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Thu Oct 18, 2012 9:11 pm

Hi everyone,

Is there any way to test the health of a generator? My car died the other day (pretty much just stalled as I was driving down the highway), and then a couple days later I realized the battery was totally depleted. I placed a different battery in the car and it started up and idled fine for quite a while, so I don't know if I should suspect a fuel delivery problem or an ignition problem.

I've already received some tips about fuel system components to check, so I'm pretty much wondering about testing the generator.

Oh yeah, when I put the good battery in and stuck the VOHM Meter on there, it only registered at 12V. Shouldn't it be higher if the generator is actually working?

Any help you can offer would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks and best regards,

SC

Thu Oct 18, 2012 9:26 pm

Battery should be reading 13 - 14 volts while the car is running if it is charging

Thu Oct 18, 2012 10:13 pm

http://www.chircoestore.com/catalog/smf/index.php?topic=2212.0

Fri Oct 19, 2012 5:15 am

does car have a year?

seanpcook wrote: Hi everyone,

Is there any way to test the health of a generator? My car died the other day (pretty much just stalled as I was driving down the highway), and then a couple days later I realized the battery was totally depleted.
wont crank, and head lights dead?

I placed a different battery in the car and it started up and idled fine for quite a while, so I don't know if I should suspect a fuel delivery problem or an ignition problem.

I've already received some tips about fuel system components to check, so I'm pretty much wondering about testing the generator.

Oh yeah, when I put the good battery in and stuck the VOHM Meter on there, it only registered at 12V. Shouldn't it be higher if the generator is actually working?

sure should. 12v is battery only ,
12.6v is charged battery (state of charge, for avg. temps)

Any help you can offer would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks and best regards,

SC

Gens are vastly more easy than the Alternator, and way less parts to mess up.

you can do this in car or out of car, with engine or a drill motor.
your choice.
if this test passes buy new reg
you spin it and get 6v (this slow) faster, nets, more. volts.

http://ac-vw-remove.com/My_Videos/gen-tests/M2U00196.html

http://ac-vw-remove.com/At_Wits_End/electrics/index.html#Generator

Thu Nov 01, 2012 6:34 pm

Hi everyone,

Thanks for the tips about testing the generator. I was able to test it in the car by disconnecting it from the voltage regulator and grounding it to frame. When I revved the engine I got readings from 35-50+ volts. These results tell me that generator is working.

So my question is, should I just replace the voltage regulator as my next step, or is there some way to test it so I know that it's not functioning properly? I would just go do it, but it will cost me $30 and if it's not the cause then the parts store won't take it back.

Any advice you can offer is greatly appreciated, as always.

Thanks in advance.

SC

Thu Nov 01, 2012 11:11 pm

Sure you can test it. Do a search. I'd recommend a solid state VR if you replace it.

Sun Nov 04, 2012 2:50 pm

So, after determining that my generator was functioning, I took my battery in to the auto parts store. It tested as dead, so it was replaced.

I also decided to purchase a new VR, as I suspected that maybe a faulty one had killed my battery (because I bought the battery new in April).

When I installed the new battery, I tested the voltage with the car running on the old VR. I was getting about 13.5 - 14.5, which, if I understand correctly, is totally cool.

Regardless I decided to replace the old VR, maybe for a little piece of mind. With the new one in, I was getting about 13.5 volts, nothing more. I thought it would be alright, so I started running some errands. About 1/4 mile down the street I started to smell a plasticky stink and could see some light smoke coming from behind my seat. Has anyone ever encountered this before with a new VR?

I replaced the new VR with the old one, and everything seems to be working ok - no burning plastic smell, no smoke, and I'm getting about 14v with the car running.

I'm kinda stumped, so I wanted to ask if anyone might know what would cause the new VR to smoke and smell like that.

Any ideas or comments would be much appreciated.

Thank you and best regards,

SC

Sun Nov 04, 2012 3:44 pm

Also, can anyone tell me what that metallic box is that sits to the left of the VR?

Here is a link. https://www.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/988740.jpg

Sun Nov 04, 2012 11:13 pm

seanpcook wrote: Also, can anyone tell me what that metallic box is that sits to the left of the VR?

Here is a link. https://www.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/988740.jpg
That looks like the rear window defroster relay.

Mon Nov 05, 2012 2:41 pm

Any ideas about why the replacement VR would have been smoking and smelling like melted plastic? (See above)

Sun Mar 03, 2013 7:30 pm

Hi -- I know it's an older post, but I have the same problem -- did you ever figure out why the new VR smoked but the original didn't? Was the original already blown? I'm thinking I may have some melted wires somewhere....

Thanks, Jim