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VegasMike
Samba Member
Joined: May 07, 2011
Posts: 30
Location: Kent wa
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 Posted: Thu May 24, 2012 4:08 pm Post subject: Gen/battery question |
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My gen light came on today while driving around, luckily I was near a Sears and so I purchased a mult meter to test some things out! My battery has 12.44 volts with car off, and when car is on it puts out 12.16. In Addition I checked all the wires running from the gen to the voltage regulator as well as to the light in the dash and everything checks out okay. What other test should I preform to diagnose the problem? Or is it safe to say its just time for a new battery or gen?
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1972 Super Beetle, 1600 DP. 80 miles on the engine as of 6/18/2011 (o\_|_/o) |
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mtdorajohn
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Joined: June 02, 2010
Posts: 596
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| Posted: Thu May 24, 2012 4:34 pm Post subject: |
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take a flash light and look at the generator wires inside the winding area.
I had one break off the stud which caused my generator to quit charging. A little work, some solder, and I have my generator back on the road.... that was a year ago and it still is great. |
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Cusser
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Joined: October 02, 2006
Posts: 9564
Location: Hot Arizona
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| Posted: Thu May 24, 2012 4:39 pm Post subject: |
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If the starter spins your engine, it's OK. You need to isolate whether the generator or the regulator is the issue.
You basically disconnect the generator wires and test the generator separately. Search for Speedy Jim's instructions posted here. If the generator tests out OK, then generator is bad.
With engine running like 2000 rpm, should read voltage across battery of 13.5 - 14.
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1970 VW (owned since 1972) and 1971 VW Convertible (owned since 1976), second owner of each. The '71 now has the 1835 engine, swapped from the '70. Second owner of each. 1988 Mazda B2200 truck, 1998 Frontier, 2004 Yukon, 2004 Frontier King Cab. All manual transmission except for the Yukon. http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335294 http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335297 |
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61SNRF
Samba Member
Joined: March 29, 2009
Posts: 2227
Location: SoCal
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| Posted: Thu May 24, 2012 4:52 pm Post subject: Re: Gen/battery question |
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| VegasMike wrote: |
My battery has 12.44 volts with car off, and when car is on it puts out 12.16.
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This is an indication that there is no output from the GEN, and you are only running off battery power.
A common failure is for the brushes to simply wear down and loose contact.
Look inside the opening in the GEN and compare them to RafCarre12's new ones from his photo found in the Gallery...
Old and new to show how they wear...
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An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. |
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VegasMike
Samba Member
Joined: May 07, 2011
Posts: 30
Location: Kent wa
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| Posted: Thu May 24, 2012 5:59 pm Post subject: |
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Brushes are new as of oct 2011 and I haven't done much driving since I put them in.
Mtdorajohn: wires appear to be intact and connected.
Cusser: engine starts fine as if there are no issues with anything electrical.
I will use speedy Jim's test after dinner!
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1972 Super Beetle, 1600 DP. 80 miles on the engine as of 6/18/2011 (o\_|_/o) |
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VegasMike
Samba Member
Joined: May 07, 2011
Posts: 30
Location: Kent wa
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| Posted: Thu May 24, 2012 9:19 pm Post subject: |
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Found the problem the DF terminal was loose, so Took the wire coming out of it off and tightened the terminal down and put it all back together and things work as they should! Thank you everyone for your assistance!
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1972 Super Beetle, 1600 DP. 80 miles on the engine as of 6/18/2011 (o\_|_/o) |
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JerryMCarter1
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Joined: January 07, 2007
Posts: 6245
Location: N.W. Phoenix
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| Posted: Thu May 24, 2012 9:19 pm Post subject: |
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and when car is on it puts out 12.16.
Like Cusser Master said
you need 13.5 min
Jerry
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Experience always triumphs over hearsay and You get to select which theory to believe |
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