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sb001
Samba Member
Joined: May 19, 2011
Posts: 10406
Location: NW Arkansas
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 Posted: Wed Dec 13, 2017 6:32 pm Post subject: Yet another electrical puzzle |
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Symptoms: Occasional flickering of generator light, but always goes back off after a few seconds-- been happening for a few weeks now
Driving at night, headlights randomly suddenly GROW BRIGHTER and then dim again, when this happened tonight coupled with a bit of engine power loss (interestingly however this was NOT accompanied by the generator dash light)
Bad regulator? Fan belt slipping?
_________________
I'm the humblest guy on this board.
1969 autostick sedan, family owned since new
1600 SP engine
Solex 30 PICT 3 carburetor
Bosch 113905205AE autostick distributor |
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Cusser
Samba Member
Joined: October 02, 2006
Posts: 31379
Location: Hot Arizona
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| Posted: Wed Dec 13, 2017 6:59 pm Post subject: Re: Yet another electrical puzzle |
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| sb001 wrote: |
| Bad regulator? Fan belt slipping? |
I think that you are on the right track. Since you don't seem to have a dash voltmeter gauge or a plug-in digital voltmeter that goes into a cigarette lighter - if you had such accessory lighter - what I'd do would be to tighten the fan belt a little and see if things were better or the same.
If things did not get better, unless you're able to monitor voltage across the battery when such symptoms occur, I'd install a new Bosch solid state voltage regulator, about $32.
I have such Bosch solid state voltage regulator on my 1970 since last year, my generator light would come on after a few minutes of driving, now OK. No - I didn't bother to read my voltage either before or after my red warning light came on, I knew it was bad, was also getting hot and smelling.
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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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cletus_zuber
Samba Member
Joined: January 08, 2010
Posts: 2408
Location: Gladstone, Ore
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| Posted: Wed Dec 13, 2017 7:40 pm Post subject: Re: Yet another electrical puzzle |
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I had these symptoms with an alternator, LOUD radio and BRIGHT lights, off and on. I had a plug in voltmeter at the time and it would read 17 volts!
internal regulator obviously different than yours but essentially the same.
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HPMX 40's & 019 |
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sb001
Samba Member
Joined: May 19, 2011
Posts: 10406
Location: NW Arkansas
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| Posted: Wed Dec 13, 2017 7:57 pm Post subject: Re: Yet another electrical puzzle |
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I honestly think it's the voltage regulator, it seemed like there was a faint whiff of burning smell when it happened too, MAN did those headlights get bright too  I'm sure some oncoming folks were cussing me out
_________________
I'm the humblest guy on this board.
1969 autostick sedan, family owned since new
1600 SP engine
Solex 30 PICT 3 carburetor
Bosch 113905205AE autostick distributor |
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EVfun
Samba Member
Joined: April 01, 2012
Posts: 5481
Location: Seattle
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| Posted: Wed Dec 13, 2017 8:20 pm Post subject: Re: Yet another electrical puzzle |
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Please check the connections at the generator and at the voltage regulator and make sure they are solid and clean. I am particularly concerned about the voltage regulator ground to the mounting points under the rear seat. It sounds like the regulator is not seeing a clean system voltage reference. When it sees less than actual it cranks up the output.
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sb001
Samba Member
Joined: May 19, 2011
Posts: 10406
Location: NW Arkansas
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| Posted: Wed Dec 13, 2017 8:25 pm Post subject: Re: Yet another electrical puzzle |
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| EVfun wrote: |
| Please check the connections at the generator and at the voltage regulator and make sure they are solid and clean. I am particularly concerned about the voltage regulator ground to the mounting points under the rear seat. It sounds like the regulator is not seeing a clean system voltage reference. When it sees less than actual it cranks up the output. |
Will do, thanks!
_________________
I'm the humblest guy on this board.
1969 autostick sedan, family owned since new
1600 SP engine
Solex 30 PICT 3 carburetor
Bosch 113905205AE autostick distributor |
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VW_Jimbo 
Samba Member
Joined: May 22, 2016
Posts: 9966
Location: Huntington Beach, CA
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| Posted: Wed Dec 13, 2017 9:23 pm Post subject: Re: Yet another electrical puzzle |
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You really should perform a voltage drop check, of the ground circuit, from the regulator to the battery negative and then the generator body to the battery negative. More than .25 volts out of wack and problems.
