Flickering dash lights?

[mdempst_79]

A weak battery also puts a lot of load on your alternator. It would be a wise move to replace the aged battery first, and then worry about the alternator if its still weak. No use installing a new alternator to charge a weak battery.

[RobTheModd]

I have read a few times people installing gauges to read their alternator, and battery from inside their car..
I was wondering, if someone can give me some insight on how to do this on my 850.
as id love to 1. know if my alternator is bad/ on its way out, and
2. when my battery is on its way out/ fully charged.

and what effects installing something like this would have on the components? I.E. would it drain the battery.

[jblackburn]

It would be a wise move to replace the aged battery first, and then worry about the alternator if its still weak

Excellent point - I'll be heading out to Sears to get one Friday.

[billofdurham]

I spent something like 6 hours driving last night - I would have thought that would be enough to completely recharge the battery to the levels you found there

Yes, it would recharge to the levels quoted but an old battery won't hold that level of charge for very long.

Bill.

[jar240]

Digging up bones here, but I'd really like to know if the new battery [you were going to get from Sears] fixed the flickering lights issue for you. Did it?

[jblackburn]

Yes and no. The battery was pretty much shot. That summer, I was lucky to get a crank out of it at all. As the battery acts as a huge capacitor for the alternator, it doesn't surprise me that the lights were flickering like that.

Even with a new battery, the alternator brushes are worn and it is putting out low-ish voltage at idle (13V), so on cold winter days with lots of accessories on (heated seats, defroster, heater blower, headlights, foglights, etc), the lights still do pulse a tiny bit if you pay attention to it.

But, as the car has been given to my younger brother, until it dies completely, he will probably not bother changing the alternator as it needs several other things that are slightly higher priority.