can tell your alternator does have a voltage regulator in it, so I can only imagine that the ECM wire is for monitoring purposes (probably linked to the screen of Doom )

The nice chap who performed an autopsy on his alternator http://www.fullfatrr.com/forum/topic34355....er+cooled, did sort of hint that the regulator was a wee bit sensitive.......... Have you been welding your car recently with the battery connected and the engine off or playing with high drain electrical items I would be inclined to suspect the alternator as wounded , and try and blag another before the warranty runs out  Yesterday I couldn't spell Engineer... Today I are one!
Inventor of the 'Guide-o-Matic automatic wheel alignment tool'
Former long term L322 owner, Up/Down graded to a Classic Tractor!

The Alternators may well have a regulator in them, but they are 'intelligent', i.e. have a control input from one of the ECU's to vary charging voltages etc, Rate of charging of a battery varies massively with its temperature, the colder they are, the more difficult to get charge in (or current out) as the internal resistance goes up considerably at low temperatures - that is why batteries always seem to 'die' with the onset of cold weather.

There is a good description for the 2006 on cars in the workshop manual in the WIKI, although I know these are different to the earlier Bosch ones as they are made by Denso, and are air cooled rather than being water cooled like the Bosch ones (changed mine a couple of months back due to noisy bearings), but I would imagine the principles are the same. 2006 (56 Reg) 4.4 V8 Vogue In Bonatti Grey (Gorgeous!!)

It doesn't seem to have brushes???

M62 TU & M73 TU WATER COOLED GENERATOR OVERVIEW

With continual expansion of electrical systems in the areas of emission compliance and added occupant convenience features, the demands placed on vehicle power supply and charging systems also increases.

To keep up with electrical system demands BMW is utilizing a new water cooled generator on M62 TU and M73 TU equipped vehicles.

The water cooled generator (F-alternator) has a variable output of 90 to 150 Amps based on engine speed.

MECHANICAL BENEFITS
• High overall power output varied by engine speed
- idling speed = 90 A
- part load: =150 A
• Stabilized water cooling temperatures
• Generator noise levels are significantly reduced.
• Improved durability and longer component lifespan due to omission of carbon brushes.
• Omission of air cooled generator ram air ducting freeing up precious underhood space.

FUNCTIONAL BENEFITS
The generator is fitted with a load response feature. This feature activates a time delay of generator output between engine start-up and engine running phases of operation. This prevents generator induced drag during engine start-up.


GENERATOR TEMPERATURES
In a conventional air-cooled generator, rapid temperature increases occur immediately after engine start-up and during peak current demands (rainy day: lights on, wipers on, etc.). As engine speed increases, air flow increases which provides generator cooling. Conventional air cooled generator temperatures fluctuate based on engine speed, vehicle speed (ram air) and generator load.

On the other hand, water cooled generator temperatures are more stable since they are not influenced by engine or vehicle speed. This stabilizes the internal temperature significantly improving the lifespan of the generator since individual components are not subjected to stress of fluctuating temperature.

Don't think the alternator has been damaged as it's always done what it does...!!!

All very weird, I wish they would give out more info on these systems.... Pete
__________________________________________________
2014 L405 Autobiography SDV8 4.4 Loire Blue Ebony interior
2011 L322 Vogue SE 4.4 TDV8 Baltic Blue. Parchment over Navy Interior. Sold
2012 L322 Autobiography 5.0 Supercharged Ipanema Sand, Jet Interior. Sold
2002 L322 Vogue 4.4 V8 Epson Green, Ivory over Aspen Interior (Fatty Offroader) Sold
-Click for Project Fatty off roader-

 Yesterday I couldn't spell Engineer... Today I are one!
Inventor of the 'Guide-o-Matic automatic wheel alignment tool'
Former long term L322 owner, Up/Down graded to a Classic Tractor!

Hi Pete , Before starting this morning mine read 12.3V (like yours) Howard
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2002 4.4 V8 LPG Tartarini
Have RSW AllComms in Cheshire J17 M6 - happy to help.
*Gone: Classic Vogue SE Auto V8 3.9

Please don,t laugh at me if I am wrong, but my memory is telling me that the single wire feeds the engine rev counter.
Easy to tell if I am right. snip it and rev counter dies.

I had all the symptoms you have described. Bong bong bong. Did loads of checks with internal voltmeter on the "secret screen" and found that it would be as low as 12v some days and then be all ok for a couple of days. Then back to 12v. I banged a new denso alternator on from euro car prats and all has been good ever since. Was really bugging me because everyday it would start fine but as i used it it deteriorated .

Baltic Blue wrote:

Please don,t laugh at me if I am wrong, but my memory is telling me that the single wire feeds the engine rev counter.
Easy to tell if I am right. snip it and rev counter dies.

Your quite right, sort of The alternator extra wire on cars from the 90's defiantly fed the Rev counter.... but they didn't have ECU's or electronic fuel injection. Because our modern cars have fuel injection, the ECU needs to know where the engine is at to squirt the fuel at the right moment. So there are several sensors measuring the rotation of the engine, logic would say that you'd use these to feed the Rev counter, rather than relying on the alternator. But who knows, they still might be doing it the old fashioned way  Yesterday I couldn't spell Engineer... Today I are one!
Inventor of the 'Guide-o-Matic automatic wheel alignment tool'
Former long term L322 owner, Up/Down graded to a Classic Tractor!

Diesels used the alternator for the rev counter mostly...

Krisleeds, it's had a new Bosch alternator, did the same with the old one as well so don't think it's that...

SMUTT... your is as bad as mine then....

miggit, whats that picture supposed to show me, I'm being a bit thick???

Went laning yesterday, had the battery on charge over night... engine off voltage read 13.2 after being charged all night... drove for an hour at 70mph and it read 14.2 or 14.2 the whole way....

Got there and switched off, voltage read 12.4

Drove around all day and voltage varied between low 13 and 14, got home after long day (that's another story) after another 1 1/2 hours on motorway at 14.1 and 14.2... Battery at lunchtime today read 12.4...

I recon the battery is failing.... ??? Pete
__________________________________________________
2014 L405 Autobiography SDV8 4.4 Loire Blue Ebony interior
2011 L322 Vogue SE 4.4 TDV8 Baltic Blue. Parchment over Navy Interior. Sold
2012 L322 Autobiography 5.0 Supercharged Ipanema Sand, Jet Interior. Sold
2002 L322 Vogue 4.4 V8 Epson Green, Ivory over Aspen Interior (Fatty Offroader) Sold
-Click for Project Fatty off roader-

the only sure way to find that out Pete is to do a drop test..most tyre/battery/garages should be able to do that.. ... - .- -.




Y. O. L. O.
.

Yeah, I will do Stan, my mate has two different types, a drop test one and a fancy snap on all singing and dancing one, trouble is if it's not totally gone the suppliers don't like taking them back... if it is going it may get helped along a bit...  Pete
__________________________________________________
2014 L405 Autobiography SDV8 4.4 Loire Blue Ebony interior
2011 L322 Vogue SE 4.4 TDV8 Baltic Blue. Parchment over Navy Interior. Sold
2012 L322 Autobiography 5.0 Supercharged Ipanema Sand, Jet Interior. Sold
2002 L322 Vogue 4.4 V8 Epson Green, Ivory over Aspen Interior (Fatty Offroader) Sold
-Click for Project Fatty off roader-