Battery light staying on bright

[fallingoffalot]

Started and drove my bus for the first time this year and after 10+ miles and about 5 miles from home my battery warning light came on and stayed on, solid no flickering. Luckily I was at a friends house and I drove the 5 miles home after giving the battery a hour's charge to top it up. No dramas.

Once home I checked the voltage across the battery whilst engine running and it was 12.78v, with engine off it was also 12.78v, so alternator not charging.

Are there any simple checks I can make myself to help determine what needs fixing?

Any recommendations for a good auto electrician in the Gloucestershire/Cheltenham area who can have a look?

Also, how far do you reckon I could drive with the engine running total loss?

 

[67panel]

Just check the voltage (engine off) at the large terminal (battery +) on the alternator just to see if you have continuity. I drove all the way across Sweden and from the ferry to Malvern in my Dodge on the same fully charged battery from start. It was flat as the next morning!! The alternator died when driving in Stockholm.

 

[fallingoffalot]

OK so I reckon the alt is dead - just remembered noticing a slight burning smell when I was standing near the rear, just before the light came on - I opened the lid to check, nothing seemed wrong so ignored it assuming it was coming from something else nearby.

So question is, which new alternator to buy? JK has them for £190, are they any good? I don't want to install one that will let me down.
Also do I need any other parts to fit it?

[edit] Booked it into JMS Garage Services in Cheltenham for 29th - not used them before, but they looks after a handful of local classics and get good reviews.

Cheers
Andy

 

[Moseley]

If yours is a genuine Bosch, I’d personally take it to an auto electrician and see if they can rebuild it. If it isn’t, I’d look for a Bosch as a replacement. The cheapo unbranded ones tend to not be serviceable if any components fail.

 

[Munga]

I’d stick to a new Bosch if you’ve the cash and while I’m at it I’d up it from 55amp to at least a 70 amp or even higher because then I’d last longer because it wouldn’t work as hard

 

[static]

The last shop installed a new Empi alternator in my bus about 20k ago. It works fine. Bosch is not always the answer.

 

[Munga]

The last shop installed new Empi alternator in my bus about 20k ago. It works fine. Bosch is not always the answer.

No your right Bosch is NOT always the answer I agree but if I’ve got it canga, moolah or the dosh? Then it’s Bosch for me but again I don’t always have the bank balance for it all the time so yeh I agree

 

[mike202]

https://www.heritagepartscentre.com/uk/043903023co-alternator-55-amp-with-internal-regulator.html

£335 now for a Bosch alternator.

 

[Munga]

https://www.heritagepartscentre.com/uk/043903023co-alternator-55-amp-with-internal-regulator.html

£335 now for a Bosch alternator.

Yeh I knew it was a couple of bucks but geeeeez Louise that’s nuts that’s about 700 bananas here in Australia shitballs didn’t think it was that bad

 

[GazWil]

I got a 70 amp from JK about 10 years ago ( have a dual charging and leisure battery) still going strong!!

 

[ozziedog]

Andy, let me have your old alternator afterwards and let me have a play with it. I might be able to sort something,, repeat might,, then we could have a handy spare.

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,,,maybe

 

[67panel]

Does that mean the s/h unit I have is worth dosh?

 

[ozziedog]

Does that mean the s/h unit I have is worth dosh?

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,Behave you !!!

 

[ozziedog]

What I’m thinking is that if I can wiggle it about and look in / at the brushes etc and maybe into the regulator then spin him up with next to no expenditure then maybe we could have an Earlybay spare to get peeps back on the road until they can sort their own..

Ozziedog,,,,,,and if you take the UN out of what you said, that’ll be wot you got. All

 

[fallingoffalot]

The old alt is worth dosh as it is put in exchange for the new (usually rebuilt) one. I'll ask what the price diff is and see if it's worth it.

 

[fallingoffalot]

All sorted now, I have a new 70A one from Heritage installed by AMS in Cheltenham. It was about £200. So fingers crossed it lasts Oz, I'll bring the old one to Volksfest in a few weeks.

 

[ozziedog]

All sorted now, I have a new 70A one from Heritage installed by AMS in Cheltenham. It was about £200. So fingers crossed it lasts Oz, I'll bring the old one to Volksfest in a few weeks.

OK bud, I’ll have a look at it whenever, it’ll be great if I can stir it up good.

Ozziedog,,,,,,,, 2 on the bounce ??? Maybe

 

[naskeet]

Just check the voltage (engine off) at the large terminal (battery +) on the alternator just to see if you have continuity. I drove all the way across Sweden and from the ferry to Malvern in my Dodge on the same fully charged battery from start. It was flat as the next morning!! The alternator died when driving in Stockholm.

That must have been an ultra-large capacity battery and/or you were not driving with dipped headlamps, as required by Swedish motoring law since before 1982, if one does not have dedicated daytime running lights.

During the summer of 1982, I experienced the failure of the 38A dynamo's voltage regulator during a two-stage journey from Västervik to Vetlanda via Kalmar. Even with a 60 Ah battery, the engine started to misfire horribly (sounded more like a two-stroke lawnmower engine) before we reached Vetlanda. Only by switching off the dipped-headlamps [i.e. 60/55W quartz-halogen H4 bulbs], would the engine again run properly; enabling us to reach the home of our acquaintances in Vetlanda. We needed a push-start the following morning to visit the local franchised VW workshop. At no time did the ignition warning light illuminate, despite having a functional bulb.

One can read more about this and related events, at the following link:

Forum Index -> Bay Window Bus > 41+ Years with a VW Kombi: There's Never Been a Dull Moment!

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=651954

 

[67panel]

Dip lights on all the way to the ferry, maybe the alternator was putting in some charge? but it was tested in Stockholm and showed nothing. It was a high amp battery and brand new.