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Date:         Wed, 16 Jun 2010 15:41:58 -0700
Reply-To:     Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Subject:      Re: 12.2 V at rest ('85 Westy w/2.1L)
Comments: To: David Beierl <dbeierl@attglobal.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
              reply-type=response

well...... one of my sayings are cars and vanagons is 'good starting is nice to have !' ..

like all people know is that when they turn that key .. two good things happen.........the engine cranks strongly, and she fires right up.

when ya got that ....yer happy. lol. I will also say that the theoretical world and the actual world are a little different ( .....can you imagine what I think of engineers about that ! ? ) ......

another saying of mine is 'I may not know every fancy little theretical detail of whatever system, but I know what works." if I see 13.8 volts charging, which is common and standard even, and there are no issues.... I'm happy with that. If I see 14.0 volts or 14.2 ....do I think that's a problem .............nope ! ----- Original Message ----- From: "David Beierl" <dbeierl@attglobal.net> To: "Scott Daniel - Turbovans" <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM> Cc: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM> Sent: Wednesday, June 16, 2010 2:31 PM Subject: Re: 12.2 V at rest ('85 Westy w/2.1L)

> At 05:18 PM 6/16/2010, Scott Daniel - Turbovans wrote: >>the guy who originally turned me onto solid state adjustable voltage >>regulators for Bosch alternators ...and starter/alternator rebuilder guy - >>he likes to see them run at 14.5 volts. > > Dear Scott, > > This is band-aid stuff. The place that the voltage matters is directly at > the battery posts, and having the regulator measure it there means that it > doesn't matter whether you have thick wire or thin, good tight connections > or lossy ones, high current drain or low -- the alternator is going to put > the designated charging voltage into the battery. In that case 14.5 volts > is definitely too high. Automobile batteries are operated in what's > called "float" service, where they are never more than slightly discharged > except in emergency. 13.8 volts at room temperature is probably a pretty > good voltage for floating a car battery. > > People who actually discharge their batteries, i.e. camping service with > more than minimal battery use, are looking at a whole 'nother kettle of > fish, both with regard to charging and to the battery itself. For those > people no single voltage is satisfactory -- the float voltage won't charge > the battery fully, and the charging voltage must be removed once full > charge is achieved. > > Yours, > David


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