RE>>Alternator & O2 lights on 12/8/95
>My van does this everytime. The lights go off after a certain rpm and >do not come on again. I've heard this is normal and has something to >do with the field voltage in the alternator or some such (someone set >me straight). My interpretation of Steve's input above is: When I start my van the red alternator light remains on until the engine revs climb above idle, either when I "blip" the throttle, or when I accelerate to drive off. (personally, I have a diesel, so there is no "fast idle" when I start a cold engine, idle speed is always the same). Steve is pretty close to the mark as I understand the alternator/regulator circuits. These are "self exciting" alternators, depending upon residual magnetic field storage to "bootstrap" the device into the generation of electricty when you first start them rotating. I think (gimme so slack, it has been almost 30 years since I took that course (that I hated) in rotating machinery) that the output builds up with rpm until it can generate enought voltage to energize it's own field windings, and then the regulator can kick in and do it's thing. Anyone out there that can confirm or (better yet) correct this? Harvey
|
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Vanagon mail messages have been archived.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.