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Charging/battery gremlin
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Daddybus
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PostPosted: Wed Jan 23, 2008 5:56 pm    Post subject: Charging/battery gremlin Reply with quote

I drive my bus daily. Occationally, when running with the stereo and ipod playing (no amp) and with the headlights on, the battery will drain (volt gage will read 8-10 volts). If the motor stalls, the bus won't have enough juice to restart. I run a second battery with an isolator, so I just jump the starter battery with the camper battery. The bus starts and the volt gauge shows that the starter battery is charging 13-14 volts. Why is it doing this? I'll have my neighbor check the charging system tomorrow, until then I need some expert advice from the samba.
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mintonman
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PostPosted: Wed Jan 23, 2008 6:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Believe it or not, it could just be that your ground strap for the battery went bad. Try using the ground strap from the other battery & see if it happens still
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Daddybus
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PostPosted: Wed Jan 23, 2008 9:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I giggled the cables to see if they were tight. I will retighten then tomorrow. Thanks
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Eric&Barb
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PostPosted: Wed Jan 23, 2008 10:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Clean connections of ALL cables and do both ends. Any battery cable with bolt on replacement battery clamps get rid of and get new cables with battery clamps swedged on. Also make sure the ground strap from the tranny to the body is clean and tight.
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BarryL Premium Member
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 24, 2008 9:04 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'd try disconnecting the isolator and see if the regular battery does fine and normal. If it does, see what's up with the isolator.
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Daddybus
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PostPosted: Fri Jan 25, 2008 10:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

OK...I switched out the ground cables betweeb the deep cycle and the starter battery.
This is what the bus did today as shown on my VDO Volt gauge...
No accessories running...showed over 12v
Ran radio...showed 12v
Ran headlights and radio...showed below 12 and continued to drop the longer I drove.
Ran radio and Wipers...below 12v

I have an alternator and the other battery seems fine/fully charged. The gauge should read almost 14v when running/charging shouldn't it?

How long is the postive cable in a bus ('67)? I will switch the positive cable to a swedged cable this weekend.

I will try bypassing the isolator to see if it makes a difference.
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Daddybus
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PostPosted: Fri Jan 25, 2008 12:13 pm    Post subject: battery isolator charging help Reply with quote

Had a loose cable from the isolator to the starter battery. Tightened the connection and still no difference. I will run the starter battery cable directly to the alternator and see if things improve. I remember from the isolator instructions that VWs require a jumper wire from the regular, but my alternator has an internal regualor, so I don't know how to solder a jumper wire if the regulator is inside the alternator.
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Campy
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PostPosted: Fri Jan 25, 2008 1:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

If the backup battery works, I would think that the regular battery has a cell that is going dead. Have the cells checked under a load but don't let anyone do a quick charge on the battery (that's what they do at Pep Boys and Kragen with their free battery-checks).
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Daddybus
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PostPosted: Fri Jan 25, 2008 5:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I disconnected the isolator and wired the starter battery to the alternator...13.5volts! Problem fixed. The isolator needs top be hardwired to the voltage regulator, but since my alternator is internally regulated and the isolator doesn't have an "R" circuit/hook up, I can't do the wiring needed to get a full charge (voltage drop across the diodes in the isolator). I will either go with a manual switch...on (both batteries connected) when driving and off (batteries separated) when camping or I will pony up the money and get a Yadina combiner.
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BarryL Premium Member
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PostPosted: Fri Jan 25, 2008 7:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Some isolators have a terminal for the alternator to "sense".
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Daddybus
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PostPosted: Fri Jan 25, 2008 9:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Driving to Wolfsburgwest and then a few stops before going home after work...13.5 volts fluctuating to 11v. Something is loose. I'm going to PepBoys to get a red 35" positive swedged cable. Then I'll check the charging system and battery under load. Then I will re-read the installation instructions from the isolator.
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Daddybus
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PostPosted: Sat Jan 26, 2008 9:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Changed the positive cable to a swedged one and found that the starter post was loose also. Started it up and it was charging 13.5 volts. I tested the charging system and battery under load w/ a tester and they were fine. I turned on the headlights and voltage started to drop like a rock. I think the light switch has a short. It isn't fused so I'm thinking that it's developing some big time resistance. I remember it had some junk rattling around in it before. I will pull it apart tomorrow.
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Eric&Barb
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PostPosted: Sat Jan 26, 2008 11:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Check out the type2.com library for the headlight repair proceedure. Also soldering all the riveted connections in the pre-1961 fuse boxes and the brass clips in each fuse box slot in the post-1960 fuse boxes will greatly reduce voltage drops.
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Last edited by Eric&Barb on Sun Jan 27, 2008 6:21 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Daddybus
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PostPosted: Sun Jan 27, 2008 5:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Eric&Barb wrote:
Check out the type2.com library for the headlight repair proceedure. Also soldering all the riveted connections in the pre-1962 fuse boxes and the brass clips in each fuse box slot in the post-1960 fuse boxes will greatly reduce voltage drops.


Followed the directions. My switch only had one rubber spacer! Switch was probably grounding out all this time. I made another spacer out of an old seal, rebuilt the switch and now all is good...so far.
Thanks Samba and Type2.com
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