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'73 Squareback Generator Light On
Posted: Fri Jan 15, 2010 5:50 pm
by fancy pants
While driving the squareback today, the generator light came on and stayed lit for about one minute of driving, then went off and was never heard from again. I had the lights, wipers, turn signal, and defroster on when the light came on. Car has been running fine (other than some occasional hiccuping) and starting easily. Belt seemed tight when I checked it.
Thoughts?
Posted: Sun Jan 17, 2010 2:05 pm
by hambone
If it's a generator, check the brushes. Alternator you can't tell visually, you'll have to put a volt meter on it and check for 12v.
Could be your voltage regulator going bad. Check all electrical contacts in that area too. Shiny shiny no excuses. "Bad wires stoke the fires of ill-willed electricians"
Posted: Sun Jan 17, 2010 7:01 pm
by whc03grady
Loose connection somewhere? (I guess hambone said it better.)
In the event of a loose belt (which it sounds like it wasn't), an upside of the Type III (and Type IV) set up is that cooling isn't affected. I drove across South Dakota and part of Nebraska back in the Summer of '92 with no belt at all--had to buy a couple batteries along the way though.
Posted: Mon Jan 18, 2010 4:38 pm
by fancy pants
It is a generator, and I've read the procedure in the Muir book for checking it. I guess I just need to get over my fear - sticking something in the generator with it running scares the crap out of me!
Posted: Mon Jan 18, 2010 5:18 pm
by Amskeptic
fancy pants wrote:It is a generator, and I've read the procedure in the Muir book for checking it. I guess I just need to get over my fear - sticking something in the generator with it running scares the crap out of me!
If the light came on during high-demand only, don't worry about it. Do make sure the battery has had a full all-night 2 amp trickle charge so the generator doesn't feel so overwhelmed. If after you have a verifiably fully-charged battery and low demand, if the generator lamp comes on, ask yourself, "is this because demand just hit, or is this random?" If demand-based, cleaning the commutator and brushes is called for. If random, the voltage regulator may have taken a dousing under the back seat nestled down there low and is feeling creaky. You can carefully take the regulator out, take the cover off the VR, and clean its contacts.
Colin