Those same thoughts crossed my mind as well about how it works. I havent had the time to go over the schematics yet but i do plan to do so. However if the bulb did work how you explained, which to me seems the most logical and efficent way to check something like that. However if it did work that way the alternator should still work if the bulb goes out. But when the bulb does go out the alternator and the rest of the charging system starts acting up. Just my thoughts. Dave 6410 On 8/30/07, daviddlasvegas <daviddlasvegas@xxxxxxxxx> wrote: > > My curiosity has been peaked with all this electrical system trouble > I've been having. I'm wondering if anyone can tell me exactly how the > alternator tell tale light works. > > Here's what I'm thinking: There is a positive wire from the battery > that goes to the light. The negative wire from the light goes to the > alternator. When you turn the key on, the alternator is not making its > own power yet, so the juice goes thru the light and is grounded at the > alternator. Thus the curcuit is complete and the light illuminates. > Once the alternator is on and making power, it can't act as a negative > and the circuit is undone and the light goes off. When the ignition is > turned on at first it takes a few seconds for the alternator to start > making power, so the light illuminates for a few seconds (while the > manual says this is a bulb check it's really just electricity working > the way it is suppose to). > > So how close am I??? > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] To address comments privately to the moderating team, please address: moderators@xxxxxxxxxxx For more info on the list, tech articles, cars for sale see www.dmcnews.com To search the archives or view files, log in at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dmcnews Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dmcnews/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dmcnews/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:dmcnews-digest@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx mailto:dmcnews-fullfeatured@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: dmcnews-unsubscribe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/