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ImAddicted Samba Member
Joined: April 24, 2012 Posts: 1195 Location: Unorganized Territory, Maine
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Posted: Sat May 08, 2021 1:40 pm Post subject: Another not charging thread. |
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1979 Bus (passenger) though it appears to have a 70a alt (has fan & oval boot) that was probably swapped in at one point since the special nut on the adjuster is MIA and it has just a washer and standard nut. The dash light works as expected and I get 13.7v at the D+ but nothing at the battery. I replaced the regulator since the on in there was corroded to hell and made funny noises when shook. New reg, not juice to battery, just battery voltage that slowly drops the longer run. So I did the jumper trick, no change. Checked alt wire at starter, just bat voltage. Looked underneath and remembered I had that fire a few years ago and looked like DF was a little cooked. Pulled the alt this afternoon and replaced D+ and DF as the both were chard a Bit. Now, before I put this back together, does it make sense that this might be my issue, or should I just get a new alt (there’s no place close to test it that I know of) and save myself the battle of removing it again? My hands are small but that still wasn’t fun. Not sure if I can get another 70A unit? I have the oval boot so don’t really want to fight with that too. Thoughts?
_________________ 1979 Transporter (sold)
KC1MUR
strfish7 wrote: |
Original condition, which means something different on this forum than anywhere else! |
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Wildthings Samba Member
Joined: March 13, 2005 Posts: 50352
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Posted: Sat May 08, 2021 3:30 pm Post subject: Re: Another not charging thread. |
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Sounds like a problem in your B+ wire to me. How and where are you reading your alternator voltage?
That is a huge hole for your cooling air to be escaping. |
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ImAddicted Samba Member
Joined: April 24, 2012 Posts: 1195 Location: Unorganized Territory, Maine
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Posted: Sat May 08, 2021 5:18 pm Post subject: Re: Another not charging thread. |
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Wildthings wrote: |
Sounds like a problem in your B+ wire to me. How and where are you reading your alternator voltage?
That is a huge hole for your cooling air to be escaping. |
Thanks for responding. I get 13.7 at D+ At the VR plug. If I jump D+ to DF like Telford recommends, I get nothing but battery voltage at the battery. I haven’t checked DF voltage, forgot to do that:(. Regardless of using the VR or jumper, at the starter I’m getting just battery voltage (running, high idle). I haven’t tested it since I fixed the three cooked wires. The B+ is the fat red (looks to be about 8ga?) from alt to starter, correct? I haven’t replaced that one yet but can. I’ll try probing it where it comes out of the tin n the engine compartment tomorrow, I’ll put the alt back and give it a go. It wasn’t as bad as I thought pulling it, thankfully my hands are small. I hope it’s that, finding a 70a isn’t easy from tonight’s search:(.
Oh, and I did clean up all the connections @ the starter and replaced my trans-body ground strap.
Lol on the big hole, that’s with the alt unbolted and laying on its side. I do have the right tin. _________________ 1979 Transporter (sold)
KC1MUR
strfish7 wrote: |
Original condition, which means something different on this forum than anywhere else! |
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telford dorr Samba Member
Joined: March 11, 2009 Posts: 3555 Location: San Diego (Encinitas)
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Posted: Sun May 09, 2021 12:37 am Post subject: Re: Another not charging thread. |
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Two possibilities: (1) damaged / broken big red wire from alternator to starter. Bad connections to this wire. (2) Bad large diodes in alternator (as you're getting 13.7 volts from D+, then diode trio and alternator windings, brushes likely good). _________________ '71 panel, now with FI
'Experience' is the ability to recognize a mistake when you're making it again - Franklin P. Jones
In theory, theory works in practice; in practice, it doesn't - William T. Harbaugh
When you're dead, you don't know you're dead. The pain is only felt by others.
Same thing happens when you're stupid. - Philippe Geluck
More VW electrical at http://telforddorr.com/ (available 9am to 9pm PST) |
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ImAddicted Samba Member
Joined: April 24, 2012 Posts: 1195 Location: Unorganized Territory, Maine
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Posted: Sun May 09, 2021 4:37 am Post subject: Re: Another not charging thread. |
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Thank you. The sun is shining, gonna go out and check continuity this morning. Hoping it’s wire. Fearing it’s not. Will update. _________________ 1979 Transporter (sold)
KC1MUR
strfish7 wrote: |
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ImAddicted Samba Member
Joined: April 24, 2012 Posts: 1195 Location: Unorganized Territory, Maine
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Posted: Sun May 09, 2021 11:52 am Post subject: Re: Another not charging thread. |
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Following up. Thank you Wildthings and Telford, you nailed it. Bad B+ wire. Went out this morning, checked continuity from the alt end to the battery clamp. Infinite. That’s not right . Climbed underneath, it LOOKED ok at the starter but when I pulled it off the stud... not so much .
Road trip to FLAPS, picked up 4’ of 6ga and a couple of ring terminals (figures I have 24-8ga, 4-00ga on hand, no 6). New wire, put everything back (Wildthings, no more big holes 😊) and fired it up.
Ignore the lack of amps, my shunt is wired to just monitor solar input. Soooooo happy. Plates this week then first time on the road in 8 years:). This is what makes this place special - good people, good advice, irreplaceable knowledge. _________________ 1979 Transporter (sold)
KC1MUR
strfish7 wrote: |
Original condition, which means something different on this forum than anywhere else! |
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finkelstein Samba Member
Joined: June 01, 2014 Posts: 27 Location: Turin, NY
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Posted: Tue May 11, 2021 5:57 pm Post subject: Re: Another not charging thread. |
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Addicted,
Thanks for your input in my thread.
Congrats on getting back on the road!
as I found out in during my first trip out in our bus (2010), "there's always someone under the bus."
Looks like that's where I'm headed. |
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ImAddicted Samba Member
Joined: April 24, 2012 Posts: 1195 Location: Unorganized Territory, Maine
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Posted: Thu May 13, 2021 3:35 pm Post subject: Re: Another not charging thread. |
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Thanks, I hope you get it sorted out. _________________ 1979 Transporter (sold)
KC1MUR
strfish7 wrote: |
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