charging problem

[Doom's Day Custom]

i have 96 ranger with 4.0l v6 and today the battery light came on but i clean the terminals and it still comes on !!! When i drive it the battery gauge goes done but stays at a low level and never goes down any more but it only does it when it has been running for a while then the problems light comes on but the battery would go up when i stopped or slowed down but not all of the time!! When i took it to advance to check out the charging system but he said it was good!!! When i drove it home the gauge stay normal till i laid off the gas then it when down again which is differnet than before but this all happened in like an hour and a half!! If you a have any advice please HElP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[sloth69mustang]

sounds like an alternator

 

[AllanD]

The "Battery light" doesn't really tell you that there's a problem with your battery.

It's more of an alternator malfunction light.

AD

 

[naford]

Check 3 things. Wiring and fuses, battery, and alternator. Check your grounds and wiring after it has been running for a liitle while feel the wires if they are hot find out why. Make sure the connections are free of corrosion. I have seen a bad cell in a battery cause problems but I don't think this is your problem. What I think you have is a bad diode in the alternator. I think you will have to have it tested more extensively than what Advance can do.

 

[Doom's Day Custom]

Thank you very for all your input and the problems was the alternator