Date:         Thu, 31 Jul 2003 07:23:27 -0700
Reply-To:     "Phil S." <napszeerf@YAHOO.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         "Phil S." <napszeerf@YAHOO.COM>
Subject:      Re: Alternator Charging Woes
In-Reply-To:  <3F2904CF.21A15A9E@utoledo.edu>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

A listee named Steve had this mod that compensates for
the Vanagon's voltage drop accross the charging wire:
"Also, while you are at it, run a small wire from the
regulator's "voltage sense" terminal up to the
battery, so the regulator measures the charging
voltage AT THE BATTERY and compensates for the voltage
drop across the charging wire and keeps the battery
charge voltage much more constant regardless of
electrical load."

Sounds like it could fix your problem....although i
have not tried it yet, im going to try it soon becouse
i just installed new voltage regulator and im at 13.5
idle, no load...but, under load(lights on, stereo,
amp) im down to 12 volts, at 2000RPMs.
not good for charging some batteries like the Optima
from what ive heard.

Phil 84' Westy Tiico



--- "Barry E. Muller" <bmuller@UTOLEDO.EDU> wrote:
> Hello All,
>
> I am having probs with my alternator charging.  A
> short history:
>
> 1) Replaced my engine with a rebuild.
> 2) At 180 miles after the swap the engine dies -
> battery is obviously
> low as the flashers quit after about 20 minutes -
> and the van gets
> towed home.
> 3) Have battery recharged (trickle) and test to hold
> load - all OK
> according to the shop
> 4) Check voltage across battery at 2-3,000 RPM - 11
> volts
> 5) Clean off voltage regulator
> 6) check voltage as above - same result
> 7) get new, rebuilt alternator - still no joy but
> does show a little
> increase to 12Volts at 3,000 RPM
> 8) suggestion made to check LED - does not turn on.
> 9) Get new LED - still no joy.
> 10) Finally (hey the van is a 91 - figure all those
> things may need to
> be replaced anyrate) check the Bently procedure to
> trouble shoot the LED
> and charging system (wow - considering all the
> omissions in that manual
> didn't dream that they'd have such a detailed
> description of this).
> 11) So grounding the D+ term causes the LED to light
> up when switching
> on the ignition.  Of all the possibilities to
> resolve with that result
> to the test the only one that makes sense is that
> the alternator isn't
> grounded properly/well.
>
> Question #1: can any one help describe where all the
> grounding straps
> are supposed to be? I have not been able to get that
> info out of the
> Bently.  I have a smallish red wire that leads from
> the left head to the
> body just below the coil.  Or is the ground through
> the negative
> terminal on the battery?  Because that looks a
> little rusty (odd being
> in the van and all)
>
> Question #2: Does anyone have another
> explantion/resolution to this
> problem?
>
> Thanks in advance,
>
> Barry
> Electrically clueless in Toledo.


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