How to pull socket from back of alternator & voltage question

[strawman]

Hey guys
After sitting for a week I took my van to town and back (16klm). Before leaving I checked the battery indicator by sink. Showed yellow at idle and stayed yellow when I revved it up. Normally it would have gone to green. Still yellow when I got back from town. Voltage at idle 12.4 at revs 13.5. Voltages checked at battery.

It’s a brand new battery and I checked voltages after I installed it. I’m pretty sure at revs it was about 16v.

So now I want to remove the white plug in on back of alternator and check voltage there. Also the blue wire looks quite kinked and I suspect some strands inside are broken.

I can figure out how to pull it off. Could you please enlighten me. Thanks
And any comments on voltages would be appreciated.
Thanks
Dan

[strawman]

Ok new info after some help from a friend and a test drive. I told my friend about the 16v (I wish I could accurately remember, 14.7 is starting to sound more accurate.) The 12.4 was actually before I started the van. He said 16-14 was too high which can burn out headlamps ( one did burn out first night drive) and 12.4 was to low. He suspects faulty voltage regulator. Occasionally sticking on and then sometimes not coming on.

Add to the mix the fact that sometimes I can go 10-14 days not running the van. I suspect the dash clock runs the battery down.

So with battery disconnected I decided to put my battery charger on just for fun while I tried to figure out how to remove wire plug from alt. Charger didn’t even register 25% charge. Big surprise, probably why only 12.4v.

Charged battery up to 12.7v then started van, idled at 12.4 then went to 13.6 once I bumped the gas pedal and stayed there for a 15 mile drive.

Back home engine off 13.6v > 12.9 in less than 5 minutes.
Charger back on shows somewhere between 25 & 50% charge.
When home, battery indicator by sink showed green.

Is 13.6v an acceptable alt voltage? If so I think I’ll just change out the VR and see how things go. Unless anyone thinks I should be checking elsewhere.

I’ve ordered a new voltage regulator to install before I put a new lamp in.

Again thanks for your time.
Dan

[crazyvwvanman]

If you measured the 13.6 at the battery, then yes it is fine. If you measured that at the alternator itself then I consider it too low.

Mark

[strawman]

Thank you Mark for your reply. Yes it was measured at the battery. I’d still like to know how you guys are measuring voltage at the alternator. You must be taking off the white wire plug and measuring from b+ to ground. I’ve poked and prodded and pressed and wiggled but connecter is still on😂.
Cheers
Dan