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Car Forum / Mazda / Mazda Miata / January 2006Charge light?
My "charge" light doesn't come on, I checked the bulb and checked the diode on the instrument light circuit board (w/o removing the printed circuit) and all is OK. I know the alternator is working by the simple test, start car, turn on headlights, rev up engine. When the engine revs up the lights go brighter. Any ideas? NA or NB Miata? The NB's have regulator circuitry built into the instrument cluster. If you have an NB, and the alternator and wiring is OK, the instrument cluster circuit board assembly is suspect. ($$$) > My "charge" light doesn't come on, I checked the bulb and checked the > diode on the instrument light circuit board (w/o removing the printed [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > > Any ideas? > NA or NB Miata? NA. Sorry, should have said it's a 1992 1600 and... it's WHITE! > The NB's have regulator circuitry built into the instrument > cluster. If you have an NB, and the alternator and wiring is OK, > the instrument cluster circuit board assembly is suspect. ($$$) BTW, just spent the morning at the dentist, getting a new crown installed. I'll bet the circuit board is cheap by comparison! :-( > > The NB's have regulator circuitry built into the instrument > > cluster. If you have an NB, and the alternator and wiring is OK, > > the instrument cluster circuit board assembly is suspect. ($$$) > > BTW, just spent the morning at the dentist, getting a new crown > installed. I'll bet the circuit board is cheap by comparison! :-( Actually the regulator is part of the PCM, which might cost more than your dental work. >> > The NB's have regulator circuitry built into the instrument >> > cluster. If you have an NB, and the alternator and wiring is [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > Actually the regulator is part of the PCM, which might cost more > than your dental work. Don't think so, what's a PCM cost? >>> > The NB's have regulator circuitry built into the instrument >>> > cluster. If you have an NB, and the alternator and wiring is [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > >Don't think so, what's a PCM cost? You can get an aftermarket Link one for less than $2,000 and it will allow you to squeeze out some more power too. Leon  SignatureLeon van Dommelen :) Bozo, the White 96 Sebring Miata .) rammm@dommelen.net http://www.dommelen.net/miata EXIT THE INTERSTATES (Jamie Jensen) > >>> > The NB's have regulator circuitry built into the instrument > >>> > cluster. If you have an NB, and the alternator and wiring is [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] > > Leon Well, there y'go. What's a crown cost? >> >>> > The NB's have regulator circuitry built into the instrument >> >>> > cluster. If you have an NB, and the alternator and wiring [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > > Well, there y'go. What's a crown cost? I think you got the wrong part price, there ain't one of those in a 1992 so the price would be $0.00. The crown cost more. >> Well, there y'go. What's a crown cost? > > I think you got the wrong part price, there ain't one of those in a > 1992 so the price would be $0.00. The crown cost more. BTW, I'd sure like an answer to the original question if anyone has any ideas! if you other instrument panel lights (eg brake, check engine) work when key is turned on, then 10 A meter fuse is good. the charge indicator is fed by white wire with black stripe, from the alternator... with engine not running, this wire is at ground, allowing indicator to light. You say you checked out the bulb itself ? Then I'd be looking for a bad connection/broken wire, probably at or near the alternator. Pete > BTW, I'd sure like an answer to the original question if anyone has any > ideas! > if you other instrument panel lights (eg brake, check engine) work > when key is turned on, then 10 A meter fuse is good. Right, and they do. > the charge indicator is fed by white wire with black stripe, from > the alternator... with engine not running, this wire is at > ground, allowing indicator to light. You say you checked out the > bulb itself ? Then I'd be looking for a bad connection/broken > wire, probably at or near the alternator. I'm wondering if I can lay the instrument panel down on the steering column with the speedometer cable disconnected, I don't know if the cables to the light are long enough. Apparently I need both connectors, the white/black wire comes to the instrument panel on the left side connector (1G), the 12v line from fuse is on the right side connector (2K). As for looking near the alternator, the same wire (white with black stripe) also goes to the ABS control unit, but I don't know where the wire separates. I'm guessing it's not by the alternator but rather after the wire goes past the firewall???? The ABS is working fine AFAIK. > As for looking near the alternator, the same wire (white with black > stripe) also goes to the ABS control unit, but