You can perform similar checks on the battery positive, from the battery, up to the light switch, then ignition switch and then the regulator.
clean those connections on the end points if all else fails.
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Jimbo
There is never enough time to do it right the first time, but all the time necessary the second time!
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airschooled
Air-Schooled
Joined: April 04, 2012
Posts: 12728
Location: on a bike ride somewhere
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| Posted: Thu Dec 14, 2017 1:15 am Post subject: Re: Yet another electrical puzzle |
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Are you running a mechanical voltage regulator or solid state?
The switchover in mechanical regulators can stick sometimes, causing low or high outputs that are only detectable by light surgings. Cleaning the mechanism and filing the contact points helps, (though Bentley does instruct to replace the unit as a whole.)
Robbie
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sb001
Samba Member
Joined: May 19, 2011
Posts: 10406
Location: NW Arkansas
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| Posted: Thu Dec 14, 2017 6:52 am Post subject: Re: Yet another electrical puzzle |
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| asiab3 wrote: |
Are you running a mechanical voltage regulator or solid state?
The switchover in mechanical regulators can stick sometimes, causing low or high outputs that are only detectable by light surgings. Cleaning the mechanism and filing the contact points helps, (though Bentley does instruct to replace the unit as a whole.)
Robbie |
It's the old style mechanical Bosch, and it likes to make weird clicking sounds that I had forgotten to mention, can't hear that anymore with the new seats in, but I'm sure it's probably still doing it.
_________________
I'm the humblest guy on this board.
1969 autostick sedan, family owned since new
1600 SP engine
Solex 30 PICT 3 carburetor
Bosch 113905205AE autostick distributor
Last edited by sb001 on Thu Dec 14, 2017 7:16 am; edited 1 time in total |
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hobbybob517
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Joined: June 02, 2011
Posts: 1194
Location: Netherlands
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| Posted: Thu Dec 14, 2017 7:11 am Post subject: Re: Yet another electrical puzzle |
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Mine also has the flickering gen light,
i have a brand new generator and solid state reg.
still does it but goes away when i turn my lights on,
it's probably a bad ground, but i'm just too lazy to check 
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3 million rpm? Well there's your problem! No wonder it blew up! |
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Cusser
Samba Member
Joined: October 02, 2006
Posts: 31379
Location: Hot Arizona
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| Posted: Thu Dec 14, 2017 8:33 am Post subject: Re: Yet another electrical puzzle |
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| sb001 wrote: |
| I honestly think it's the voltage regulator, it seemed like there was a faint whiff of burning smell when it happened too, MAN did those headlights get bright too I'm sure some oncoming folks were cussing me out |
In the late 1980s, I had a 1979 Toyota truck. One day, all my interior lights got real bright and burned up the bulbs, same with my parking lights and tail lights. I limped it home (night, obviously) using the headlights and the hazard lights to have some rear lighting. Apparently the flashing on/off was not enough to heat up the flasher bulb filaments enough to burn those out. Yes, fix was to replace the alternator (with its internal regulator) and all the burnt out bulbs.
So I think there will be high voltage in the VW due to faulty regulator, at least that's an easy R&R.
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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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vwoldbug
Samba Member
Joined: January 28, 2009
Posts: 1214
Location: Ohio
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| Posted: Thu Dec 14, 2017 1:43 pm Post subject: Re: Yet another electrical puzzle |
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| Do you have a voltmeter you can hook up and drive for a while to watch the voltage . Also look at the battery for signs of overcharging but it does sound like a bad voltage regulator . |
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sb001
Samba Member
Joined: May 19, 2011
Posts: 10406
Location: NW Arkansas
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| Posted: Thu Dec 14, 2017 1:51 pm Post subject: Re: Yet another electrical puzzle |
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| vwoldbug wrote: |
| Do you have a voltmeter you can hook up and drive for a while to watch the voltage . Also look at the battery for signs of overcharging but it does sound like a bad voltage regulator . |
Yes I can do that- but since I have another regulator lying around and it only takes like 5 minutes to swap them out, I might just go ahead and try it.
