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[GastronomicKleptomaniac]

Right, my Omega's an ex-plod, 3.2. Originally with GLS trim inside (AFAIK), previous owner has fitted heated leather.

 I noticed last night that when the headlamps, blowers, and pax heated seat were on, the alternator light was very, very dimly lit. I'm assuming it's down to the load being put through it causing a problem.

 Apart from banning Woman from having a toasty bottom... where do I start? I've cleaned the positive battery terminal up recently... I'm thinking either a fault with the alternator or the battery (which looks to be the original, 164k old)...

Oh, and any recommendations for a decent, reasonably priced multimeter? I assume I'm going to need one...

[tigers_gonads]

Stick a meter across the battery terminals and see what the voltage is at idle with a good load on then without a load.
If your lucky, you might get away with changing the diode pack on the alternator 


Multimeter from B&Q 
About a tenner 

[Lazydocker]

My money is on a degraded crimp connection at the battery terminals

[zirk]

Most ex plod have upgraded Alternators, so should be able to cope, so as suggested, Battery on its way out, Battery terminals, bad Neg return, or loose or slipping Aux belt. 

[Martian]

Stick a meter across the battery terminals and see what the voltage is at idle with a good load on then without a load.
If your lucky, you might get away with changing the diode pack on the alternator 


Multimeter from B&Q 
About a tenner 

Make that 2500rpm.

[fiend61]

actually states in the manual that at idle this can happen    if it goes out when slightly increasing revs then the manual says it is nothing to worry about 

[Kevin Wood]

actually states in the manual that at idle this can happen    if it goes out when slightly increasing revs then the manual says it is nothing to worry about 

If it didn't do it before, though, something has degraded, and catching it now might avoid getting stranded.

I'm with Lazydocker's suggestion as a first port of call, followed by checking the straps between battery negative terminal, chassis and engine.

Then work through this guide and make sure all is OK.

http://www.omegaowners.com/forum/index.php?topic=90619.0

[GastronomicKleptomaniac]

Brilliant, ta chaps - I'll be doing a load of work to it over the next week or so, so I'll go through all of the above.

[GastronomicKleptomaniac]

11 years later and this fault has returned. I cannot remember what I did last time so tomorrow is going to be a bit of diagnostic time...

Also this means I've put about 30k on it in my ownership - easy life for the poor old thing, less than 3k a year!

[Andy B]

many many many moons ago when I had a very dimly lit alternator light on my Omega  .... I noticed that the crimp connector to the positive battery terminal was warm. I borrowed large crimp pliers from work & managed to get the crimp a nadgers tighter.
Sorted!

[GastronomicKleptomaniac]

Naturally before I go to work its raining cats, dogs, hamsters and tortoises (whoch hurt).

Luckily I've pinched LadyGK's car to get there... Hopefully its a bit drier later!