Nissan Alternator problem

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Mon 29 May 2006 09:48
Nissan Alternator problem - who-harr
I?ve got a Nissan Primera (2002) ? and a week or so ago the battery warning light came on. The AA came round and found out that the alternator was pumping out 18Volts ? hence the regulator had gone.
Anyway, I took it to a local garage who tried to locate a replacement Alternator ? but couldn?t ? and Nissan wanted to charge £300 plus for a replacement plus fitting!
The garage called me and asked what I wanted to do ? I contacted a breakers yard (via the ?net) who dispatched a replacement Alternator (from 2005 plated wreck).

When fitted, the garage have told me that the Alternator is still pumping out 15Volts (over the 14.5V maximum it should be). They tell me that the only thing that could cause this is another faulty Alternator.
I just can?t believe that I could be so unlucky to get two Alternators with the same problem? Especially as I?m led to believe that Alternators go wrong so rarely on Nissans? To me this suggests another problem.
Any ideas what this could be? Or do I just have to bite the bullet and get another Alternator?

Cheers for any advise!
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Mon 29 May 2006 11:19
Nissan Alternator problem - bell boy
I thought these cars were meant to pump out up to 18 volts as they have a "silver" battery fitted,suggest you have a word with an auto electrician/dealer/factor for them to look in their data sheet to confirm type of alternator that should actually be fitted to your car before you spend brass on the wrong article.
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Mon 29 May 2006 14:19
Nissan Alternator problem - Screwloose
who-harr

As oldman says: if there was originally a silver-calcium battery fitted, then "smart" alternators can initially charge at quite high voltages. [Though 18v is a bit too unusual?] Difficult I know, but did they happen to say where they were measuring this voltage; how long for - and is the battery warning light still on with the replacement unit?

If you've got the correct battery; 15+ volts after start-up is perfectly OK. It'll quickly destroy a conventional battery; so you have to be cautious when buying replacements - always safest getting the genuine part.
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