_________________
I'm the humblest guy on this board.
1969 autostick sedan, family owned since new
1600 SP engine
Solex 30 PICT 3 carburetor
Bosch 113905205AE autostick distributor |
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vwoldbug
Samba Member
Joined: January 28, 2009
Posts: 1214
Location: Ohio
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| Posted: Thu Dec 14, 2017 2:32 pm Post subject: Re: Yet another electrical puzzle |
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| Sounds good |
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sjbartnik
Samba Member
Joined: September 01, 2011
Posts: 5998
Location: Brooklyn
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| Posted: Thu Dec 14, 2017 3:50 pm Post subject: Re: Yet another electrical puzzle |
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| sb001 wrote: |
Symptoms: Occasional flickering of generator light, but always goes back off after a few seconds-- been happening for a few weeks now
Driving at night, headlights randomly suddenly GROW BRIGHTER and then dim again, when this happened tonight coupled with a bit of engine power loss (interestingly however this was NOT accompanied by the generator dash light)
Bad regulator? Fan belt slipping? |
My bet is on regulator as well, but also if the regulator is not grounded well that could potentially also be the cause.
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2000 Kawasaki W650 |
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scrivyscriv
Samba Electrician
Joined: October 04, 2011
Posts: 2922
Location: Memphis
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| Posted: Thu Dec 14, 2017 7:00 pm Post subject: Re: Yet another electrical puzzle |
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It's highly likely your autostick electricals are causing the problem, you'd be better off just converting over to a manual transmission and be done with it.
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Robert in Memphis
Dünkelgrügen 1967 Java Green bug thread
Engine rebuild thread
If you're ever in the Memphis area, you are welcome to stop by for advice and help. |
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sb001
Samba Member
Joined: May 19, 2011
Posts: 10406
Location: NW Arkansas
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| Posted: Thu Dec 14, 2017 9:05 pm Post subject: Re: Yet another electrical puzzle |
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| scrivyscriv wrote: |
| It's highly likely your autostick electricals are causing the problem, you'd be better off just converting over to a manual transmission and be done with it. |
Look I know you're insanely jealous that I've had my beetle since new, that the fact that it's an autostick makes it unique where yours is just yet another shrug-off specimen, that mine looks fantastic and I get compliments on it wherever I go while yours turns not a head, and that I've been able to keep it in stock form and running great while you've had to constnatly tweak yours just to keep it sputtering along- that's no reason to take your aggressions out on my posts here.
_________________
I'm the humblest guy on this board.
1969 autostick sedan, family owned since new
1600 SP engine
Solex 30 PICT 3 carburetor
Bosch 113905205AE autostick distributor |
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wet_bread
Samba Member
Joined: November 18, 2015
Posts: 64
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| Posted: Thu Dec 14, 2017 10:17 pm Post subject: Re: Yet another electrical puzzle |
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| sb001 wrote: |
| running great |
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scrivyscriv
Samba Electrician
Joined: October 04, 2011
Posts: 2922
Location: Memphis
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| Posted: Thu Dec 14, 2017 10:22 pm Post subject: Re: Yet another electrical puzzle |
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| wet_bread wrote: |
| sb001 wrote: |
| running great |
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Burn returned
_________________
Robert in Memphis
Dünkelgrügen 1967 Java Green bug thread
Engine rebuild thread
If you're ever in the Memphis area, you are welcome to stop by for advice and help. |
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Cusser
Samba Member
Joined: October 02, 2006
Posts: 31379
Location: Hot Arizona
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| Posted: Fri Dec 15, 2017 6:47 am Post subject: Re: Yet another electrical puzzle |
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| sb001 wrote: |
| I know you're insanely jealous that I've had my beetle since new... |
Personally, I'm not jealous at all - good for you !!! And your business if yours is Autostick, I can't figure out why some here are negative to you and others because of that.
I got my 1970 when it was just 2 years old, and 2 years has been the newest vehicle I've ever had (think 6 is next newest).
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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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