<VV> Alt (gen) warning light--still need help

[Jim Corey]

Thanks for the response.  No overcharging symptoms so far.  New connections  at the regulator and alternator.  Puts out about 12.5v at idle, 14.3  or so at higer RPMs.  A real mystery to my and a few others.  I know trhe theory, but, doggone, I don't know why it isn't working right.

J Corey
'63 Corvair Convertible 
'62 Greenie
'64 Coupe
'66 Sedan
All running as daily drivers
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: HallGrenn at aol.com 
  To: jcorey at escapees.com 
  Sent: Tuesday, February 05, 2008 11:02 AM
  Subject: Re: <VV> Alt (gen) warning light--still need help


  Jay,  I'm rusty on this, but my '64 Brier alternator conversion does the same thing--and has for 17 years.  The idiot light is electrically "balanced" taking voltage from each side and only glows when one side is higher than the other in the circuit.  My "problem" was caused by the fact that I had an 85 amp alternator where the Brier was used to a generator with less than 40 amps output.  I would just make sure your connections are clean and tight--especially the one in the engine compartment--mine fried itself and I had to make a new connection with new wires and connectors around the connector block.  I would plan on doing this sometime soon as that 40 year old connection (the red wire) is carrying more current than it did with the generator.  Remember that a newer alternator has to turn at a higher speed than the original generator or alternator--1500rpm (not the engine speed) before it starts to charge so you may find that the light doesn't go on until the engine is running a little higher than idle.  Otherwide your testing shows a correct charging voltage and as long as you don't have other symptoms of overcharging (battery "boiling" over etc.) it sounds like you've done everything right.

  Bob Hall
  Group Corvair





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