OPEL ASTRA Alternator

sandeep.mishra · 6th February 2009, 13:08

Hi All,

Need all of your expert advice on a peculiar problem plaguing my ASTRA 1.6 1997 model. The symptoms are as under;

1. The hedlights and instrument lights are working like that of a scooter! Which means, when the RPM exceeds 3000 RPM, the lights brighten up and automatically start dimming after sometime!

2. The battery gets automatically discharged(Its a new Exide battery and there's no problem with the battery perse)

3. Roughly 8-9 electricians would have had a look at the alternator and allied systems and fiddled with the system including checking leakages etc which they never found or could rectify. This includes Metro Motors, a GM dealer where service is otherwise horrific.

4. Is it a problem with the alternator? If so, shall I get it changed? The alternator costs a bomb anyways!

siddartha · 6th February 2009, 13:52

dont replace with a new one right away , get the alternator overhauled, check the winding, get the rewinding done if reqd, replace the carbon brushes .

BaCkSeAtDrIVeR · 6th February 2009, 15:59

There is (rather, ought to be) something called a "regulator" - an electronic circuit (usually in a sealed unit). Insufficient charging, random charging, overcharging, inadequate output, etc. are symptoms of regulator malfunction too. Ask the roadside auto-electrician to check the regulator.

6th February 2009, 13:08	#1
sandeep.mishra BHPian Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: New Delhi Posts: 88 Thanked: 4 Times	OPEL ASTRA Alternator Hi All, Need all of your expert advice on a peculiar problem plaguing my ASTRA 1.6 1997 model. The symptoms are as under; 1. The hedlights and instrument lights are working like that of a scooter! Which means, when the RPM exceeds 3000 RPM, the lights brighten up and automatically start dimming after sometime! 2. The battery gets automatically discharged(Its a new Exide battery and there's no problem with the battery perse) 3. Roughly 8-9 electricians would have had a look at the alternator and allied systems and fiddled with the system including checking leakages etc which they never found or could rectify. This includes Metro Motors, a GM dealer where service is otherwise horrific. 4. Is it a problem with the alternator? If so, shall I get it changed? The alternator costs a bomb anyways!
	() Thanks

6th February 2009, 13:52	#2
siddartha BHPian Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: bangalore Posts: 671 Thanked: 24 Times	dont replace with a new one right away , get the alternator overhauled, check the winding, get the rewinding done if reqd, replace the carbon brushes .
	() Thanks

6th February 2009, 15:59	#3
BaCkSeAtDrIVeR BANNED Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Kochi Posts: 2,522 Thanked: 752 Times	There is (rather, ought to be) something called a "regulator" - an electronic circuit (usually in a sealed unit). Insufficient charging, random charging, overcharging, inadequate output, etc. are symptoms of regulator malfunction too. Ask the roadside auto-electrician to check the regulator.
	() Thanks