I just got my car back from the frame shop to get the front lower frame arms bent back after an accident I had last week. I've been driving the car and all electrical systems have been just fine, with no damage to anything (ie. Engine, charging system, battery, etc..) Now driving home from the shop my alternator which is usually charging an easy 15 amps is now down around 8. Much too low for my comfort. I've checked every connection I can find, every fuse and relay. Everything seems intact. Before I replace the alternator too, what else should I check? Any ideas?

The alternator will only charge what the demand on the electrical system requires. Check the voltage not the amps. Should be 14.2 to 14.7 volts.

I assume you meant 15 volts, not amps. Anyway, did your shop do any welding? My shop didn't disconnect the grounds to my ignition and fried the Accel box from mig welding. Otherwise it would be coincidence. Sounds like you should take the alternator to a good autp arts place and have it checked.

I don't think the shop did any welding at all. Just bending. Oh yeah, I did mean volts before. I took the alternator in to the shop earlier and it tested out just fine. Full 14.5 volts at the store. When I reconnected, started the car, and put a voltage tester on it was reading around 11.5 volts (at the battery and alternator), 12.2 with the car off (at the battery). I let the car run and it went dead within ten minutes (obviously running solely off battery). What would be the next thing in line to check for since its not charging?

Dead cell in the battery - plates/internal connectors knocked loose from the accident impact; won't take a charge? If the alternator checks out against a load in a tester but won't charge the battery in the car, it's either wiring, loose battery cables, or a bad battery.

The battery holds a charge just fine. When I hook a charger up it'll charge it fine. But my car won't run off the alternator alone and the alternator does not charge the battery. Must be a short in the charging loop somewhere right? If I disconnect the + battery terminal while the car is running it'll die immediately. Could it be voltage regulator? If so where is the voltage regulator on a Camaro?

Well I found out that the voltage regulator is inside the alternator. But it must be working correctly if the entire alternator passed all the tests at the parts store. But as soon as I put the alternator back in the car it won't keep her running. What would be the next point that could fail that I could check?

I agree with John. It's probably time for a new battery. Not sure if one with a bad plate will take a charge though. If it does, you should be careful since batteries aren't very forgiving when they're being jacked with.

Many moons ago my uncle slammed the door on a Ford Courier and about a third of the battery splattered the engine compartment. I'm sure there was more of a reason than the door slamming, probably it was overcharged or something. But in the end, that's all it took.

John's right. I had one that acted the same way. It was in a car that had been involved in an accident. It didn't appear hurt, and seemed to take a charge, but wouldn't provide the current to start the car. The impact probably caused the plates to short together. I replaced it and no more problems

Did they do a load test on the battery? If not you should have that done. Seeing that the car shuts off when you disconnect the battery that does, point to the alternator. Since you had that checked and it came back fine, I would suggest checking your charge wire from the alternator to the battery. Do you have a multimeter? If so, charge the battery, check the voltage, start the car, check the voltage at the battery again while running, go to the alternator check the voltage at the charge post (with the car running) you should see 14-14.4 Volts there. If you have 14+ volts at the alternator, and you don't at the battery, then you have a broken or disconneted wire. If you do not have 14+ volts at the charge post of the alternator then you need to check your sense wire (assuming you have a three wire alternator) your sense wire tell the internal regulator when to charge, the third wire should be a switched 12 volts from the ignition switch, turn the key on but, don't start the car, check to see that you have 12 volts to the alternator, if you do not you need to figure out why (depepnding on how it was wired it could be as simple as a blown fuse). If you takes these steps it should point you in the right direction, The charging system is very simple, once you understand what does what. Post back with what you find when you take these measurements, we can then determine your problem.

Got the problem fixed. It was the charge wire from the alternator to battery (third wire on top). Where the cable ran underneath the car I guess the guys at the shop pinched the cable with with their tools and cut the red one. A little splicing, soldering and taping and its as good as new. Thanks for the posts and suggestions guys