Vanagon EuroVan
Previous messageNext messagePrevious in topicNext in topicPrevious by same authorNext by same authorPrevious page (January 2014, week 3)Back to main VANAGON pageJoin or leave VANAGON (or change settings)ReplyPost a new messageSearchProportional fontNon-proportional font
Date:         Tue, 21 Jan 2014 21:19:25 -0500
Reply-To:     Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Alternator questions
Comments: To: Don Hanson <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <CAHTkEuJx+2-+GTmd65g8bffZtX3DbP=ZoPd8mvm5tYAV1Nz4uQ@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

With discharged batteries and a heavy load 13.2 volts may be all you get at idle! What do you get above idle? If you can get 13.8 volts at the alternator even if you have to rev the engine the alternator is doing its job. It takes about 1800 to 2000 engine rpm for the alternator to reach full output. With charged batteries and little load you will see the full voltage at idle but with additional batteries, added loads, and the old undersized wiring things will be different. In general these alternators work or they don't. Rare for them to get weak although a slipping belt can drastically reduce performance.

Dennis

-----Original Message----- From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of Don Hanson Sent: Tuesday, January 21, 2014 7:55 PM To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM Subject: Alternator questions

Inline Vw motor, digifant electronics. Same alternator as Vanagon, etc. This alternator is about 4 yrs old now, sourced from Van Cafe. It has been worked hard keeping 2 batteries charged through extensive prolonged off-grid camping. I've gone through 3 standard starting batteries, often draining the auxiliary battery charging electronics, etc.

Today my aux battery was low so I plugged my 12v power source for my lap top into a power point that's wired to the engine battery. The laptop's battery was dead, but I figured the bigger engine battery would have the juice to charge the computer and still fire up the van. Wrong, the laptop's battery took most of the charge from the van. Tried jumping.from the coach battery but that one was dead, too. Did a one-man push start and drove around for half hour. Starts right up again, but I put my multimeter across the vehicle main and it reads just 13.2v engine idling with no accessories on. Pretty low, according to Bentley. Would that be Reg/brushes ? in that time span and the use cycle?

Is the test just to get some new brushes and stick em in, then check the battery input again?

Thanks, Don H.


Back to: Top of message | Previous page | Main VANAGON page

Please note - During the past 17 years of operation, several gigabytes of Vanagon mail messages have been archived. Searching the entire collection will take up to five minutes to complete. Please be patient!


Return to the archives @ gerry.vanagon.com


The vanagon mailing list archives are copyright (c) 1994-2011, and may not be reproduced without the express written permission of the list administrators. Posting messages to this mailing list grants a license to the mailing list administrators to reproduce the message in a compilation, either printed or electronic. All compilations will be not-for-profit, with any excess proceeds going to the Vanagon mailing list.

Any profits from list compilations go exclusively towards the management and operation of the Vanagon mailing list and vanagon mailing list web site.