C.E. Niehoff & Co. C627, C628, C631, C656, C657 Troubleshooting Guides
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C627, C628, C631, C656, C657, C658, C671 and C680
Alternator Troubleshooting Guide
Hazard Denitions
These terms are used to bring attention to presence of hazards
of various risk levels or to important information concerning
product life.
Indicates presence of hazards that
CAUTION
will or can cause minor personal
injury or property damage.
Indicates special instructions on
NOTICE
installation, operation or mainte nance that are important but not
related to personal injury hazards.
Table of Contents
Section A: Alternator Description and Operation . 2–3
Section B: Basic Troubleshooting ............................ 4
Section C: Comprehensive Troubleshooting ......... 5–7
Battery Conditions
Until temperatures of electrical
NOTICE
system components stabilize, these
conditions may be observed during
cold start voltage tests.
• Maintenance/low maintenance battery:
— Immediately after engine starts, system volts are
lower than regulator setpoint with medium amps.
— 3-5 minutes into charge cycle, higher system volts
and reduced amps.
— 5-10 minutes into charge cycle, system volts are
at, or nearly at, regulator setpoint, and amps are
reduced to a minimum.
— Low maintenance battery has same characteris tics with slightly longer recharge times.
• Maintenance-free battery:
— Immediately after engine start, system volts are
lower than regulator setpoint with low amps.
— 15-30 minutes into charge cycle, still low volts
and low amps.
— 15-30 minutes into charge cycle, volts increase
several tenths. Amps increase gradually, then
quickly to medium to high amps.
— 20-35 minutes into charge cycle, volts increase
to setpoint and amps decrease.
• High-cycle maintenance-free battery:
— These batteries respond better than standard
maintenance-free. Charge acceptance of these
batteries may display characteristics similar to
maintenance batteries.
Charge Volt and Amp Values
The volt and amp levels are a function of the battery state
of charge. If batteries are in a state of discharge,
as after extended cranking time to start the engine,
the system volts, when measured after the engine is
started will be lower than the regulator set point and the
system amps will be high. This is a normal condition for
the charging system. The measured values of system
volts and amps will depend on the level of battery
discharge. In other words, the greater the battery
discharge level the lower the system volts and higher the
system amps will be. The volt and amp readings will
change, system volts reading will increase up to regulator set point and the system amps will decrease to low
level (depending on other loads) as the batteries recover
and become fully charged.
• Low Amps: A minimum or lowest charging system
amp value required to maintain battery state of
charge, obtained when testing the charging system
with a fully charged battery and no other loads
applied. This value will vary with battery type.
• Medium Amps: A system amps value which can
cause the battery temperature to rise above the
adequate charging temperature within 4-8 hours of
charge time. To prevent battery damage the charge
amps should be reduced when battery temperature
rises. Check battery manufacturer’s recommendations for proper rates of charge amps.
• High Amps: A system amps value which can cause
the battery temperature to rise above adequate
charging temperature within 2-3 hours. To prevent
battery damage the charge amps should be reduced
when the battery temperature rises. Check battery
manufacturer’s recommendations for proper rates of
charge amps.
• Battery Voltage: Steady-state voltage value as meas-
ured with battery in open circuit with no battery
load. This value relates to battery state of charge.
• Charge Voltage: A voltage value obtained when the
charging system is operating. This value will be
higher than battery voltage and must never exceed
the regulator voltage set point.
• B+ Voltage: A voltage value obtained when measur-
ing voltage at battery positive terminal or alternator
B+ terminal.
• Surface Charge: A higher than normal battery volt-
age occurring when the battery is removed from
a battery charger. The surface charge must be
removed to determine true battery voltage and state
of charge.
• Significant Magnetism: A change in the strength or
intensity of a magnetic field present in the alternator
rotor shaft when the field coil is energized. The magnetic field strength when the field coil is energized
should feel stronger than when the field is not energized.
• Voltage Droop or Sag: A normal condition which
occurs when the load demand on the alternator is
greater than rated alternator output at given rotor
shaft RPM.
TG30G
Page 1
Section A: Alternator Description and Operation
CEN C656, C657, C658, C671, and C680
Alternator Description and Operation
C656, C657, C658, and C671 14 V (400 A) and
C680 14 V (430 A) alternators are self-rectifying. All
windings and current-transmitting components are
non-moving, so there are no brushes or slip rings to
wear out.
When C656 is controlled by the A2-149 regulator,
this alternator becomes self-energizing through internal diode trios in the drive end housing. Residual
magnetic field induces small voltage in stator and
energizes field coil. Field coil continues receiving
incremental voltage until full voltage is achieved.
See Figure 1. AC is rectified into DC output through
diodes. Regulator controls voltage output. A2-149
regulator has a D+ terminal to provide a signal to
vehicle electrical system, confirming alternator
operation, and an R terminal to provide an optional
AC voltage tap.
When C656, C657, C658, and C680 are controlled by
the A2-155 regulator, these alternators become exter-
nally energized through the IGN terminal connected
to a switched power source to turn on regulator. See
Figure 2. A2-155 regulator has a P terminal to provide an optional AC voltage tap.
Figure 1 — Alternator with A2-149 Regulator
REGUL ATOR
CEN C627, C628, and C631
Alternator Description and Operation
C627 14 V (340A), C628 14 V (290 A), and C631 14 V
(350 A) alternators are self-rectifying. All windings
and current-transmitting components are non-moving, so there are no brushes or slip rings to wear out.
When C627, C628, and C631 are controlled by the
A2-155 regulator, these alternators become externally
energized through the IGN terminal connected to a
switched power source to turn on regulator. See
Figure 2. A2-155 regulator has a P terminal to
provide an optional AC voltage tap. Regulator can be
mounted on the drive end or anti-drive end housing.
Figure 2 — Alternator with A2-155 Regulator
Page 2
TG30G
Section A: Alternator Description and Operation (CONT’D)
A2-149: D+ terminal
A2-155: IGN terminal
B+ terminal stud
(on rear of control unit)
B– terminal stud
Figure 3 — C627/C628/C631/C656/C657
Alternator Terminals
IGN terminal
P terminal
A2-149: R terminal
A2-155: P terminal
B+ terminal stud
(on rear of control unit)
B+
terminal stud
Figure 5 — C671 Alternator Terminals
B+ terminal stud
P terminal
IGN terminal
B– terminal stud
IGN terminal
P terminal
B– terminal stud
Figure 4 — C658 Alternator Terminals
B–
terminal stud
Figure 6 — C680 Alternator Terminals
TG30G
Page 3
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