charging system problem

[JLOFFROADROVER]

Hey all....I'm trying to figure out a problem I'm having with my 98 Discovery! I recentley replaced a bad battery (an optima 3 months old) that blew up under my hood....huge mess! So I exchanged the battery and put it in the rover, l let it run fo a while and the battery is consecutively dead after jumping it off two days in a row! My next thought was a possible bad alternator so I disconnected my battery with the rover running and checked voltage from the three contacts on the alternator....heres my problem, I'm away from home and dont have any of my shop manuals or tech books with me so I don't know what the voltage is supposed to be! Any help on the subject would be much appreciated!

[mearstrae]

The voltage is about 14.2V and it sounds like the alternator was over charging your Ultima. The alternator has to shut off when the proper voltage is reached. Check your grounds and positive terminals and be sure they're clean and making good contact. Then check your voltage at the alternator and at the battery,while running.

'95 R.R.C. Lwb
'76 Series III Hybrid 109
'70 Rover 3500S

[singingcamel]

I bet its the alt, they will not charge the battery if the alt if bad. you ought to have 14.2 volts to the battery when running. You'll need a amp meter to check it.