Defender 90 200tdi electrics+novice=Help needed!

Just joined the Land Rover Fold and I need help.

My 1993 200tdi Defender 90 has developed yet another electrical snag.

When I turn the ignition on the battery charge light fails to illuminate. Also when the engine is running I am not getting a charge to the battery.
I had a problem a couple of months ago with the battery failing to charge, but at least the lamp iluminated then and a new battery provided the solution after much testing.

I have done the following:

1. Changed the lamp.
2. Checked continuity from the sensing lead on the alternator to the plug on the engine bay bulkhead - good circuit.(Brown and yellow wire)
3. Checked continuity from the plug on the engine bay bulkhead to the plug on the warning light panel in the dash - Open circuit.(May be the snag).(brown and yellow again).
4. Checked continuity on the alternator output lead to the battery - good circuit.(Brown)
5. Checked the connections on the ignition switch. (Workshop manual says there should be 5 connections, mine has only 4 wires connected with a spare terminal in the centre).
6. Ran a wire from the warning panel plug to the engine bay plug, effectively bypassing the wire which appeared open circuit. It made no difference.

I am now stumped. Could it be my ignition switch that is faulty, the warning lamp resistor(where is that), or something else.

Sorry it is such a long winded question but I could really do with some help.

Thanks

Mac2336

Right, there is a simple test to try!

Continuity tests are ok, but they can often lead you up the garden path as you are only testing the curcuit with millivolts.

Disconnect the exciting lead from the alternator and earth it on the alternator body. If the battery light does not illuminate try on the engine earth. If it still does not illuminate, you have a problem on the exciting line. If it does illuminate when tried on the alternator body....dig deap and fit a new alternator!

regards

Jim

hi there,
Have had a similar problem with an old 200 tdi, when I got spotlights and a cd player installed the alternator couldnt handle it, stopped sending a decent charge to the battery. I got it reconditioned and it was about half price of a new one and worked sweet as a nut.
Ian.

Fired-up said:

Right, there is a simple test to try!

Continuity tests are ok, but they can often lead you up the garden path as you are only testing the curcuit with millivolts.

Disconnect the exciting lead from the alternator and earth it on the alternator body. If the battery light does not illuminate try on the engine earth. If it still does not illuminate, you have a problem on the exciting line. If it does illuminate when tried on the alternator body....dig deap and fit a new alternator!

regards

Jim

Click to expand...

Thanks for the advice Jim,
I have now dug deep and bought a new alternator on wednesday, I was going to fit it tomorrow but the wife insisted that fitting it in the dark on a cold wet night was a better plan so in it went on wednesday. Problem solved. Luther the Land Rover(her name not mine) is back on the go again.

Regards

Damon

Ian Ahern said:

hi there,
Have had a similar problem with an old 200 tdi, when I got spotlights and a cd player installed the alternator couldnt handle it, stopped sending a decent charge to the battery. I got it reconditioned and it was about half price of a new one and worked sweet as a nut.
Ian.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the advice Ian,

I fitted a new alternator and Luther the Landie is now back on the road again. Turns out I had the wrong alternator fitted in the first place. You learn something new every day.

Regards

Damon.