help! wire inside generator broke

fluxcap · Posted: Fri Jul 27, 2007 4:30 pm Post subject: help! wire inside generator broke

Hi everyone. I need some guidance. While wiring up my regulator to the generator, the DF stud on the generator came loose and started spinning. Well I got the stud tightened back, and finished hooking everything up. Cranked the car and the generator light stayed on. Went back and looked inside the generator, and the wire that connects to the DF stud on the inside of the generator was disconnected. Must have broke loose when the stud came loose.

Has anyone else ever had this problem? Is this something I can attempt to fix or should I take the generator to a shop for repair? Any suggestions? Thanks
_________________
Eric - 1966 camper bus

"It's like, how much more black could this be, and the answer is none.......none more black."

drscope · Posted: Fri Jul 27, 2007 6:05 pm Post subject:

If you are going to take the genny out to take it to a shop, then you can probably fix this yourself. But, if you were going to take the CAR to the shop to have it fixed, then you may be in over your head.

This really shouldn't be any big deal. Open the genny and reconnect or replace that wire. The stud is just a stud that is insulated to go through the housing. You may be able to solder it back in place or re-pinch it in place. Just make sure when you are done that it is still insulated from the housing.
_________________
Mother Nature is a Mean Evil Bitch!

fluxcap · Posted: Fri Jul 27, 2007 7:51 pm Post subject:

Thanks for the input. I'll give it a shot in the morning. If I run into problems, I can always just ask the samba folks for help, or at worst, take it to the shop!
_________________
Eric - 1966 camper bus

"It's like, how much more black could this be, and the answer is none.......none more black."

Pfc J · Samba Member Joined: March 12, 2006 Posts: 344

Had this happen to me. DF generator stud came unsoldered and charging light came on.

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=1348723&highlight=#1348723

I was able to resolder the wire threw the inspection cover. Didn't take long, and for an insulating piece between the DF stud and the gen body I used some parts from the inside of an RC car shock. Very Happy

It's been working fine since March of last year.

fluxcap · Posted: Sat Jul 28, 2007 7:03 am Post subject:

Thanks for that link! I'm about to go get started on this project. Hopefully mine will be that quick/easy. I just have gotten the engine installed and am ready for this thing to be able to move under it's own power for the first time in 10 years.
_________________
Eric - 1966 camper bus

"It's like, how much more black could this be, and the answer is none.......none more black."

fluxcap · Posted: Sat Jul 28, 2007 11:38 am Post subject:

I'd like to thank drscope and Pfc J for their vote of confidence and tips on this one. Problem has been fixed! I ended up not having to remove the generator at all. Unfortunately, my soldering iron would not fit through the inspection hole, so I had to remove the pulley (front and backside pieces) and go through one of the openings behind the pulley.

If anyone else has this problem in the future and finds this post, here are a few pics.

First I couldn't get the rear pulley peice off, so I had to make a puller (I need to buy a real puller one day). This probably took the longest time of the whole project cause I was drilling through a thick piece of angle iron with the dullest drill bit in the world. As bad as it looks, it actually worked very well.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

Once the pulley was out of the way, I had a great view and open access to the problem.

There was still a very short segment of the broken wire on the stud, so I was able to bend this over and use it to hold the other piece of wire in place. Once I had it held in place, I dabbed a little flux on everything, fed some solder in through the access hole in front of the regulator, and put the iron through the front access hole. Got it nice and secure and checked to make sure I had it insulated well, put it back together, and cranked it up. Generator light went out like it should!
_________________
Eric - 1966 camper bus

"It's like, how much more black could this be, and the answer is none.......none more black."

drscope · Posted: Sat Jul 28, 2007 1:15 pm Post subject:

I'm glad to see it went so easy!

I hate those jobs where you spend more time worrying about what to do then it takes to just do it.
_________________
Mother Nature is a Mean Evil Bitch!

Smokin64Bug · Posted: Tue Oct 28, 2008 6:48 pm Post subject:

Damnit I think I just found my problem.. Why the hell do they make generators so cheap? I bought mine at napa with a lifetime warranty, should I try to fix it myself or just take it back and see if they have a new one in stock? Same problem I assume, when I installed it the terminal spun, I thought it was kinda wierd, its brand new and the polarizing test isnt working..

fluxcap · Posted: Thu Oct 30, 2008 8:27 pm Post subject:

Smokin64, what did you end up doing? I guess if it's brand new and has a warranty, I might just take it back. It really wasn't hard at all to fix it myself, but every now and then I'm thinking, "gee, I wonder how well my soldering job is holding up?"
_________________
Eric - 1966 camper bus

"It's like, how much more black could this be, and the answer is none.......none more black."

Smokin64Bug · Posted: Sat Nov 01, 2008 10:31 am Post subject:

I tryed taking off the pulley and looking inside but it seems to be a different generator then the one you have pictured. It actually has round looped wire connecters connecting from the terminal and the wire goes somewhere back in the generator where I cant see or get to.

Ok this is the wierd part, my gen light has been on bright as hell each time I drive my car. I let my battery sit on the charger for an entire night plus most of friday while I was at work. I put it back in last night and now the generator light is not on anymore... Im really quite confused, I will test the battery in a little bit to see if its getting a charge and let you know..

Smokin64Bug · Posted: Sat Nov 01, 2008 11:20 am Post subject:

Just tested the battery, its getting 12.75 volts at idle and in between 14-15volts when I rev the motor. Im very confused, but I guess happy its working now... Question

Smokin64Bug · Posted: Sat Nov 01, 2008 7:05 pm Post subject:

And now tonight my car dies.. dead battery.. WHAT THE HELL!!! Shocked

Smokin64Bug · Posted: Sun Nov 02, 2008 10:34 am Post subject:

Im really lost. I am still getting 14.5 to 14.75 volts on the battery when I rev the motor up. Which according to a site I was at, it says this means my battery is being charged. The generator dummy light went off at rpm's higher then idle, but when the car idles the dummy light comes back on. And like I said last night, my stupid car died on the way home. Just ran out of juice completly and then turned off as I was getting on the highway. I just called the place I bought the generator at but of course they wont have one in stock till tuesday, so I guess I will reinstall the new one then and let you all know what happens..

fluxcap · Posted: Sun Nov 02, 2008 3:59 pm Post subject:

Sorry you are still having problems man. Hopefully the new generator will fix you up. If that stud was turning, something more than likely broke loose inside.
_________________
Eric - 1966 camper bus

"It's like, how much more black could this be, and the answer is none.......none more black."

&Dan · Samba Member Joined: January 29, 2008 Posts: 1784

Having the same issue- generator spins counterclockwise when polarized [negative to gen case, positive to D+] but cannot see any problem with the wiring from the DF and D+ posts inside the generator, which is on the bench.

Brand-new generator, for what that is worth, which evidently ain't much. Also I noted a brush stuck in its holder which broke to pieces when an attempt was made to free it. Replaced that. Again, new generator. Feel like I cannot overstate that fact.

It's making me nutso.


Hello! Log in or Register \| Help \| Donate \| Buy Shirts	See all banner ads \| Advertise on TheSamba.com

	Forum Index -> Beetle - 1958-1967	All times are Mountain Standard Time/Pacific Daylight Savings Time
Page 1 of 1