Tickety Tick noise - Alternator ?

Hey oh knowledgable ones...



I have what I can only describe as a ticky tick noise which is loudest around the drivers side Rear wheel arch when the engine is running. Been there for a while but getting gradulally worse.



At first I thought it could be a blow on the exhaust but it's all checked out ok - all components are new, but after careful thought and investigation, I'm sure it is alternator related.



This morning, when I parked up at work, I for the 20th time listened to it intently. Moving the steering wheel slightly increased its pace/volume slightly. Then putting all the lights on, and the heater on full, and pressing both windows buttons up (when already up) made it noticably louder. Hence my suspicion on the alternator.



However, when I checked it last night at idle, the voltage on the battery is 14.00 with nothing electrical on, and 13.71 with lights (including fog), and heater on full, which I believe is still acceptable.



Is the alternator on its way out (failing bearings) or could the noise be something else, i.e.something loose ? I'm sure its the original so 14 yrs old.



I think the belt needs tightning ever so slightly (really not much) as it slipped yesterday in extreme wet for the first time since it was fitted 6 months ago, but I don't see why that would cause the noise.



Just looking for "expert" opinion here before I get the chance to put it on the stands and run it without the belt attached etc...

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