Battery No Charge

Odin8 · #1 (**permalink**) 06-26-06, 11:13 PM

So I was driving along tonight and all of a sudden BAMN, "BATTERY NO CHARGE" and the battery light comes on. Pulled the codes, got a B1911 code. Doing a little research, I'm guessing that my alternator is on the way out? Not positive though, because it isn't constant...as soon as I hit 3000 RPM, the message and light will go away. Then a minute later the message and light will come back on until I go over 3000 RPM again. My voltage read out has dropped down to 11.8 as well. Is this something a failing alternator would do? Thanks for the help...

**Ranger** · #2 (**permalink**) 06-26-06, 11:29 PM

I'd check out the battery (and cables) first.

Odin8 · #3 (**permalink**) 06-27-06, 03:21 PM

Driving along today and and my voltage starts dropping fast, "Service Charging System" comes up and my dash starts lighting up like a christmas tree. Traction Control, ABS, Airbags, Battery all light up. I pull into my garage, voltage is around 9.5, I shut it off and run the codes. Get a bunch of low voltage supply codes that seem to have been tripping all the lights. Haven't tried starting it, just leaving it there for now. All my cables looked secure, and the battery seems to be clean...haven't tested it or anything, but just looked over it real quick. I wanted to get an Optima yellow top battery anyways, so I'm going to do that...this still sound like a battery/cable problem or alternator?

Patrick7997 · #4 (**permalink**) 06-27-06, 03:35 PM

Unless you're REAL SURE the battery is good, my inclination is always to change the battery first, then move on to other possibilities.

If you've been thinking of an Optima anyway (good choice, by the way), that tells me that you have no confidence in your current battery, even before the trouble started.....

**Ranger** · #5 (**permalink**) 06-27-06, 03:43 PM

My guess is the battery. Especially if it is original.

Odin8 · #6 (**permalink**) 07-03-06, 07:50 PM

Well, got my battery today, installed it and same thing. Battery No Charge. So guess I'm looking at an alternator, which doesn't surprise me, I figured my sound system would put it into an early grave anyways. Anyone know of any good aftermarket high output alternators? I'm looking for an alternator with an output of around 220 amps. Got about 1500 watts RMS of sound, so I'll need that kind of amperage. Any help is appreciated, thanks guys.

GreenMachine · #7 (**permalink**) 07-04-06, 06:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Odin8

Well, got my battery today, installed it and same thing. Battery No Charge. So guess I'm looking at an alternator, which doesn't surprise me, I figured my sound system would put it into an early grave anyways. Anyone know of any good aftermarket high output alternators? I'm looking for an alternator with an output of around 220 amps. Got about 1500 watts RMS of sound, so I'll need that kind of amperage. Any help is appreciated, thanks guys.

I'd talk to the dealer about it. I know the limos have big hefty alternators to run all their fancy stuff. I read (i think on the cadillac website) that the limo building companies have the option to order the devilles with it so I'd imagine it would possible to find one. I'm sure looking in the yellow pages will also yeild results to find them. Probibly any place that does sound systems will also be able to help.

Odin8 · #8 (**permalink**) 07-05-06, 01:08 AM

Hm...good idea with the dealer thing. I have a feeling that'd be expensive though, so I'm gonna skip that one. I found a site online that makes high output alternators, I can get a 220 amp one that'll bolt in for about 600 bucks...kinda high I think. I know I can get my current one rebuilt to stock specs for 100 bucks, but I gotta talk to a few shops around here and see if they can give me the amperage I need, and hopefully it won't be that much more expensive...at least better then 600 bucks I hope.

Question...I'm pretty sure I need to upgrade the power cables if I'm getting a bigger alternator, but what cables? The one from the alternator to the battery, anything else? Don't know alot about where the alternator is wired in to everything else.

Frost · #9 (**permalink**) 07-06-06, 03:28 AM

Excat same prob happened to me this Spring the 2nd timeI had "The Silver Saddle" out on the road - BATT NO CHARGE, then the Christmas Tree light action, then in short order, a very, very sick puppy of a Deville.

It was the alternator. I bought a rebuilt one and so far, so good.