Battery light on Speedo

[vdesigner99]

Greetings I was hoping some may shed some light why my Battery light on the speedo stays lit after the engine starts?
The car is a 1984 Pininfarina, no other electrical issues present, never discharged or otherwise. This has been in place since Ive owned the car for 4 years. Drives normal but I think I should fix. best guess is something is grounding. The seat belt switch was been bypassed or chime removed by PO.




Any Ideas?
Thanks
Victor

[DieselSpider]

Greetings I was hoping some may shed some light why my Battery light on the speedo stays lit after the engine starts?
The car is a 1984 Pininfarina, no other electrical issues present, never discharged or otherwise. This has been in place since Ive owned the car for 4 years. Drives normal but I think I should fix. best guess is something is grounding. The seat belt switch was been bypassed or chime removed by PO.




Any Ideas?
Thanks
Victor

Possibly a previous owner wired a replacement alternator incorrectly and has the trouble light connected to the ignition on positive lead instead of the idiot light lead on the alternator.

[spider2081]

If I remember correctly Fiat used a black wire with a violet trace on it that connects to the alternator D+ terminal for the battery warning light. This wire also excites the alternator so with out the 12 volts on it from the ignition switch the alternator will not have an output.

Pinna changed that wire color to solid black. Most of us relate a black wire to be a ground wire. If someone has connected this wire to ground your battery warning light will be on all the time. If that is the case and you have a stock alternator the D+ terminal must be being powered by 12 volts some other way. If you do not have a stock alternator as already suggested it may not be capable of operating the light as Pinna intended and you might just disconnect the black wire.

[RRoller123]

It is a wise thing to pay attention to Spider2081 when it comes to all things electrical on these quirky little cars.