I don't know where the > wire separates. I'm guessing it's not by the alternator but rather > after the wire goes past the firewall???? The ABS is working fine > AFAIK. the schematics in my Haynes manual don't include any of the ABS circuitry... but I don't see why this signal, whose purpose is to alert you to the fact that the alternator isn't working, would also go to the ABS control unit. Are you certain it is the same wire, not just another white/black wire ? If it is the same wire, perhaps the ABS system uses this signal to determine if the engine is running ??? And perhaps a malfunctioning ABS control unit is holding it high so the charge light can't come on ??? If this were true, you might prove it by disconnecting this wire/connector at the ABS control unit temporarily. Maybe someone with more complete wiring schematics from another publication can verify if indeed it is the same wire. Pete > the schematics in my Haynes manual don't include any of the ABS > circuitry... but I don't see why this signal, whose purpose is to > alert you to the fact that the alternator isn't working, would > also go to the ABS control unit. I've absolutely NO idea why it goes there but it does, here's the unit diagram, Page 7: http://members.cox.net/xs11e/Miata92sys.pdf And here's the wiring diagram, pages 3 and 6: http://members.cox.net/xs11e/Miata92diag.pdf The voltage regulator circuit in the alternator will light the charge light if the reference voltage drops a half volt or more lower than the battery. That said, I've never noticed the charge light coming on in my 1.6 miata after starting the car when things are normal. Do you have reason to think it should be lit? You could always monitor the voltages. Should be 13-14 volts at the battery with the car running and the same at the base of the charge light diode. > The voltage regulator circuit in the alternator will light the > charge light if the reference voltage drops a half volt or more [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > > Do you have reason to think it should be lit? Sure do, when you turn the key on and don't start the engine, there's no alternator output at all and the light should be on. >> The voltage regulator circuit in the alternator will light the >> charge light if the reference voltage drops a half volt or more [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > Sure do, when you turn the key on and don't start the engine, > there's no alternator output at all and the light should be on. Found it. The charge light gets voltage from the battery and ground from the black with white stripe wire that goes to the alternator. The plug that goes into the side of the alternator wasn't connected! The wire was stiff enough to keep the plug in position but it wasn't making contact so.... I plugged it back in which wasn't easy, that SOB does NOT go in easily, I had to use a small pry bar to reach down there and give it a little push. Now the charge light goes on with the key turned on and goes out when I start the engine. All is well except.... my master cylinder is now leaking! Looks like the "O" ring seal that seals the resavor to the master cylinder. Damn, fix one thing and the next one goes bad! What a mess it's made of the paint on the firewall. Oh, $@*&! > All is well except.... my master cylinder is now leaking! Looks > like the "O" ring seal that seals the resavor to the master > cylinder. Anyone know WTF a "resavor" is? I think it's very like a reservoir. I meant to spell check that, really I did.... :-( >>> The voltage regulator circuit in the alternator will light the >>> charge light if the reference voltage drops a half volt or more [quoted text clipped - 23 lines] >Damn, fix one thing and the next one goes bad! What a mess it's made >of the paint on the firewall. I believe that if you keep the hood closed, nobody can see it. Leon >Oh, $@*&! SignatureLeon van Dommelen :) Bozo, the White 96 Sebring Miata .) rammm@dommelen.net http://www.dommelen.net/miata EXIT THE INTERSTATES (Jamie Jensen) >>Damn, fix one thing and the next one goes bad! What a mess it's >>made of the paint on the firewall. > > I believe that if you keep the hood closed, nobody can see it. You can't fool those photons just by closing the hood, Leon. You should know that.... a Miata's gotta be ALL white to be fast! >>>Damn, fix one thing and the next one goes bad! What a mess it's >>>made of the paint on the firewall. [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] >You can't fool those photons just by closing the hood, Leon. You >should know that.... a Miata's gotta be ALL white to be fast! Nah. Don't worry about it. Under the hood it is mostly lethargic infrared photons. You are better rid of them. In fact, I am not even sure a white Miata is really white in the infrared range. Leon SignatureLeon van Dommelen :) Bozo, the White 96 Sebring Miata .) rammm@dommelen.net http://www.dommelen.net/miata EXIT THE INTERSTATES (Jamie Jensen) |
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