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Protect Alternator Electrical Stud
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randywebb
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 05, 2013 7:16 pm    Post subject: Protect Alternator Electrical Stud Reply with quote

That naked stud sticking out of the back (forward) of the alt. bothers me. It's just waiting to have a wrench or some other metal object dropped on it and cause some spontaneous arc welding (near the fule hoses too).

Has anyone found a way to cover it up? maybe with a right-angled rubber terminal cover? If so, I'd like to know where to get one...
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MidwestDrifter
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 05, 2013 8:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have used rubberized coating (brush on) before.

Liquid electrical tape works, but can be hard to remove.

Many starters motors have rubber boots on their terminals. Junk Yard?
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thatvwbusguy
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 05, 2013 9:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ask for an "alternator boot" at your local automotive parts place and they should have something for $5.00 or less that will do the trick.
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randywebb
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 05, 2013 11:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I did and they didn't (!)
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thatvwbusguy
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 06, 2013 1:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Check in the HELP section with all the small parts on blister packs. There is usually something there that will do the trick. I am pretty sure that Dorman makes a couple rubber boots that should work.

Boating supply places should be a good source as well. Marine battery switches use the same style boots over the large terminal posts.

Here is a cheap possibility from amazon. http://www.amazon.com/WARN-2090-Electric-Terminal-...minal+boot

If you don't want to cut the ring connector off the wire, be sure to get something that will stretch over the terminal.
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 06, 2013 3:59 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

You're talking about the 13mm(wrench size) nut ? If so , lots of later VW's have a plastic cap that pushes on. If you have a scrap yard nearby you look at any fwd vw and you'll find one. You'll probably have better luck with the newer models though. As they get older mechanics tend to not re-install them , or they break on removal. Otherwise pop into a vw dealer , price it out. Sometimes VW surprises me with super cheap pricing. Other times I wonder if their pricing guy was dropped on his head as a child.
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MarkWard
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 06, 2013 7:27 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Blue Sea Systems. http://www.bluesea.com/products/category/Insulators
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 06, 2013 7:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

One of the things that's always bugged me about VW is that there is a lot of vulnerable wiring that could be fused. As a preventative cover you might be able to get away with something like a thin rubber or nylon washer and nylon nut from your local hardware store (Lowes is better than HD for this stuff). When I did my Subaru conversion, the Subaru wiring diagram had an 80A fuse on the run between the alternator and battery. That seemed prudent, so I included it in my conversion. Adding a fuse wouldn't protect you from shorting the post to ground, but it would keep the wiring, your wrench, and your hand intact.
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randywebb
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 06, 2013 3:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I don't think the Germans understand electricity very well.
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 07, 2013 10:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

randywebb wrote:
I don't think the Germans understand electricity very well.


It is more about production cost and percentage of failure. At an Audi electrical school we asked about having a fuel pump submerged in a tank of fuel. For the pump to work, you have to add 12 volt power and a ground right next to it. Seems like a fire waiting to happen. In a collision or a pump failure would it be possible to ignite the fuel? The instructor said it was about percentages. If 1 in a 100 burst into flames, then you have a production problem. If 1 in a million units, does, maybe not so much.

The New Beetle when it was released had a recall out of the gate, I believe to add a fuse to the alternator circuit. Some alternators must have been shorting internally causing more fires than they accounted for.

Bottom line, fuses really aren't necessary for circuits and components in good functioning condition. My 65 volvo had 4 fuses and one was missing. Probably as more circuits were added over the years and the lawyers got involved, more fuses were required. I personally find the German Electronics to be very reliable and the diagrams easy to troubleshoot.
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 07, 2013 10:33 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

if you cant find a rubber cap, get all your tools plasti-dipped. No issues!
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ragnarhairybreeks
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 07, 2013 10:39 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

This from Airhead parts?

http://www.airheadparts.com/vintage-vw-parts/misc-...13971901-a

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PostPosted: Sat Apr 13, 2013 10:56 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I was just working on my alternator (checking the brushes on the regulator) and wanted to protect the main Aternator stud from shorting on my right angle screwdriver. There was a marette (household wire nut) sitting on the bench and on a whim I tested it out. Perfect Fit, spun right on with light finger pressure.

Remembered reading this post a while back and wanted to add what I used to solve the problem.
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bluebus86
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PostPosted: Sat Apr 13, 2013 11:05 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The right sized piece of rubber hose can be slipped on the stud, that should offer some protection, a dab of silicone rtv would help make it hold better, but still make it easy to remove for service.

Some heat shrink tubbing can also be used, slipped over the wire, then attach the wire to the stud, then pull up the shrink tubing tight aginst the alternator over the stud and then shrink away with a heat gun.

two cheap options that should work fine.

PS one more method would be to zip tie a sheet of rubber that would hang over the stud on top of it, possibly zip tie to the wire and allow the rubber to overhang, extending past the stud.
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r39o
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PostPosted: Sat Apr 13, 2013 11:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

There are boots used on earlier VWs and German cars in general, especially on the old generator studs.

http://www2.cip1.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=C16-113-901A

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