89 Accord charge light, need help!

Hello everyone.
Having a problem w/ my 89 Accord DX: Right when cold weather set in, the battery died, so I replaced it. I noticed at this point the positive clamp was chewed up and loose, so I replaced the whole cable with a salvage part off an LX that was in better shape. Everything was fine for awhile, then the battery died again after the car sat for a couple of weeks. After jumping it, the altternator light stayed on while running. I changed the battery AGAIN, and checked all connections (clean, tight), drivebelt tension (fine), and assumed the alternator had gone out.
Yesterday I replaced the alternator, only too find that after it was all buttoned up the damn battery light was still on. I let the car run while I poked around looking for something loose/broken/etc., and the 2nd time the cooling fan kicked on, the car died and wouldn't restart. The cooling fan kept running and all the accessories still worked.
I did find the 2nd lead from the positive cable to the main underhood fuse box was broken where the lead screws onto a tab; this tab going inside the fuse box was broken, but the lead was secured to it still.
What is this 2nd lead?? Would it cause the battery light to stay on, and would it have anything to do with the car dying for no apparent reason??

Thanks for all your help in the past, and thanks in advance for any suggestions.

Is it where the large primary wire brings the charge from the alternator back to the battery positive side? If so, that would explain no charge...

Check the voltage at the charge post on the back of the alternator, then if it shows charging voltage (better than 13.5v), follow it back to the positive side of the power distribution box or battery...see if it's the lead you're talking about..if that's the problem you can fix it however it takes to return that wire to the positive side...doesn't have to be pretty, but has to be a complete circuit.

try the check engine light bulb

Is it where the large primary wire brings the charge from the alternator back to the battery positive side? If so, that would explain no charge...

Check the voltage at the charge post on the back of the alternator, then if it shows charging voltage (better than 13.5v), follow it back to the positive side of the power distribution box or battery...see if it's the lead you're talking about..if that's the problem you can fix it however it takes to return that wire to the positive side...doesn't have to be pretty, but has to be a complete circuit.


The wire I'm looking at comes off the positive terminal clamp and goes left (looking down into the engine bay) and connects to a small tab at the front inside the [distribution] box. This tab is supposed to be stationary, but is loose and flopping around. The main part of the cable goes to the starter.
I got the entire fuse box complete with a good positive cable from my local Pic-a Part, and am going to install it and check all the fuses as I swap them over. I hope this will fix it....??? It sounds like this may be along the lines you are talking, as far as completing that circuit. I can understand the warning light/battery discharge if this lead to the fuse box is disconnected; what I don't get is why it stalled. I haven't tried to start it again for a few days.....

try the check engine light bulb

strange as it may seem I think it's part of the charging circuit on these, if the bulb is burnt out there's no reference signal to the alt

They used to be set up so the VOLT warning lamp was part of the self-exciter circuit for the alternator, but that changed with solid state regulators and PCM control over the regulator.

If the reference wire to the PCM gets broken, they won't charge...

I've got a 93 Accord that has the charge light coming on and off for just under a year... When I got it I found the alternator wire & starter wire loose. Re-tightened all and had alternator and battery tested everything showed ok. Even when the light came on I zipped into the autoparts store and had it tested with it on and same thing. I'm thinking the votage regulator is hanging up and either not charging, which it shows 13.9v or over charging, but I have'nt seen that condition yet other than a dome light burned out twice since I had it(cheap light?). I do hear the alternator loading up and unloading whenever I put on the turn signals which makes me think it's under charging.

I've got a 93 Accord that has the charge light coming on and off for just under a year... When I got it I found the alternator wire & starter wire loose. Re-tightened all and had alternator and battery tested everything showed ok. Even when the light came on I zipped into the autoparts store and had it tested with it on and same thing. I'm thinking the votage regulator is hanging up and either not charging, which it shows 13.9v or over charging, but I have'nt seen that condition yet other than a dome light burned out twice since I had it(cheap light?). I do hear the alternator loading up and unloading whenever I put on the turn signals which makes me think it's under charging.
13.9 is a bit low...still more than enough to keep the battery charged but you usually want to see above 14v...

When they test it, did they load it up? Needs to be checked with lights, A/C, radio, etc all turned on, see if voltage starts sliding downhill the longer it idles...lotta alternators will charge fine idling with nothing on, but put continuous load on them and they start dropping...

Bad diodes can cause a weak charge light from time to time with acceptable charging voltage as well...hearing the alternator react to momentary loads like the signals you mentioned is common with this problem...when this happens the regulator has a hard time smoothing out surges and reacts wildly to amperage demands...

A marginal battery can do the same thing too..when the plates get really covered the additional resistance confuses the regulator...

Diode(s) finally died in my alternator...Found the battery dead this morning, and had it tested tonight. Replaced it along with the 5 year old battery which was swelling a bit... Got rid of that annoying battery light and eliminated the engine surge with signals on at idle. I'll know more tomorrow, but it seemed to shift better and hold in overdrive when I took it for a test ride after the install.

Hello all, update on the Accord: It turned out to be the small silver box fastened to the pass. side strut tower. I couldn't find any description in the manual of what it is, but in testing the radio condensor, ign. coil, and this little box, it tested bad. Got one at the junkyard for a couple of bucks, and no more battery light or no-start. Yah! Now I can go back to finishing prepping it for paint. (Pics coming after paint job.)
Thanks for all your help!