I'd take what you have to a professional rebuilder and try to trade up.
Stick with independents and you'll find someone that is a lot smarter
than you and me about alternators.

Stan

On Wed, 29 May 2002 13:23:48 -0400 80 Westy Pokey <pokey@vanagon.org>
writes:
> Stan you are an air cooled guru. Any thoughts on upgrading
> the alternator?
>
> Thanks,
> Chris
>
> ---- Original message ----
> >Date: Wed, 29 May 2002 11:39:30 -0500
> >From: Stan Wilder <wilden1@juno.com>
> >Subject: Re: Air Cooled Alternator (Was: aux battery
> draining primary)
> >To: pokey@VANAGON.ORG
> >Cc: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> >
> >Start at the back of your van:
> >Alternator belt ..... tight?
> >Not burnt on the edges?
> >Blue wire with the square connector plugged in?
> >The two wires to your starter on nice and tight?
> >With the ignition off, remove the negative cable from the
> battery.
> >Tap it a few times to the terminal, there should be very
> little arcing.
> >You can put an amps gauge between to negative battery
> terminal and the
> >negative cable and read the amps, you shouldn't get hardly
> reading of
> >draw.
> >With the battery reconnected check any accessory electrical
> lug on your
> >fuse panel with the ignition switch off, you can just do
> this with a neon
> >test light ....... you shouldn't get any light.
> >If you do it'll be your ignition switch that is bad.
> >Also if accessories have been added like driving lights,
> additional horns
> >the relay sometimes stays closed and draws current, even if
> the accessory
> >doesn't operate unless the ignition is on or the accessory
> position is
> >actuated.
> >Your AFM has a switch (tiny points) that run your fuel pump,
> they should
> >be open when the actuator rod is in neutral location.
> >If you have a battery cutout devise, be sure its wired to be
> active only
> >with the ignition switch in the run position.
> >(I'm dead set against additional solenoids at the starter
> and additioinal
> >batteries but I hope this has been of some use to you.)
> >
> >Stan Wilder
> >83 Air Cooled Westfalia
> >
> >
> >On Wed, 29 May 2002 12:16:08 -0400 80 Westy Pokey
> <pokey@VANAGON.ORG>
> >writes:
> >> But the clock, radio, etc. draw already. What is normal?
> >>
> >> Thanks,
> >> Chris
> >>
> >> ---- Original message ----
> >> >Date: Wed, 29 May 2002 09:17:02 -0400
> >> >From: Jay L Snyder <Jay.L.Snyder@USA.DUPONT.COM>
> >> >Subject: Re: Air Cooled Alternator (Was: aux battery
> >> draining primary)
> >> >To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> >> >
> >> >Put an ammeter across the neg. cable and the neg. post to
> >> see if any
> >> >current is flowing.  This will show any leakage.
> >> >
> >>
> >
> >>            Jay
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >80 Westy Pokey <pokey@VANAGON.ORG>@gerry.vanagon.com> on
> >> 05/29/2002
> >> >08:59:58 AM
> >> >
> >> >Please respond to 80 Westy Pokey <pokey@VANAGON.ORG>
> >> >
> >> >Sent by:    Vanagon Mailing List
> <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >To:    vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> >> >cc:
> >> >Subject:    Re: Air Cooled Alternator (Was: aux battery
> >> draining primary)
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >There was no fridge relay per se, but I bought the EXACT
> same
> >> >relay and used it for the install.
> >> >
> >> >The fridge switch is NOT in the 12V position, so I can't
> >> >understand why the battery is draining. Plus the aux
> battery
> >> >(from the admittedly micky mouse LEDs on the fridge stove
> >> >unit still has a partial charge).
> >> >
> >> >The alternator is a seperate problem that is just making
> >> >things worse.
> >> >
> >> >Thanks,
> >> >Chris
> >> >
> >> >---- Original message ----
> >> >>Date: Wed, 29 May 2002 08:33:23 -0400
> >> >>From: "Vanagon man" <vgonman@msn.com>
> >> >>Subject: Re:      Air Cooled Alternator (Was: aux battery
> >> >draining primary)
> >> >>To: "80 Westy Pokey" <pokey@VANAGON.ORG>
> >> >>
> >> >>Did you use the existing fridge relay or install another?
> >> >If you used the
> >> >>existing one, then i can help.....let me know.
> >> >>
> >> >>PS the brush box is available anywhere..vanagain has
> them.
> >> >The problem lies
> >> >>within your wiring.  It wounds like you have them in
> >> >parallel.  The
> >> >>alternator output is not the issue, it is the way it is
> >> >wired.  I have had
> >> >>my aux battery wired for 2 years with stock alternator
> with
> >> >nothing but 2
> >> >>fully charged batteries.
