> 13.75 VOLTS IS THEIR PROPER VOLTAGE TO CHARGE A BATTERY.  THAT IS THE FACTORY 
> SETTING.  You are either being scammed or you have an idiot with the meter.  
> Many American cars charge at 14.5 volts.  Long drives at this rate tend to 
> overcharge batteries.  That is why they do not last as long as they do in 
> VW's.

I have always wondered about this.  They should charge at anything over 13.2
volts, but I assumed there was some "breakover" voltage that was applied
in excess of the 13.2.  I, too, have seen cars running at 14 volts and above,
batteries bubbling away.  What are the factors in this choice?  Does increasing
the voltage above 13.2v decrease the charge time?  At what voltage will the
the battery start overcharging?

Anybody know the best voltages for maintaining a charge without overcharging,
for quick-charging a battery, and for daily driving?  

On one more note:  The typical battery isolator for campers uses two big
rectifiers, each probably a silicon diode with a voltage drop of .7 volt.
This brings a VW 13.75 volt system too low to recharge a battery.  Can you
get alternator regulators at different voltages to overcome this drop?

malcolm