Hi,
one,  say what year vanagon you are working on.  I believe there are
minor variations ...late model ones can have poor contact in one spot
and create weirdness. Have seen it and read about it numerous times.

Never disconnected a battery with the engine running on any car that has
an alternator.
Generator is ok, and is a valid test, but not with an alternator.

does the alternator warning light work when you turn on the key ?

On 9/2/2012 1:04 PM, HotelWestfalia wrote:
> It’s about the charging to the battery from the alternator.
>
> 13.9 comes to the battery from the alt.
> but when that wire is connected to the battery, it shows only 12.5 and slowly less and less as the engine is running until 11.95.
>
> one funny thing I found; when I check the continuity of the other red wire (not the one from the alt.)  to the ground, it beeps for a second, no more.
>
> I don’t know what to check, where the juice is leaking to.  We have gone through two alternators, three new batteries.
>
> I even made a new set of wires from the alt. to the battery direct.  Not sure, it’s the right thing.  Looking in the Bentley it seems to be direct, but I can be ‘wong’ again.  The alt. wires go into a loom and I don’t know if they do anything else other than coming out at the battery.
>
> Anyone’s help would be appreciated.
>
> Zoltan
>