Mystery alternator

[badgerbag]

Does anyone recognise this alternator? It's fitted to our Lister engined narrowboat and has just died!

[Barry]

One for Snibble perhaps

 

I'll PM him for you to draw his attention to your question

[OldGoldy]

Quinton Hazell FRA120

 

from the application list it appears to be prominently used on Ford Sierras/Granadas.

 

Question remains - Is it the alternator that has died, or the Lucas regulator?

 

http://www.yoyopart.com/oem/6802575/quintonhazell-fra120.html

Edited October 18, 2016 by OldGoldy

[pearley]

Looks a bit like a Bosch alternator. A better picture of the back would confirm this.

[Tony Brooks]

With the rectangular regulator I would lean to Iskara but if it fits Ford Bosch is more likely.

[Sir Nibble]

Message received Baz. It's a Bosch, the regulator is from the Lucas all makes spares program. The ubiquitous A127 would replace this unit but it's rare for anything other than regulator, brushes or slip ring to fail. Symptoms?

[Arthur Brown]

With today's electrically dependent life having a good alternator in service and a spare, and the tools and skill to fit it is IMO essential especially in winter when solar may be less effective.

[badgerbag]

Thankful everyone, re symptoms: it used to charge quite nicely on tickover, after an initial burst of revs. At the end of last week I noticed the light coming on, on tickover, and needing revs to keep it off. A meter showed 14.2v with revs, dropping to 13.6 on tickover. A day later and it was dropping to 13v whatever the revs.

 

It must be a pretty old unit, of unknown output, and I'm thinking that rather than mess about I could junk it and replace with a Lucas A127 70amp, if it'll fit. Does anyone know if these units are physically similar?

[WotEver]

Is your fan belt ok?

[Jrtm]

Is your fan belt ok?

I very much dowt it in fact its prob non existent!!

[WotEver]

I very much dowt it in fact its prob non existent!!

Yup, that's what I was thinking.

[Sir Nibble]

I am inclined to agree, but if the belt is good then it might be worth while taking the regulator off and giving it a visual and a wash. A build up of conductive shit around the brushes can cause this.

Edited to replace autocorrects appalling "shut" with the correct technical term "shit".

Edited October 18, 2016 by Sir Nibble

[Jrtm]

I think you need to read my post! Wotever asked what his FAN belt is like.

[Sir Nibble]

And?

Oh, gotcha. Sorry, I was originally trained on buses and even belts with no fan where still known as fanbelts so I didn't pick up on it.

Most droll.

[WotEver]

Well the alternator has a fan on it...

 

[badgerbag]

It was the first thing I checked, but it might be worth putting the spare (new) one on just to eliminate that as the problem. It's going to be such a game getting it out that I'd refer to replace it with something I know works and maybe rebuild this one as a spare

[PaulG]

There's an unused one for sale here for £20.00.

Might be a cheap fix...

http://www.motorsnparts.co.uk/si162244598832.html

[sharpness]

There's an unused one for sale here for £20.00.

Might be a cheap fix...

http://www.motorsnparts.co.uk/si162244598832.html

That shows as an FRA102, post No3 says he needs an FRA120

[PaulG]

That shows as an FRA102, post No3 says he needs an FRA120

So it does.