Help! electrical issues battery light on...

Hopefully someone can point me in the right direction...
Here's the story...
Ok so originally I hit a big puddle and moments later the battery light came on.
Weird thing was that it would go off at idle but them come back on when I revved it.
So I charged my battery overnite(it was at 50%). I use my voltmeter to test the battery. It was within spec...should be considering it's only 6 months old.
Now I started it and tested it again I got 14+ volts so I know the alt is charging.
But now my battery light is on all the time? I'm.scared to.drive it incase I get stranded somewhere.
Could someone please she'd some light? I don't even know where to look next.
Thanks!
BTW it's an 01 TRD v6

 

Ok so very deep in thought here.... What if...when I went through the puddles some how road grit got into the belt and caused it to slip which in turn caused the belt to wear or glaze (get shiny). Now the belt is slipping (as I hear a squeaking) and the alternator isn't spinning enough?

 

Ok changed belt and noticed the alt is hot...so did a test unhooked battery and it cooled off..? Hooked battery back up and it starts to get warm again? Is the alt buggered or what

 

This is while the vehicle isn't running

 

It sounds like your alternator is shorted out after the puddle, or you have a bearing inside the alternator that is seizing up and not allowing it to spin freely. Take your alternator belt off and spin the alt by hand and see what it does. Hope this helps.

 

Thanks for the reply!
I changed the belt yesterday... No more chirping..
The alternator spins freely.
Woke up this morning and the battery was dead!

 

Ok changed the alternator at the tune of 182 bux!
Everything is fixed!
I put dielectric grease on every connection under the hood!

 

Glad to hear you got it figured out.

 

Sounds like you got some metal inside the alternator, shorting it out. There are shops out there that rebuild them, if you didn't have to turn in the core.

 

No more puddle bashing.

Puddle dousing a spun up alternator is a sure way to kill it. I Try to keep the water level way below the alt when crossing water. If I do have to cross deep water, I let it idle dry on the other side. DO NOT shut it off,,let it idle if you can.

Blasting thru deep puddles is a kick,,but there is usually a sad ending inevitably.

I don't know if you were wheeling or just driving home when it happened, but previous experience led me to post the above.

 

Unfortunately, auto manufacturers use a battery symbol as the determination of an electrical issue when it has very little to do with a battery. The consumer sees the light come on and immediately,"my battery is bad" when in all reality there is a voltage irregularity and it is 99% of the time an issue with the alternator.

 

Its unfortunate that Toyota puts the alternator so low in the engine bay. If it was on top, where the PS pump is, we'd not have so many issues with the alt.

 

I agree!
I built some splash guards for the inner wheel wells!