Hi all looking for abit of help on my other half's vitara,
the battery went flat after she left the lights on while shopping. Not a problem, jump started it and away she went for a good few miles to get it some charge back in, she gets home and it's flat again. So I tested alternator and it wasn't charging, I had a spare alternator on an engine I took out of my brothers vitara which I know worked.
Swapped alternators and retested to find it's still not charging (11.8-12.3v). Iv checked the wiring and it's getting ign live to the alt, battery light is on when ign on but not when running, the main battery cable seems in good condition, the fuse is ok and no signs of short, good connections on the battery poles too.
So I thought has to be a dud alternator, bought a new one which was tested when I collected it, fit it and woohoo 14.3v, turn the lights on and charge rapidly drops back to 11.8-12.3. It has halogen spot lamps but makes no difference with them on, off, wired up or disconnected. Battery is good to my knowledge.
Has anybody else had this or have any ideas on it before my hair falls out!