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Cabo9302 Samba Member
Joined: September 14, 2014 Posts: 39 Location: DeepInTheHeart
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Posted: Tue Jan 05, 2016 10:16 pm Post subject: Moving voltage regulator to under rear seat (6v to 12v) |
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Has anyone relocated the voltage regulator from the engine area to under the rear seat? I know that my '68 had it under the rear seat from the factory, but I just had my '66 bug's motor rebuilt (also converted from 6v to 12v) and received it back without the voltage regulator and was told I need to install one under the rear seat. Has anyone done this? Or can anyone give advice on how to do this, including what wiring steps, wiring sizes, connections etc. are necessary? Thanks for any help. |
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KTPhil Samba Member
Joined: April 06, 2006 Posts: 33883 Location: Conejo Valley, CA
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Posted: Tue Jan 05, 2016 11:28 pm Post subject: Re: Moving voltage regulator to under rear seat (6v to 12v) |
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I am guessing that the rebuilder fitted a non-standard fan shroud that lacks the mounting holes/captive nuts needed to mount the regulator in the standard location. Why else would he tell you this?
Please post a picture of your fan shroud so we can verify this. |
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Cabo9302 Samba Member
Joined: September 14, 2014 Posts: 39 Location: DeepInTheHeart
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Posted: Wed Jan 06, 2016 12:11 am Post subject: Re: Moving voltage regulator to under rear seat (6v to 12v) |
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It has the same fan shroud as before. You can even see the screw holes where the old regulator was mounted.
Here's what it looked like before the rebuild.
I'm just trying to deal with what I now have, but with limited knowledge. I don't have the resources near-by to take this to, so I was hoping to tackle this myself. Should I purchase one of the John Muir books for the answers? |
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Aynthm Samba Member
Joined: July 07, 2010 Posts: 1314 Location: Beaverton, Oregon
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Posted: Wed Jan 06, 2016 2:06 am Post subject: Re: Moving voltage regulator to under rear seat (6v to 12v) |
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I have a '66, I'd leave it on the fan shroud.
Last edited by Aynthm on Wed Jan 06, 2016 4:21 am; edited 1 time in total |
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glutamodo The Android
Joined: July 13, 2004 Posts: 26302 Location: Douglas, WY
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Posted: Wed Jan 06, 2016 4:14 am Post subject: Re: Moving voltage regulator to under rear seat (6v to 12v) |
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You don't have to put it under the back seat, that's up to you. You can do that, you can put it on the shroud. As I said in the PM I sent you, I prefer to put on top of the generator (requires you drill and tap an additional hole on there.) which is what I've done on both of my bugs. I also prefer the modern solid state regulators over the old points style.
For many years I had it on the shroud on my Baja bug, but I found it would eventually start to get loose and I'd have to drill new holes for it. Back then it looked like this:
By the time I put on a new fan shroud, my old one looked like swiss cheese from all the regulator holes I'd drilled over the years. The location yours was in before is probably a stronger location for it.
Not wanting to drill holed on the pristine replacement German shroud I was using, I finally went and drilled and tapped the generator and put the regulator there. (the black paint was to eliminate reflection from the shiny body of the regulator - with an open engine like that I was told it was annoying)
Which is what I'd done on my other bug, ever since the early 90s.
-Andy |
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Cabo9302 Samba Member
Joined: September 14, 2014 Posts: 39 Location: DeepInTheHeart
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Posted: Wed Jan 06, 2016 6:02 am Post subject: Re: Moving voltage regulator to under rear seat (6v to 12v) |
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Great - thanks for the pictures, guys. I think I'll leave it mounted onto the fan shroud. What gauge wire is used? Should I worry about making sure they're color coded correctly? |
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Cusser Samba Member
Joined: October 02, 2006 Posts: 31271 Location: Hot Arizona
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Posted: Wed Jan 06, 2016 6:20 am Post subject: Re: Moving voltage regulator to under rear seat (6v to 12v) |
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Your engine looks nice, but if this was a 100% show car, you'd be without those fan shroud holes.
The Cuss is saying to mount it again on the fan shroud, use larger sheet metal screws if the holes are a little stripped out now, or even think about Nut-serts. That would be fine, and also way simpler.
