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Date:         Sat, 10 Oct 2009 11:21:02 -0700
Reply-To:     Steve Williams <sbw@SBW.ORG>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Steve Williams <sbw@SBW.ORG>
Subject:      Another Update: Only 13V from Alternator
In-Reply-To:  <200909150341.n8F3fDa38010@sbw.org>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed

At 08:41 PM 9/14/2009, Steve Williams wrote: >Just to follow up on my '84 Wolfsburg Westy with the anemic alternator ... > >I bought an alternator at an AutoZone in Flagstaff, just so I would >get completely stuck over the holiday weekend. I left it in the box ... > >(With the old alternator:) measured the voltage at the starter >battery at idle and 2,000 rpm: 13.1V with the headlights off. > >I pulled the regulator out of the Autozone alternator ... got it >installed (on the old alternator). > >I started the engine and measured 13.75V at the battery at idle and >2,000 rpm with the headlights off. With the high beams on, it >dropped to about 13.5V.

Even after I wrote the above, I remained suspicious of the old alternator, so yesterday I had GoWesty install the AutoZone alternator, along with one of their alternator brackets.

And, oh no! The AutoZone alternator measures only 12.8V at the starter battery with the headlights off.

I measured 13.4V between the alternator case and the big B+ stud. So, yes, I'm thinking of running a fatter wire to the battery. But shouldn't the voltage be higher?

The GoWesty tech seemed satisfied with 12.8V, but everything I've learned about lead acid batteries tells me I want more voltage to charge it fully! Am I wrong? Do we have experts on this forum, or can someone point me to trustworthy advice on the inkernets? What about the deep cycle battery?

Sorry to go on and on about this. I just don't feel like I understand yet what the voltage SHOULD be.


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