Ominous electric failue of a Volvo 2030

[Chanquete]

Hello!
This time I am asking for enlightenment
Today I switched on my Volvo 2030 and as usual it started immediately running evenly regularly without problems. Oil pressure also OK.
But my instrument panel indicated no electrical charge (12 V instead 14V) and the rpm instrument showed mistakenly strong (inexistent) rpm oscillations.
The belt of the generator was OK turning without problems.
The no charge alarm began to sound.

I switched off the engine.
I am trying to understand the failure.

Anyone knows this type of failure?
Thanks in advance.


Chanquete

 

[VicS]

Hello!
This time I am asking for enlightenment
Today I switched on my Volvo 2030 and as usual it started immediately running evenly regularly without problems. Oil pressure also OK.
But my instrument panel indicated no electrical charge (12 V instead 14V) and the rpm instrument showed mistakenly strong (inexistent) rpm oscillations.
The belt of the generator was OK turning without problems.
The no charge alarm began to sound.

I switched off the engine.
I am trying to understand the failure.

Anyone knows this type of failure?
Thanks in advance.


Chanquete

Could be a number of things:

Bad connections
(Multi pin connectors on engine wiring ????)

worn alternator brushes

defective regulator

 

[charles_reed]

Could be a number of things:

Bad connections
(Multi pin connectors on engine wiring ????)

worn alternator brushes

defective regulator

I think the defective regulator can be ruled out (rpm indicator also affected).

Probably brushes, commutator or field windings.

Only sensible course of action, alternator out and into an auto-electrician for bench-test and repair. that should also sort the possibility of wiring mal-connection.

 

[VicS]

I think the defective regulator can be ruled out (rpm indicator also affected).

Probably brushes, commutator or field windings.

Only sensible course of action, alternator out and into an auto-electrician for bench-test and repair. that should also sort the possibility of wiring mal-connection.

commutator ??

 

[Bilgediver]

commutator ??

The other sort.......Slip rings

 

[charles_reed]

commutator ??

Yeah! you can tell how old I am - I meant the piece on which the brushes run.

 

[johnalison]

This happened to me once when on passage and with the light of a torch in the darkness I found a loose connection somewhere on the alternator, in fact it had come right off. I don't know what it was but all was well after reconnecting.

 

[oldvarnish]

I found a loose connection somewhere on the alternator, in fact it had come right off. I don't know what it was but all was well after reconnecting.

Me too. Same symptoms and the above solution

 

[Grumpybear]

Me too. Same symptoms and the above solution

Me too. The terminal post in question is probably the one you can't reach with a (very small) spanner unless you take the belt off the pulley and swing the alternator away from the engine. It takes the return from the panel as a whole, the tacho and the alarms. In extremis, the electrics will stay dead when you try to start the engine, probably when you really need it. Ask me how I know this.....

 

[billmacfarlane]

I had the same thing happen with my Volvo 2030. I groped about at the back of the alternator and found a tag without a wire on it on the alternator. More fishing about found an unconnected wire with a spade connector at the end of it. I put 2 and 2 together and connected the wire to the spade connector and I had charging batteries. Might be a good place to start before taking things apar.

 

[Chanquete]

Vics,Charles reed, Bilgediver, Johanalison, Old Varnish, Grumpybear and Billmacfarlane I thank you all very much for your clear suggestions.
Next week I will inspect carefully the zone around the alternator hoping to find only a connection problem.
Muchas gracias!

 

[DJE]

I don't know if it's the same as my 2002 but I had very similar symptoms and eventually a total electrical failure and a dead panel. I traced it to the fuse block on the top of the engine. I just moved the connector the the next pin along and all was well. Weirdly I moved it back a few days later and it worked in the original position so it hadn't blown the fuse.