Yes, I'd keep the wires color-coded correctly, even if that means spray painting them. _________________ 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 |
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vdubmyk Samba Member
Joined: October 24, 2008 Posts: 508 Location: Corona, CA
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Posted: Wed Jan 06, 2016 8:56 pm Post subject: Re: Moving voltage regulator to under rear seat (6v to 12v) |
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I mounted a new Solid state VR under my back seat. Just run some color coded wire that was ran through some rubber shrink wrap to the generator and then ran new wire up the B pillar to the front A Pillar and to the fuse box. I'm also running a 90mm generator that was rewound to 12V with a dummy regulator on top of it.
_________________ 64 stock bug, 12V (converted 6v unit), 40 hp, all documents even sales contract and dealer window sticker! |
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anthracitedub Samba Member
Joined: June 20, 2007 Posts: 3241 Location: Michigan
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Posted: Thu Jan 07, 2016 5:53 pm Post subject: Re: Moving voltage regulator to under rear seat (6v to 12v) |
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No one mentioned the plastic fuel filter. |
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Cabo9302 Samba Member
Joined: September 14, 2014 Posts: 39 Location: DeepInTheHeart
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Posted: Thu Jan 07, 2016 6:35 pm Post subject: Re: Moving voltage regulator to under rear seat (6v to 12v) |
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anthracitedub wrote: |
No one mentioned the plastic fuel filter. |
Yeah, that's no biggie at the moment. I can move that later if I decide to. The truth is, I've never had issues on any of my VWs with the current fuel filter location. |
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sportin-wood Samba Member
Joined: September 12, 2010 Posts: 2002 Location: Texas
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Posted: Thu Jan 07, 2016 7:00 pm Post subject: Re: Moving voltage regulator to under rear seat (6v to 12v) |
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I agree. I've had my fuel filter in that location in all 7 of my VWs and haven't had any issues. Of course, I would change the fuel line and hose clamps every time I changed the fuel filter. _________________ .
Paused 66 project bug
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"Relax, all right? My old man is a television repairman. He's got this ultimate set of tools. I can fix it." --- Jeff Spicoli |
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carcrazed Samba Member
Joined: November 15, 2007 Posts: 957 Location: Ohio
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Posted: Thu Jan 07, 2016 7:13 pm Post subject: Re: Moving voltage regulator to under rear seat (6v to 12v) |
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I had one of those cheapies crack and leak fuel all over. I was lucky I caught it before I started the car. Not worth it. _________________ 1965 Herbie Replica. 1776cc dual Kads.
1961 Beetle 33,000 Original Miles
"Just When you think you are getting ahead, you're always wrong." |
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sportin-wood Samba Member
Joined: September 12, 2010 Posts: 2002 Location: Texas
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Posted: Sun Jan 17, 2016 10:09 am Post subject: Re: Moving voltage regulator to under rear seat (6v to 12v) |
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Here's a good VR picture I found in the gallery.
_________________ .
Paused 66 project bug
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"Relax, all right? My old man is a television repairman. He's got this ultimate set of tools. I can fix it." --- Jeff Spicoli |
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Cabo9302 Samba Member
Joined: September 14, 2014 Posts: 39 Location: DeepInTheHeart
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Posted: Sun Jan 24, 2016 6:41 pm Post subject: Re: Moving voltage regulator to under rear seat (6v to 12v) |
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glutamodo wrote: |
By the time I put on a new fan shroud, my old one looked like swiss cheese from all the regulator holes I'd drilled over the years. The location yours was in before is probably a stronger location for it.
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Out of curiosity, is there any danger drilling into the fan shroud to mount the VR and maybe interfering with the fan itself? I'm considering using nutserts and wanted to make sure that would work. |
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61SNRF Samba Member
Joined: March 29, 2009 Posts: 4657 Location: Whittier 90602
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Posted: Sun Jan 24, 2016 7:47 pm Post subject: Re: Moving voltage regulator to under rear seat (6v to 12v) |
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The fan itself is only roughly as large as the Generator backing plate, so as long as you intend to mount it to the main fan housing, there are no worries as far as interference with the blades.
Since the factory uses a form of nutsert to mount the Gen and Coil, I can't see any issue as long as they're properly rated and installed tight.
The only thing to be aware of is there are some internal fins that are spot welded in various areas inside the fan housing.
Optimally, you would take the fan out and look for them inside to locate them, but all assembled if you look/touch closely can often see/feel where their flanges are spot welded to the FH, so avoid those areas for ease of install and you should be okay.
