Paul B & Roland,
Just a note on the voltages. While 14.7 volts is a maximum in a charging system, truthfully anything above 12 volts bwtween the voltage reg output and ground means that the battery is being charged. However how well the battery is being charged is directly related to the voltage output. If the output is 12 volts the battery may never get fully charged. When checking the voltage be sure to set meter on its Volts DC (VDC) setting and check in the correct polarity (red to the regulatory output and black (-) to ground. A zero or negative reading suggests that the battery is either not being charged. Assuming the voltage is at acceptable level. You can check for current flow (which is different from voltage) by placing an amp meter in the line between the regulator output and the battery positive. This will show you how much current the alternator is putting out. Why is this important?????? If you think about your battery charger, it probably has 2 to three settings. Normal charge, fast charge, and maybe start. Each of these settings correspondes to increasing the speed with which the battery is charged. And the same is true of all charging systems. Voltage output does not indicate current flow and both are required to charge a battery. If either does not exist in sufficient quantities your battery will not be charged.}