

| Subject: | Re: oxygen sensor and alternator lights |
| From: | Joel Walker |
| Date: | Tue, 22 Feb 2000 20:51:45 -0600 |
> Both of my '87 vanagons have always done this, and I have not had any > alternator problems. Maybe I've just been lucky. well, the alternator light staying on is normal. don't recall the oxs light staying on, but it's grounded via the same path as the alternator light. what happens is that the alternator has a "threshhold" rpm (actually stamped on the info plates on the alternator). this rpm has to be reached before the alternator is 'self-exciting', that is, producing enough volts to charge the battery AND supply itself with electricity. prior to that rpm, the alternator is sucking volts out of the battery ... which is what the LED signifies. once over the threshhold (blip the throttle a little bit), and the light goes out.
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