> >> >>
> >> >>PS using the fridge on 12v drains any battery fast, ant
> it
> >> >is not very
> >> >>efficient.  Propane is the way to go.
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >> >>Adam P
> >> >>
> >> >>81 Vanagon Westy (The Brick)
> >> >>70 Single Cab "Whitey"
> >> >>74 Beetle "Ol Yeller"
> >> >>73 Transporter (STILL at paint shop)
> >> >>1988 Vanagon Wolfsburg
> >> >>Used Vanagon Parts for sale (mostly aircooled)
> >> >>----- Original Message -----
> >> >>From: "80 Westy Pokey" <pokey@VANAGON.ORG>
> >> >>To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> >> >>Sent: Wednesday, May 29, 2002 8:24 AM
> >> >>Subject: Air Cooled Alternator (Was: aux battery draining
> >> >primary)
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >> >>> OK, my alternator is certainly part of the problem so
> >> >rather
> >> >>> than repaire I would like to upgrade.
> >> >>>
> >> >>> I searched the Vanagon archives and checked out Tom's
> VW
> >> >>> Pages:
> >> >>> http://volksweb.relitech.com/90alt.htm
> >> >>>
> >> >>> But most upgrades are for WBX. Anyone ever upgrade an
> air
> >> >>> cooled Alternator?
> >> >>>
> >> >>> Anyone have any comments on my aux battery below?
> >> >>>
> >> >>> Thanks,
> >> >>> Chris
> >> >>>
> >> >>> ---- Original message ----
> >> >>> >Date: Tue, 28 May 2002 21:38:09 -0400
> >> >>> >From: 80 Westy Pokey <pokey@vanagon.org>
> >> >>> >Subject: Is my aux battery draining my primary?
> >> >>> >To: vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com,
> >> >the_bug_pack@yahoogroups.com,
> >> >>> type2@type2.com
> >> >>> >
> >> >>> >I thought I hooked up my second battery right. Given
> the
> >> >>> >fact that it was totally dead today I clearly didn't.
> >> >>> >
> >> >>> >Before I get into the battery let me also say that I
> ALSO
> >> >>> >suspect my alternator brushes to be worn out. Anyone
> know
> >> >>> >the partnumber for the replacement cartridge?
> >> >>> >
> >> >>> >Anyway... I jump started the vehicle and as soon as I
> >> >>> >unhooked the negative terminal the engine died. This
> >> >happend
> >> >>> >twice. So the battery was DEAD.
> >> >>> >
> >> >>> >Now here is how the second battery was hooked up.
> First
> >> >off
> >> >>> >remeber this is a 1980 westy, with no stock second
> >> battery
> >> >>> >and no relay under the drivers seat.
> >> >>> >
> >> >>> >Secondly, I don't know much about electrical systems
> and
> >> >>> >hooked this up with someone else's instruction. I
> won't
> >> be
> >> >>> >able to follow a complex answer, nor is my
> explanation of
> >> >>> >the setup complex.
> >> >>> >
> >> >>> >1) The black sheath to the fridge was cut to do the
> >> >install.
> >> >>> >The rear part has a red wire (with an inline fuse)
> and a
> >> >>> >white wire. The front part has a blue and a red. The
> red
> >> >was
> >> >>> >one wire before it was cut and the blue and the white
> >> were
> >> >>> >also the same wire.
> >> >>> >
> >> >>> >2) The rear portion of the sheathed wire, the one
> with
> >> the
> >> >>> >white and the red is setup like this: The red goes
> from
> >> >the
> >> >>> >inline fuse to the positive terminal on battery
> number 2.
> >> >>> >The white goes to some kind rectangular clear
> connector,
> >> >>> >then on the other side of the connector the wire turns
> >> >blue.
> >> >>> >That blue wire goes to the 86 on the relay... then
> >> >continues
> >> >>> >to the front part of the sheathed wire and dissapears
> >> >under
> >> >>> >the drivers seat.
> >> >>> >
> >> >>> >3) The red from the front sheathing goes to the 85 on
> the
> >> >>> >relay.
> >> >>> >
> >> >>> >4) There is a wire running from the 87 on the relay
> to
> >> the
> >> >>> >positive terminal on battery number 2.
> >> >>> >
> >> >>> >5) There is a wire running from the 30 on the relay
> to
> >> the
> >> >>> >positive terminal on battery number ONE.
> >> >>> >
> >> >>> >I just cant figure out where the power is being sucked
> >> >from.
> >> >>> >Any ideas?
> >> >>> >
> >> >>> >Thanks,
> >> >>> >Chris
> >> >>>
> >>
> >
> >_____________________________________________________________
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