Electrical charging problem

[nickolas]

I am back. My car was hit from the rear in October, insurance decided to fix it, found out it was the rear panel and bumper damage.
I posted in Oct/Nov about an electrical issue.
Long story short, my car keeps dying on me.
What happens is I will be driving along and all of a sudden my ABS light comes on, my check engine light and my stereo will shut off....I guess telling me I am draining the battery.  The battery is brand new and I have a rebuilt and tested alternator.  
I had an issue with my fuse box a while ago with my #15 fuse...it melted a bit of the fuse holder.  I do not know why that fuse over heated, but in my reading, that fuse also functions with the aux. fan. Which might be seized.
I guess my question is has anyone had to change their fuse box?  Or has anyone ever had this issue where the light falsh and the car dies.  I had to leave it today and go borrow another car to get to work.  I will have to go and see if I can get it home tomorrow. I don't want to keep throwing my at it, but I am out about $600 in tow bills, battery and alternator.
Any info would be greatly appreciated.

[hoevesruperd]

What happens is I will be driving along and all of a sudden my ABS light comes on, my check engine light and my stereo will shut off....I guess telling me I am draining the battery.  The battery is brand new and I have a rebuilt and tested alternator.  

honestly i dont know about the fuse box but if it happens while you are driving it is due to your battery as the alternator is made to deliver enough output to run everything on the car and charge the battery.

check the ground from the alternator, maybe with road vibration its disconnecting itself and then the car could run on the battery for only a few minutes. if the ground is rusted that might be it as well.

good luck, kept us posted

[RED IS 91]

When you get it home what do you have to do to get it started.Charge the battery ??
Is it intermittent?
When you put a meter on your battery when it's running does it read 13-14 volts?
We need more info to diagnose your problem.

[nickolas]

The car is not home yet, I went to get the battery out to charge it.  I will go and get the car later tonight, once the battery charges.  
I will try the diagnostics recommended in the bentley book for 'testing current drain'.  I will report once I get through the testing.  I will be thankful for any input.  Thanks for responding

[nickolas]

I charged the battery last night and then went and put it in the car today and drove it home.
At home I put a tester on the battery and reved the car to 1500rpm and the battery tester only showed +/- 11amps, so I guess it is not getting recahrged from the alternator.
The battery charge light does not go on when I turn the key on.  I disconnected the blue wire from the back of the alternator (as described in the bentley book) and when I grounded it and turned the key to the on position all the right side warning lights came on..battery light, the anti lock brake light, and the abs light.
I also noticed that when I put the blue wired back on the back of the alternator and turn the key to the on position, the abs light comes on for a second and I then hear two clicks and the light goes out.
The alternator was rebuilt, so I do not know if it is the regulator. I am not sure where the regulator is, or if it is internal.
Any thoughts appreciated.
I will keep posting my testing.
Thx

[hoevesruperd]

I am not sure where the regulator is, or if it is internal.
Thx

the regulator is integrated in the alternator i believe. i also think i read somewhere that those two clicks mean something either about the battery or the alternator
if the battery doesnt get 13.8 (i think) volts when the engine is at idle then its either your alternator (get it check where you bought it, maybe it was not rebuilt properly) or you have a wire somewhere that is draining all the current.
 
sorry i don't know much more
good luck

[nickolas]

I will try tomorrow night again.
I have read more on other boards, on other things to check.
The fellow at the shop said he rebuilt the alternator and tested it but maybe he did not do it right.  There is definitely no charge going to the battery.
I found some other ways to try and differentiate between the alternator, regulator and wiring problems.
I will post again tomorrow.

[hoevesruperd]

i would definitely take it back to the shop.
hope you can get that sorted out soon

[nickolas]

After all the headache, I find today that the first guy who so called repaired the alternator, didn't.  He patched it up, called it a re build and billed me twice!
Found another shop to check it and said the first job was a hack job.  Said the first shop actaully tried to pry the bearing cover to repack the bearing rather than change it...the regulatorwas bad..the guy was recommended to me, you never know, but cost me about $350...popped the new alternator in and the car is running better than ever.
Thanks for the posts.