No recharging from alternator

Long story short, one day I came to my 89 (Renix) 4.0 and the optima battery was dead, I dunno if I left the doors opend and the interior lights sucked it out or anything else happened. When putting a new battery ine, I managed to swap the cables/poles for a few seconds (all my other XJs are diesel which have oposite oriented poles on the batteries) got some smoke somewhere from PS but managed to drive away, somewhere later I noticed I got very low voltage (voltage meter ) got home, cheched the voltage and found that the alternator is not giving any power.

Changed alternator to a previously working one, and a "box" where many cables go to on the PS, do not know whats its name. But still nothing.

Can anyone be of any help?

I took it to my electrician, but he could not figure out anything?

Or at least electricity scheme of the renix motor I could print and give to my electrician? I am located in europe, so not many experience with this type of electricity wiring

thank to all

Hey sorry I have no advice. However if you are ever in the West Germany area look me up I live by Trier. We just started a Offroad club out here if you see my post, Service members overseas it has a link to our new web site. If you have any good places to go wheeling out by you post them up.
See ya

Fine, I sometimes go to Germany to buy XJs I can pop out

To others: My dash lights are out also

It sounds like you burned out a "fusible" link in your charging system. You might want to check a manual and find the locations. But with the smoke coming as you reversed the cables, its a good possibility.

Good Luck.

any clue where the fusible link can be/lead to?

Let me clarify.....I am not sure there are fusible links in the charging system. But every circuit will be protected with a fuse, breaker or fusible link. Typically fusible links are in the last few inches of wire in a circuit.

What I would do is..... check the wire between the alternator and the battery for continuity. I think that is where your problem lies. If no continuity, inspect closely for a fusible link/fuse/breaker that is bad in the line.
If you have no continuity in the line, the alternator can not get voltage to the battery.
In checking the alternator, you should check volatage at the alternator itself to eliminate a bad/broken circuit.

Hope this helps......am away from both my Jeep and what few manuals I have!!

When the leads were reversed you may have fried the diodes and/or the internal voltage regulator within the Alternator.

Definitely have the Alternator tested.

Good Luck!

I changed the alternator to a previously working one,

I will test the links

Had a chance to look at a manual.....here is the correct check procedure.

1. Turn off all electrical components on the vehicle. Make sure the doors of the car are closed. If the vehicle is equipped with a clock, disconnect the clock by removing the lead wire from the rear of the clock. Disconnect the positive battery cable from the battery and connect the ground wire on a test light to the disconnected positive battery cable. Touch the probe end of the test light to the positive battery post. The test light should not light. If the test light does light, there is a short or open circuit on the vehicle.

2. Disconnect the voltage regulator wiring harness at the voltage regulator. Turn on the ignition key. Connect the wire on a test light to a good ground (engine bolt). Touch the probe end of the test light to the ignition iwre connector in the voltage regulator wiring connector. This wire corresponds to the l terminal on the regulator. If the test light goes on, the charging system warning llight circuit is complete. If the test light does not come on the the warning light on the instrument panel is on, either the resistor wire, which is parallel with the warning light or the wiring to the voltage regulator is defective. If the test light does not come on and the warning light is not on, either the bulb is defective or the power supply wire from the battery through the ignition switch to the bulb has an open circuit. Connect the wiring harness to the regulator.

3. Examine the FUSE LINK WIRE in the wiring harness from the starter relay to the alternator. If the insulation on the wire is cracked or split, the fuse link may be melted. Connect a test light to the fuse link by attaching the ground wire of the test light to a engine bolt and touching the probe end of the light to the bottom of the fuse link wire where it splices into the alternator output wire. If the bulb in the test light does not light, the fuse link is melted.

In looking at the wiring diagram, there is a RED wire coming off the alternator that has a fusible link in it that will be green, orange or blue just before it reaches the starter relay. It looks like all the fusible links are connected to the starter relay, so that would be the place to look. They will look like a bulge in the wire covered with tape or other shielding.

I need to get a scanner.....then I could send you the diagram and the written instructions!! Anyway, if I can help you anymore, just holler. If you send me your email by PM, I will make a effort to get it scanned for you!

Just another note a friend told me about.

Sometimes when a battery is hooked up backwards, it reverses the polarity to correct it, he advised the battery must be discharged with a light or somethng and then recharged the correct way.

I have not had this experience, just passing along another's.

I have seen many Optima batteries fail if they were completely discharged, even the deep cycle ones.

DIGITRUCK said:

When the leads were reversed you may have fried the diodes and/or the internal voltage regulator within the ORIGINAL Alternator.

Definitely have the REPLACEMENT Alternator tested.

Good Luck!

Click to expand...

I just edited my post. All Caps was what I meant to say.


Thx.

THX to all,

All of the fusible links are ok.

the replacement alternator was charging, in the previous vehicle.

I am lost now.

I am thinking of putting some universal alternator insted of the AC compressor (AC not working)