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Date:         Sun, 12 Dec 2010 19:42:04 -0800
Reply-To:     mark drillock <mdrillock@COX.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         mark drillock <mdrillock@COX.NET>
Subject:      Re: Battery or Charging System Help Please
Comments: To: "Michael A. Radtke" <wa7zpu@CISAZ.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <4D059188.10603@cisaz.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

Just add a single heavier wire from the alternator to the starter. That will probably fix your issue. A great vendor even sells a wire built just for this purpose.

http://www.van-cafe.com/home/van/page_780_235/alternator_cable_upgrade.html

The junction you are looking for is in the engine compartment wiring box. Left forward corner of the engine compartment. There is a threaded stud inside where several red wires come together. I have seen several of these with wire damage at that stud, mostly in models before 87.

Mark

Michael A. Radtke wrote: > .............. > So, I looked at the charging system and was reminded again that the > Vanagon uses an alternator that supplies a constant voltage at its > terminals instead of supplying a constant voltage at the battery. With > the engine at 1000 rpm, I measure 13.8 volts at the alternator with the > lights and heater blowers turned on, but only 12.6 at the battery. That > is not enough to maintain the battery. > > It is most likely that there is a high resistance path in the wiring > between the alternator and the battery. Bentley shows two parallel > wires from the alternator that connect to a bus wire that runs from the > heavy starter cable to the front of the Vanagon. I don't know why VW > didn't run those parallel wires directly to the starter cable. I > suspect the junction of the parallel alternator wires and the bus wire > is bad, but I can't locate the connection. Can anyone tell me exactly > where it is? > ..... > Thanks, > Mike >


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