Date:         Thu, 9 Apr 2020 13:38:44 -0700
Reply-To:     Alistair Bell <albell@SHAW.CA>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Alistair Bell <albell@SHAW.CA>
Subject:      Re: Alternators
Comments: To: David Beierl <dbeierl@gmail.com>
In-Reply-To:  <CAMOH8LL5L=rZr6d4ShHaoF53oRmD95DThbBsMyZORURJ=jFnKA@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8

Ok david, results in

Initial conditions are that both batteries, house and starting were fully charged, they were connected to my roof top panels. I disconnected solar and isolated the aux battery

Took a bit of surface charge , half heartedly , from staring battery by leaving the interior lights on for a minute.

Battery 13.18
Alt 13.21

I’m using two different digital meters, maybe that and probing errors etc. Anyway, same meters and same methodology used throughout.

Engine on

Battery 14.4
Alternator 14.53

I’d like less voltage drop but I’m not that bothered.

Engine on, wipers at slow, both heater fans at 2, rear defogger, headlights on ( led so less draw than stock)

Battery 13.91
Alternator 13.91

Didn’t run it more than five minutes to see how much hotter alternator would drop voltage.

I kinda like the settings I have, with the provisos i mentioned in other post.

I still have stock wiring from starter to battery. The battery end “appears” ok, the starter end i can’t recall. I’d go out in a limb and say the stock big wire is less than perfect.

Oh and I looked at the starting battery and the best I can decipher from the punched out date tag is it’s May 2004

I can’t believe that. It can’t be the same battery I had in my 82 westy. I got the Syncro around 2011, I’m sure I soon replaced the battery but not in 2014.

Anyway, that battery is on it’s last legs 

Alistair 

> On Apr 9, 2020, at 10:58 AM, David Beierl <dbeierl@gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> 
> The only way to get an accurate voltage reading is to use non load bearing wires directly to the battery posts.
> 
> Yrs,
> d
> 
> On Thu, Apr 9, 2020 at 1:56 PM David Beierl <dbeierl@gmail.com> wrote:
>>> - the voltage drops as electrical loads applied. in winter, headlights on, heater fan on, re fogger on, wipers on, the voltage can drop ( as measured on fuse panel) to the high 13s.
>> 
>> The whole point of the regulator is to *not* drop under load.  YOu're seeing the voltage drop in the panel feed.
>> 
>> Yrs, 
>> d