Date:         Thu, 20 Aug 1998 16:22:54 PDT
Reply-To:     Sean Bartnik <bartnik@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <Vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Sean Bartnik <bartnik@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Charging system update
Comments: To: type2@type2.com
Comments: cc: vanagon@vanagon.com
Content-Type: text/plain

Hey all,
You may recall my recent post about how my battery was being
undercharged.

Today I finally had the time to replace the voltage regulator with a new
spare that came with the van (thanks Rick!).  On the Vanagon, the
voltage regulator is screwed onto the front (FIF) of the alternator.
Comparing the old and the new, the brushes on the old were severely worn
compared to the brushes on the new regulator.  I installed the new
regulator and charged the battery (the battery took about 3 hours on the
charger).

Now with the engine running and no electrical load I am seeing 13.2 or
so volts across the battery.  With a heavy electrical load it goes down
to around 12.7 or 12.8 volts.  Heavy being say headlights and windshield
wipers on at the same time.  It does not go above 13.2 even when revving
the engine higher than idle.

So this is better than it was but I feel that it is still not quite as
good as it should be.  While I had the battery out I took the
opportunity to clean up the ground strap's connection to the frame.  I
did the same with the tranny-to-chassis ground strap.  I also noticed
that there is some significant corrosion on the terminals at the wiring
harness plug to the altnernator and also on the male spade terminals on
the alternator.  Since, however, these terminals are recessed into the
body of the altnerator and the females are inside a plug, I don't know
that there's much I can do about cleaning them.  I feel though that this
corrosion could be causing part of the problem. Any ideas on what I can
do about it?

I am planning to try this arrangement out for a while and see if I have
any further problems.  If I do I may opt to swap out the alternator with
a used spare that I have to see if that makes a difference.

Any other suggestions?
Thanks!


Sean Bartnik
Fairfax, Virginia
============================
'81 Vanagon L Westfalia
'74 Karmann Ghia convertible
http://www.type2.com/bartnik/tech.htm


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