Hey guys. I haven't been on here since July 10th and that's GREAT news lol. So I noticed something today. It's pouring rain right now so I can only ask this based on the gauge. You know I had the alternator rebuilt and new battery since June. I drove 30 mins this morning with headlights, radio, defrost and wipers on. When I was sitting still in school traffic, the gauge would fall under the halfway mark. It's always been above it. It never fell in the red/orange area.

I know I had a load on it and normally I don't use all of that but in rain, we have to. Later I'll do a voltage check on it with it on and off and see what readings I get but have you noticed the gauge doing that? That is as low as it got and when I was able to drive, it was in the middle. It did start off around 14v or so for about 10 to 15 mins.

 

better check and clean wire ends to alt and battery.

 

That's what my husband said he would do this weekend. If it wasn't making contact with alt, why would the gauge climb back up some? It sounds like it's charging some doesn't it?

 

lose connection will work as nomal untill it heats up the part that is connecting then it can lose its ability to conduct all but small amounts of electricity.

 

Ok right now the car is sitting in water. Now I have something else to worry about. There's no where to move it and I wouldn't dare try to crank it.

 

Voltmeter shows normal. An alt needs rpm for conversion of more power.
At idle, and as you say, quite the load on the alt, voltage indication will be lower.
Yes, the alt is capable of ex, 80 amps of power, but only if spinning at 3000 rpm or above, not at idle.

Your rebuilt alt should have had a data card showing the output characteristics.
GM voltmeters generally have 13 volts as the middle marker.
With water about the Camaro, I wouldn't start it either.

 

I actually cropped that gauge out of the picture and went back to look. When that picture was snapped, the car was at 2000 rpm. I think I was actually moving from a stop sign lol. I checked it while ago and battery was 12.38 before cranking and while running it was over 14v. I think maybe 14.12 or so. The gauge is up around 14 too. My husband said he tightened up the cables on the battery a little.

Did start the car and besides some fire ants in it, it seems normal.

 

If I remember correctly, these were the cars that were tire deep in water. And now fire ants. LoL.

 

Yeah it was. They get in my son's RS all the time though.

 

So if the car keeps doing this should I be concerned? I will drive it on my morning school run tomorrow. Maybe it's always been this way and I'm just so gauge conscious to notice it now.