GP relay/alternator?

[Rookie]

I'd been on the road for about 40 minutes when I noticed the amps guage didn't move to it's normal positon this morning. It was still sitting where it does when I first start the truck.
I'm thinking the gp relay is stuck open or the alternator took a hike.

While I'm pondering what to replace, it jumped back to it's normal spot. So can the gp relay stay on and would it be considered as bad if it does? or is the alternator going? I would think the alternator would just stop if it was give it up right?

Ideas?...

Thanks guys...
Ron

 

[stroker21]

Mine has been doing that for awhile also. It only does it for a few minutes after it starts. I had heard that it was something about building up the voltage. I don't know can someone else help out?

 

[bbressler]

It IS normal for the voltage to be low for approximately 2 minutes after you turn the key. It's not normal for the the voltage to be normal for 40 minutes, then all of a sudden go back down like the GPs are energized.

 

[Crumm]

Could be a stuck GP relay, bad alternator or something else shorting out. If it does it again you could jump out and disconnect one of the big terminals on the GP relay to rule it out.

 

[Rookie]

Just walked in the door and I'm heading back out to pull the gp relay. It bounced between the "N" and the "RM" marks on the way home. My biggest fear is if the relay is stuck open it's toasting the harness and plug ends...


I figure if I disconnect the gp relay, it should go back to the normal running point (in theory) if not, start pulling info with the volt meter...right...?

Edit...disconnecting the gp relay did nothing. Currently I'm running 12v on the right battery and 11 on the left. I also tossed the charge protect on to see what it would do and the idle took off and added nothing to the meter. I'm off for an alternator...

Edit again...New alternator and it's still charging the batteries. Anyway only lost two nuts on this job...the hot side of the gp relay (dropped you know where) and the little nut on the back side of the alternator (again into the valley of no return)

Thats good for me...

 

[Crumm]

So the new alternator fixed it?

 

[Rookie]

Yep, $159.99 for a lifetime unit. Fact is it looks like it's still charging everything up. It used to sit between the "R" and the "M" , now it's sitting between the "A" and the "L". I'm wondering what's normal...