Date: Thu, 4 Apr 2013 19:01:25 -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: Question about battery light
In-Reply-To: <CANEuo0juMCrKHbZK1TzX_RPj_EAtV6XSizCtRKy1CEK8qowjww@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
Weekender with aux battery, I see.
I bought one a couple of years ago, I am certain I was the first person
to ever lay eyes on the factory-installed VW-Audi white battery under
the drivers seat. It was cooked dry long ago.
I hope you have at least disconnected that battery if it's shot.
I would just work on it until I could get the battery light to come on .
with key on, engine off.
if it has an OXS light, it should come on with battery light.
both lights will go out when it's charging, as long as the miles counter
in the OXS box isn't tripped.
Bush that button in until it goes clunk, can't hurt.
for simple things to try, I might disconnect the wires to the miles
counter box, though I've never had to for any reason.
In a really bad case I rig up my own warning light in the blue wire
circuit, even by the alternator ..
if that works ....then you know it's in dash or wiring going there.
if it wasn't clear from those other guys' posts ...
it's kinda funamental to the alternator charing for the warning light to
come on when you turn on the key.
It's hard to imagine the Alt could get excitation voltage to it, without
that light coming on, because the light is part of the path to excite
the Alt.
let us know what you find ..
one wonders about the insrument cluster and T14 connector on it.
Be real funny if a wire tab was out of place touching the wrong thing.
On 4/4/2013 5:58 PM, kenneth wilford (Van-Again) wrote:
> Thanks to Mark and Dennis for taking the time to help me out with this. I
> know it sounds weird but even after all these years I am still learning new
> things about our vans.
>
> This particular van is a multi van ( 86 Wolfsburg Westy Pop Top ) so it
> doesnt have a fridge however it does have a secondary battery setup that
> doesnt seem to be working at the moment. I think that might be the source
> of the issue.
>
> Trying to get this van back up to snuff after years of PO allowing Bubba
> Sunoco to work on it when he wasnt busy pumping gas. It keeps throwing me
> curve balls.
>
> When you are looking to buy a van please ask for records of repair work
> done. If they have nothing or it hasnt been kept up by a specialist, you
> might want to keep looking.
>
> Thanks again guys! You are the best!
>
> Ken Wilford
> John 3:16
> www.vanagain.com
> On Apr 4, 2013 7:36 PM, "Dennis Haynes" <d23haynes57@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Was the replacement cluster out of a Westy? If not the fridge relay could
>> be
>> loading down the circuit and be part of the problem. Disconnect it and see
>> what happens. The light gets power from the ignition circuit (with some
>> resisters) and completes the circuit through the alternator. This current
>> is
>> also needed to help[ excite the alternator to get it going. When the
>> alternator is working it back feeds voltage to the light causing the light
>> to go out as it has +batt on both sides. This is also used on the Westys to
>> operate the fridge relay which is grounded through the starter solenoid!
>>
>> So to test disconnect the blue wire to the alternator and control wires to
>> the fridge relay. Key on engine off, alternator light should be off. If on,
>> find out why.
>> Connect blue wire near alternator to a ground point, light should turn on,
>> if not wiring problem. If OK, then connect to alternator. Light should turn
>> on. Start engine, when alternator kicks in light should go off.
>> If this checks good, then try with fridge relay connected. Does fridge
>> relay
>> work? If not then you have voltage drop problem. If yes then and the light
>> stays on you have a cluster problem.
>>
>> Dennis
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
>> kenneth wilford (Van-Again)
>> Sent: Thursday, April 4, 2013 6:47 PM
>> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>> Subject: Question about battery light
>>
>> I have a customers 86 Westy that has an instrument cluster from a later
>> model installed. I have been trying to troubleshoot the battery light
>> staying on and I am bumping my head against a brick wall. The cluster
>> seems
>> to be seeing around 13.5volts when the van is running and all of the other
>> lights, etc. on the cluster seem to be working fine. Yet the battery light
>> won't go out.
>>
>> I think originally this van used to have the oxy light and box, but the box
>> is no longer there and the newer instrument cluster doesn't have the oxy
>> light in it. I guess what I need to know is exactly what the light is
>> looking for as an input to turn the light out. I have never been
>> completely
>> clear as to exactly what I should be seeing from the blue wire that goes to
>> the alternator since this is also the wire that is controlling the light.
>> Should I see a voltage from this wire? Is it a ground instead? If someone
>> could explain what this blue wire does that would help me out a lot.
>>
>> Sincerely,
>> Ken Wilford
>> John 3:16
>> www.vanagain.com
>>
>>
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