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Gerry | Vanagon
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Subject:Re: alternators
Date:Wed, 6 Jul 94 10:56:14 PDT

>
>On Tue, 5 Jul 94 17:29:24 CDT Alistair Bell said:
>>Does there exist a table of the relationship between electrical
>>load and voltage produced for a given rated alternator?
>>Another example of idle curiosity.
>
>aarrrrrrrrrrrrrgggggggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. i'll bet you guys used
>to just bug the living hell outa your professors! :)

Yes, you're right, and the habit dies hard.

Thanks for all the info, I love this stuff!

My interest stems from the installation of a voltmeter in
my van, and noticing that my 90 amp alternator's voltage
output would drop to 12 volts if I had the heater blower,
wipers, lights and rear defrogger all on, and drop below
12 if I tried the cig. lighter. The combined current draw, I
think, is under 80 amps. Asking around, other vw drivers with
voltmeters seem to think this is normal, but...

Maybe the reg is weak or the alternator is (although it was
tested before installation), or maybe I do have to spend
an afternoon soldering all the important connections, or
maybe I shouldn't try lighting i cig. whilst driving
in a cold rainy night.

thanks again Joel,

Alistair