trickydicky Posted November 23, 2009 Share Posted November 23, 2009 hi i went off road this weekend and finally plucked up the courage to do some deep wading.i noticed the alternaitor light kept flickering on and off after. i take it that its normal? is the battery ok to be submerged? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeremy996 Posted November 23, 2009 Share Posted November 23, 2009 hi i went off road this weekend and finaly plucked up the curage to do some deep wading.i notised the alternaitor light kept flickering on and off after. i take it that its normal? is the battery ok to be submerged? Errr. No and no Your alternator either needs a good wash and dry out or it is goosed. Mud will often upset the slip rings/brushes or the diode pack may be wet/failed. If the battery is a posh sealed unit it will be fine, (so long as it isn't shorted out too long). A normal lead/acid battery will not like dirty water in the cells with symptoms as diverse as nothing noticeable/ failed cell/not holding charge/ split case/acid everywhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Godlykepower Posted November 23, 2009 Share Posted November 23, 2009 .i notised the alternaitor light kept flickering on and off after. i take it that its normal? Not normal as far as I have ever experienced. I try and go wading at every opportunity, and have gone deep enough for it to be several inches over the bonnet top - and therefore several inches deep inside. Every time I have ever been wading, my alternator light has never flickered. Not once. The only time when my alternator HAS flickered, was when it was on its way out. It flickered, and eventually stayed on faintly all the time. I dont suppose the battery will mind getting splashed on every now & then, but it certainly wont want to be submerged. HTH Martin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trickydicky Posted November 23, 2009 Author Share Posted November 23, 2009 the alternater started flickering and stoped after about 20 mins or so. the next trip around it was well over the bonnet and it didnt flicker at all and hasnt since. but from what you guys are saying its on the way out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LandyManLuke Posted November 23, 2009 Share Posted November 23, 2009 It's not 'on the way out' - it just needs a clean!!! The alternator contains two brushes and slip rings, these are very likely to get fouled by dirty water and crud. The lazy way to clean the alternator is to just purge it with lots of clean water. The proper way is to remove the brush pack, and clean and inspect the brushes and slip rings. If you do nothing, the brushes will wear down to the point where you will have a knackered alternator. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BogMonster Posted November 23, 2009 Share Posted November 23, 2009 Depending on what your engine is a slightly loose and slippery-when-wet fan belt is also a possibility..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted November 23, 2009 Share Posted November 23, 2009 Some cars do, some don't. I've been in a few where the light would come on if the towing electrics were under water, probably due to the split-charge. Slipping belt is a common one. As has been said, you should give your alternator (and everything else for that matter) a good clean (just a hose down / flush through with clean water is fine) followed by a good dousing with WD40 to prevent corrosion & seizing. Of course you'll also be greasing all the relevant grease points on the truck and checking all the fluids for level and water contamination after every outing, won't you? (Or as most LR owners seem to do, leave it caked in mud & going mouldy and then wonder why things break, seize, or fall off next time out) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trickydicky Posted November 24, 2009 Author Share Posted November 24, 2009 thanks for the reply. i gave the engine a good clean in the river arrow and washed the rest today when i got home so now i just need wd40 and fluid check Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tacr2man Posted November 24, 2009 Share Posted November 24, 2009 Why didnt you buy a submarine if you want to go underwater? I have never understood why landrover owners want to wade vehicles when it is not needed to get thru on a journey with no bridge or ferry available . The damage it does or can do to an expensive to maintain vehicle is considerable. JMHO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted November 24, 2009 Share Posted November 24, 2009 I have never understood why landrover owners want to wade vehicles Maybe 'cos it's fun Granted if you're on an expedition or such like then you don't aim for every puddle and mud hole, but playing around there's no reason not to, provided you know the problems and look after the vehicle appropriately. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobyone Posted November 24, 2009 Share Posted November 24, 2009 is it a 200 tdi? 300? if 200 tdi, then probably wet belt as these have a v belt to the alternator. it still may well be alternator on its way out or dirty sliprings... but probably slipping belt. nip it up a bit, but bear in mind the crank drives the power steering pulley, and the power steering pulley has the belt which drives the alternator. do you lose your power steering too, if not then just adjust the alternator belt tension. if it is a 300 tdi, gotta be dirty contacts/sliprings or failing diode. if it is a td5 or v8, not really much experience on them, but probably one of the above too. richard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LandyManLuke Posted November 24, 2009 Share Posted November 24, 2009 but bear in mind the crank drives the power steering pulley, and the power steering pulley has the belt which drives the alternator. Not on a Defender 200tdi it doesn't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LandyLee Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 I`d go with slipping belt , from experience that is ,,,,,, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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