Unknown electrical box under passenger seat

[SpeedyUk]

Hi Guys

Can someone let me know what this aluminium looking electrical box is under the rear seat and what it does please.

I think it make be a relay or contactor as it chatters now and again?

Any info will be appreciated, along with any thoughts as to whether it should chatter or stay quiet.

Thanks guys - Best Regards[/img]

[Cusser]

That's a 12-volt voltage regulator.

There are modern 12-volt Bosch solid state voltage regulators available for VWs with generators (dynamo to you); I have one on my 1970 VW.
_________________
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, 2014 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

[SpeedyUk]

Thank you for the post.

I would imagine thats solid state with no moveable parts just diodes or electronic bits n bobs lol

I have a chattering sound from that area - may not be that an a relay?

[GArBa]

the regulator you have is not the solid state type.
Nevertheless, it does have a lot of "electronic bits n bobs" inside which do move, some of them are even relays.

seriously, look up "voltage regulator" in thesamba search and you'll find literally hundreds of pages.
_________________
cars:
'97 type 1 1600i
'14 type AA Seat Mii (sadly dead after 270.000 km)
'22 type C1 T-Cross
'23 type AC3 Hyundai I10 (VW no longer makes small cars!)
-------------------------
moped:
'82 Benelli Magnum 3v

[AlmostHeavenWV_VW]

An 'old' VR (non-solid state) has many little moving parts.

Think of them sort of like the points in your distributor. They connect and disconnect to 'regulate' the voltage to the battery and systems. They can get quite noisy as they age. If you can truly narrow the chattering down to that VR, it may be on its way out.

Consider the solid state Bosch VR if you require a replacement.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00QXWYU3C/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

A few pictures of the underside of that VR that you have currently:

_________________
1973 Standard Beetle
1600DP AK case
Solex 34PICT3 Carb
Bosch DVDA 205AJ Distributor

[TDCTDI]

I haven’t experienced a chattering voltage regulator. There might be a relay for the rear window defrost element just on the other side of that heat tube though.
_________________
Everybody born before 1975 has a story, good, bad, or indifferent, about a VW.


GOFUNDYOURSELF, quit asking everyone to do it for you!


An air cooled VW will make you a hoarder.


Do something, anything, to your project every day, and you will eventually complete it.

[Cusser]

[TDCTDI]

[Cusser]

In my own experience - 1 VW that had the rear window defroster, my 1970 but in Phoenix AZ - it didn't work so well. I think I checked continuity of the rear grid in its "resurrection" but there was no resistance between the terminals, so I just left it alone.
_________________
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, 2014 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

[glutamodo]

[SpeedyUk]

Thanks for all in depth replies.

I have just purchased a EMPI alternator and hoping this will have a built in voltage regulator.

https://www.jbugs.com/product/9451.html

If this is the case hopefully the older one will be redundant and I can just leave it in place as a backup?

[ashman40]