Date:         Sat, 8 Jan 2005 17:01:45 -0800
Reply-To:     Alistair Bell <albell@UVIC.CA>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Alistair Bell <albell@UVIC.CA>
Subject:      Re: charging system problem?  battery sitting for a while.
Comments: To: tolga <tolga@MAC.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <20050108211342.1D93B191BC2@relay03.roc.ny.frontiernet.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed

Hi,

measured voltage at battery when running and no loads applied should
be, IMHO, above 13.7 for the battery to charge. What you are reading is
far too low.

Lead acid batteries need that voltage to properly charge. The
measurement of the battery voltage with no surface chrge and engine not
running should be 12.65 for a fully charged battery.

see here for more info

http://www.landiss.com/battery.htm


Alistair


'82 westy, diesel converted to gas in '94
http://www.members.shaw.ca/albell/

On 8-Jan-05, at 1:13 PM, tolga wrote:

> Hi there,
>   Just finished up installing SA grill, H4 lights and headlight relays
> in
> my 84 1.9 watercooled.  The Van had been sitting in my garage for
> several
> months and the battery was down to about 10.5V.  I left it overnight on
> my battery charger at a 2A trickle charge.  Today it's up to 11.6V.
> The
> Van starts right up but I noticed the battery and alternator are still
> at
> 11.6V when running?  I think it should be in the 12.5 range when
> running,
> right?  Any suggestions?  Is there a way to test the alt or regulator?
>   I also noted with the headlights on, the voltage at the connectors is
> around 11.4V for both hi and low beams on both sides.  I did not
> measure
> it before doing the project but the H4's are much brighter.
>
> Thanks for any suggestions!
>    Tolga
>