Ford Smart Charging System

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Technician
TwoWaves
TwoWaves
Posts: 704
Joined: Thu Apr 24, 2014 8:32 pm

Re: Ford Smart Charging System

Post by Technician »

TBH looking at the sticker on the rear of the alternator, the rated output is 120A, the auto electrician did advise that the regulator was faulty and changed it, now before he changed it I had volt drop across the earth line around 0.39V, the alternator output measured across alternator case and battery positive terminal recorded around 13.8V, across battery 12.5V approx on the high side. After fitting a new regulator the alternator still did not produce an output greater than 12.5V, with a brand new battery fitted. I took the car back to the auto electrician and he put his own test equipment on the car and said the alternator is not charging, the battery voltage was dropping considerably, so I took the car back and removed the alternator again, took the alternator back to the auto electrician who tested it and said it was not charging, then looked inside and advised his fault the regulator was not correctly fitted!

I took the alternator and put back on the car and ran it again, VERSUS showed 13.2V, and battery voltage 12.3V. I measured the voltage at the battery with my digital voltmeter and recorded around 12.5V, highest reading, the volt drop around 0.39V was still present.

I decided to remove all battery and earth cables, a good visual inspection found nothing corroded and no bad or loose connections, the car is around 4 years old and very low mileage, I can't remember exactly but think it was very low at around 11.5 - 12000 miles.

Having cleaned all terminals of all cables even though I saw nothing, having replaced them all and then run the engine again, the VERSUS PID voltage remained at 13.2, the battery voltage PID remained at 12.3V, but the charging voltage at the battery had risen to 13.2V. The voltmeter across the battery terminals also registered 13.2V, which increased to around 13.8V and reduced as low as 12.5V when fully loaded from all vehicle electrics being switched on.

To date the car does not suffer flat battery symptoms anymore so it seems that a Fix is in order, although I'm not convinced the regulator was ever needed, but that's my opinion!

User avatar
STC
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Re: Ford Smart Charging System

Post by STC »

To date the car does not suffer flat battery symptoms anymore so it seems that a Fix is in order, although I'm not convinced the regulator was ever needed, but that's my opinion!
And that is what I hate with a passion in this trade. One brush will tarnish all !!!

If you're not or were not convinced that the regulator was needed then why replace it ? Is it because you were not paying for it but did profit from fitting it ? If neither then its Parts Darts.

Removing and taking any component from a car for testing to a specialist is tantamount to asking a drowning man if he would like to be thrown a life jacket. Desperation? Worse !!! an open admission that you do not have a thorough understanding of the workings of it so no clue where and how to test it.

If I can spot that the car has the wrong / bad battery sat possibly 100's of miles away from a forum post, also casts BIG doubts on the Regulator being faulty, what does that say about ...?

Then we can think about Your "Auto Electricians" that "advised" you that a Calcium in a Smart Charge is not essential. What a load of .... I could argue that my car does not need a good battery but then I live on a hill, work on a hill, Local Tesco is on a hill and has a fuel Station on the same Hill. It is all subjective ?

Replacing multiple components concurrently, in the absence of multiple symptoms is a by product of lack of evidence, the ability to gather said evidence or greed. Is there anything else ? What have I missed ?

By your own (partial)admission - You have "Misdiagnosed" that thing due to lack of "Knowledge" - "Training"

You will either continue in your career "Misdiagnosing" or "Training" One will repel the other.


but that's my opinion

Technician
TwoWaves
TwoWaves
Posts: 704
Joined: Thu Apr 24, 2014 8:32 pm

Re: Ford Smart Charging System

Post by Technician »

STC wrote:

(1) If you're not or were not convinced that the regulator was needed then why replace it ? Is it because you were not paying for it but did profit from fitting it ? If neither then its Parts Darts.

(2) Then we can think about Your "Auto Electricians" that "advised" you that a Calcium in a Smart Charge is not essential. What a load of .... I could argue that my car does not need a good battery but then I live on a hill, work on a hill, Local Tesco is on a hill and has a fuel Station on the same Hill. It is all subjective ?

(3) Replacing multiple components concurrently, in the absence of multiple symptoms is a by product of lack of evidence, the ability to gather said evidence or greed. Is there anything else ? What have I missed ?

(4) By your own (partial)admission - You have "Misdiagnosed" that thing due to lack of "Knowledge" - "Training"

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Referring to your point (1) above, the auto electrician advised the regulator had failed I didn't, on the car the alternator was not charging, there is more than one reason that can happen.

Referring to your point (2) above, you need to be careful what you imply, yes the auto electrician did advise that, but so did the battery manufacturer advice the same, so other than what you choose to believe, then I would go with the manufacturers advice.

Referring to your point (3) above, you need to think about what you are saying and understanding before you put it on a forum, where has multiple parts been replaced?

Where is the lack of evidence, the battery was not charging, the voltage at the battery was 12.3V when the engine was running, and if I remember correctly, and yes I do, you said that the battery was faulty, and yes you also advised that the battery testers are a load of crap because you said the best way to test a battery is via starter cranking using your scope, yet if the battery was undercharged at that time of your testing you would not be liable for over heating a discharged battery, causing internal damage, and then replacing that battery that you actually caused the damage to, just because you won't use proper battery testers to test batteries, and I would like to point out the original battery although was discharged actually is not faulty, as you said it was.

Now with regards to your point (4), you have also provided advice to others on this forum where they admit that they did not believe your diagnosis, but as he was respectful he chose to take the blame upon himself. We are not perfect but you chose to believe you are, I suppose your day has not yet arrived where you will get your legs kicked from under you and then you will "maybe" realise you are just like the rest of us, learning all the time.

Please stop replying to my posts.

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