Charging/Alternator

[cali_surfer]

I need some help here guys, I'm frustrated. A couple weeks ago I blew the alternator on my truck and the red top optima battery I have discharged quite a bit, low 11/upper 10 volt range. Battery tested fine at AutoZone, so I charged the battery, put on a new alternator and thought all was well. Battery never fully charged once on the truck however....... I thought that was odd. Drove it tonite and I blew the alternator again. Reason I could tell is that there was a strong electric smell all of the sudden. Put my volt meter on the battery while running and sure enough no charging from the alternator, registered 12.00-.05 when it should be in the 13 range. Is this just a case of bad alternators or can something else cause this to happen? These are life-time warranty rebuilds from Kragen. This is starting to piss me off.

[ddsmith]

The thing I remember about my time in California was going to Kragen and buying a solenoid for my starter. Putting it on the car and having it not work. I didn't have much luck with the quality of their stuff. Are you still running an external voltage regulator or are you using an internal? It could be a problem with the regulator but I doubt that if it is an internal regulator.
Did you ever get the Old Air unit installed? Some folks were looking for the pictures of the install I had in the FAQ but the site no longer exist so the picture disappeared. I didn't save them on my computer. Hope all goes well with the next rebuilt alternator.

[cali_surfer]

I'm running the internal regulator style. I'm putting my money on the fact that they are selling $hit alternators, hopefully I can get my money back and go elsewhere.

I did get the Old Air system installed and running months ago. Works good. Hot heater and cold A/C. It helped me to put an electric fan on the condensor to lower the a/c temp even more, gotta get rid of the heat with 134a refridgerant. I don't have any pictures of the install.... no digital camera. Everything is pretty straight forward if you just follow the instructions.

[Hooter]

you are running the internally regulated alt but did you bypass the external regulator?

[cali_surfer]

Does not have an external regulator....... I'm running a painless wiring harness. Just went down this evening and got a new alternator from Napa, will test drive tomorrow and see if everything works out.

[Cat Fuzz]

If the battery was that discharged, there is no way they could have tested it properly.

[cali_surfer]

I feel dumb, I meant to say I charged the battery and then had it tested.

[Cat Fuzz]

Ah, ok!

[cali_surfer]

Ok, I'm depressed now. I put on a new Napa alternator and managed to exchange my optima battery for a new one. Bolt everything back up, took her for a road test, put on a full load, turned the headlights on, radio on, and then turned the heater fan, sure enough it fried the diodes again on the alternator. That happened the other night, after I flipped the fan on it did it. What is my problem??? Another thing I noticed, my tach flutters when I first start up the truck..... what causes that?