Date:         Wed, 7 Mar 2001 19:41:43 -0800
Reply-To:     patty and danny <balodis_cabe@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         patty and danny <balodis_cabe@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject:      alternator - '81 Westy
Content-Type: multipart/alternative;

I seem to have a charging problem in my Westy.  I have two batteries without an isolator installed and I think that may be putting unnecessary wear on them, but I don't think that's my main problem.  My batteries are always dead.  Well, not always, but say I drive with my lights on and maybe my portable CD player on, you can bet the next time I try to start my van it will not have enough power to start.  Also, if I leave my van for a few days and try to start it, good luck.  I think the lights for the battery and water level take a little bit of power over the course of a few days, but if the batteries were being charged right the little insignificant lights shouldn't matter, right?  Also, last year I replaced both batteries so they're only a year old.  Well, my first guess is my alternator isn't putting out enough juice (and it's really a guess because I don't know the first thing about any of this).  Can anyone tell me if there's a simple way to test the output of the alternator without having to take it out and take it to a mechanic.  Can't I just test some wires while the van's running?  Any advice would be appreciated as I really am starting from scratch on this.

Thanks in advace.
Danny
'81 Westy

[text/html]