Date:         Tue, 20 Jan 2015 11:00:31 -0800
Reply-To:     Stuart MacMillan <stuartmacm@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Stuart MacMillan <stuartmacm@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: alternator charge initiation
Comments: To: Edward Maglott <emaglott3@GMAIL.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <CABToOYLg=P-mZhMYvymYmtaVfD0RX7goN=pusdjUMP9UzGA5PQ@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8"

My son's van came with that installed, and I'm tempted to cut it open to find out what's in it.  It feels like a large resistor, and somehow it routes extra voltage or current to activate the alternator quicker.

Stuart

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of Edward Maglott
Sent: Tuesday, January 20, 2015 10:43 AM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: alternator charge initiation

Interesting.  I've seen that symptom on VWs for years, maybe decades.  I
wonder what that GoWesty device has in it, if anything?  If I were more
annoyed by needing to blip the throttle I would figure it out and make my
own.  Maybe it just connects the blue and black wires?

On Tue, Jan 20, 2015 at 12:54 PM, Jim Felder <jim.felder@gmail.com> wrote:

> Interesting. Looking at the installation drawings on the GoWesty site, it
> looks like this product is made to work with the Waterboxer motors (the
> article on the product specifically states that it won't work with
> air-cooled vanagons). But what about diesels? I think they all have that
> "need to blip" issue--my certainly always has--but if I recall correctly,
> the diesels need an adjustable output voltage regulator. At least that has
> been mentioned.
>
> Jim
>
> On Tue, Jan 20, 2015 at 10:20 AM, Mark McCulley <markmcculley@gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
> > Ever since I replaced my alternator I've needed to blip the throttle
> after
> > starting to get the Alt light to go out. This happens about 50% of time.
> I
> > never had to do this with the old alternator. The new one was a Bosch
> > rebuild. I do have a solenoid in the circuit for cabin battery charging
> but
> > the problem persists even if I switch out that solenoid.
> >
> > Did I get a bum alternator? I see GoWesty makes a little harness to fix
> > this problem (http://www.gowesty.com/ec_view_details.php?id=24031) but
> > would like to understand why I have a problem that never existed before
> > replacing the alternator.
> >
> > -Mark
> >
> > '87 Syncro Westy
> > FUNHAUS
> >
>