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I was interested to read in the FAQ about the "exciter current" used on start-up in alternators on Volvos and other cars, but I'm curious how this information applies to real-life situations. My 740 has not been charging properly lately, and I noticed that the red battery idiot light on the dashboard has not been coming on at all with the key in the ON position but the car not running, but it does flicker somewhat when the car is running. Could this little warning light be the source of the charging problem? I looked at the connection between the warning light wire and the D+ terminal on the alternator, and it looked okay (i.e., not too loose or corroded). But it's really hard to tell if the rest of the length of the wire is intact, and I can't even quite figure out where exactly it goes to. I would feel stupid spending lots of money on a new alternator if this dumb little wire or the warning light is the real problem, but, on the other hand, replacing the whole alternator would probabaly be a lot simpler and more straightforward than chasing down a bad section of wire buried someplace under the intake. So, how can I check for voltage going to the warning light in order to pinpoint the problem, or would I be better off just swapping the alternator?
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