intermittent alternator failure?

[anarky321]

2018 rogue sport - alternator seems to go from 14.5 to 12.5 - this is intermittent failure? voltage regulator?

[VStar650CL]

Nope. It's a "smart charging" system working as designed, which is to say, being intermittently stupid. Unfortunately it's a LIN alternator and not PWM, so there's no good way to fool it without causing codes (like you could on most older models). The system isn't usually a problem unless you make a lot of short trips. If you do, it can lead to an undercharged battery which suffers a premature death from sulfation. The only fix for it is to disconnect the Battery Current Sensor (located on the ground cable). That will generate codes in the IPDM but won't turn on any warning lamps, so you can just be aware of the codes and live with them.

[V6er]

are there lin "emulators" - to fool ipdm(or ecu?) and let alternator "work its magic"?

[VStar650CL]

I wish, but I don't know of any. I've actually been thinking of scoping the signals and building something, but it's complicated by the fact that the grille shutter shares the LIN. It may take a good bit of sorting out to decode the signals.