One thing I'll ad for reliability, since you have a heavy object mounted to a vibrating base, the use of some Blue Loctite is recommended on all threaded fittings _________________ -Bruce
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. |
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Smurf Samba Member
Joined: January 20, 2004 Posts: 914 Location: Colmar, PA
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Posted: Thu Jan 10, 2019 3:44 pm Post subject: Re: Moving voltage regulator to under rear seat (6v to 12v) |
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vdubmyk wrote: |
I mounted a new Solid state VR under my back seat. Just run some color coded wire that was ran through some rubber shrink wrap to the generator and then ran new wire up the B pillar to the front A Pillar and to the fuse box. I'm also running a 90mm generator that was rewound to 12V with a dummy regulator on top of it.
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I know this is an old topic but I was wondering how you got your wires to the engine bay? I guess just drill a hole in the package tray? _________________ 1962 Beetle
1977 Westfalia (Subaru Conversion)
"Traveling in a fried-out Kombi
On a hippie trail head full of zombie"
-Men at Work |
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thomas. Samba Member
Joined: July 31, 2010 Posts: 1288 Location: South West (Pa.)
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Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2019 5:10 am Post subject: Re: Moving voltage regulator to under rear seat (6v to 12v) |
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I've put quite a few wires through the grommet that holds the positive battery cable that leads to the starter. On the driver side there is the brake line grommet. It's much smaller though. Also, I've used seam sealer in place of the small brake line grommet that I passed extra wires through. Some folks might consider this a hack but it works as good if not better than original. |
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Sharp64 Samba Member
Joined: August 27, 2015 Posts: 5305 Location: Central Florida
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Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2019 8:05 am Post subject: Re: Moving voltage regulator to under rear seat (6v to 12v) |
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thomas. wrote: |
I've put quite a few wires through the grommet that holds the positive battery cable that leads to the starter. On the driver side there is the brake line grommet. It's much smaller though. Also, I've used seam sealer in place of the small brake line grommet that I passed extra wires through. Some folks might consider this a hack but it works as good if not better than original. |
I’ve rewired two of my own cars and a friends using a grommet with a larger ID for the main battery wire and running the wires through it. By the time you put the main cable to the starter through it along with the 5-6 other wires it takes up most of the space. I also sleeve all the wires in plastic shrink tubing in case the grommet gives way. _________________ 1960 Indigo Blue Ragtop (Blue Barry)
1967 Ghia
1985 Westy Money Pit
“...some men aren't looking for anything logical, like money. They can't be bought, bullied, reasoned, or negotiated with. Some men just want to watch the world burn.” - Michael Caine |
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bluebus86 Banned
Joined: September 02, 2010 Posts: 11075
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Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2019 11:04 am Post subject: Re: Moving voltage regulator to under rear seat (6v to 12v) |
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Cabo9302 wrote: |
Great - thanks for the pictures, guys. I think I'll leave it mounted onto the fan shroud. What gauge wire is used? Should I worry about making sure they're color coded correctly? |
Yes, get the wire colors correct. See link below...
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/info/wiring/bug66.jpg
On my very stock 66, the regulator is mounted on the generator. I do not think mounting on shroud is correct My contemporanious service manuals show the mounting on the generator.
Please see link at bottom of post regarding engine fires and safety wires
Bug On! _________________ Help Prevent VW Engine Fires, see this link.....Engine safety wire information
Stop introducing dirt into your oil when adjusting valves ... https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=683022 |
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vdubmyk Samba Member
Joined: October 24, 2008 Posts: 508 Location: Corona, CA
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Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2019 9:39 pm Post subject: Re: Moving voltage regulator to under rear seat (6v to 12v) |
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Smurf wrote: |
vdubmyk wrote: |
I mounted a new Solid state VR under my back seat. Just run some color coded wire that was ran through some rubber shrink wrap to the generator and then ran new wire up the B pillar to the front A Pillar and to the fuse box. I'm also running a 90mm generator that was rewound to 12V with a dummy regulator on top of it.
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I know this is an old topic but I was wondering how you got your wires to the engine bay? I guess just drill a hole in the package tray? |
I am all about trying to do thing as clean an unnoticeable as possible. I used a heatshrink tube and then ran it through the battery cable grommet. I ziptied it to the battery cable underneath the car and then ran it through the grommet that the red wire coming from the battery to the original VR goes. If you look closely at the pic, you can see a red and green wire just behind the dummy VR. _________________ 64 stock bug, 12V (converted 6v unit), 40 hp, all documents even sales contract and dealer window sticker! |
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