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Re: Now a stupid alternator question

To: <REwald9535@aol.com>, <jmc987@earthlink.net>, <mgs@autox.team.net>
Subject: Re: Now a stupid alternator question
From: "teds" <teds@accessone.com>
Date: Sun, 14 Feb 1999 17:41:48 -0800
I mounted a bosch alt. on my car, to my knowledge they all have internal
regulators, I would doubt very much that they had lucas regulators. they
either have 2 posts, one bigger than the other, one for the ind. light the
other for the battery connection, or they come with a slotted plug
arrangement.  I looked at a pile of about 100 bosch alternators in a vw
junkyard, none of them had anything lucas on them.


----- Original Message -----
From: <REwald9535@aol.com>
To: <jmc987@earthlink.net>; <mgs@autox.team.net>
Sent: Sunday, February 14, 1999 3:16 PM
Subject: Re: Now a stupid alternator question


>Joseph,
>A fully charged battery is 2.12v per cell.  6 cells = 12.72 volts.
>Now there is a small amount of resistance in each cell so it requires at
least
>13.92 volts to fully charge a 12 volt battery. (measured at the battery)
>Your reading of 12.75 volts indicates that your alternator or regulator is
a
>dead player.
>How far can you last without an alternator??  One of the ratings for
batteries
>is reserve capacity.  This is the length of time that a fully charged
battery
>can deliver 25 amps at 80 degrees F and still have 10.5 V left.
>So if you look at the top of your battery and it says 90 minutes that is
how
>long you can run at a 25 amp discharge.  Now your car probably doesn't draw
25
>amps when running with the lights off, so if it draws 10 amps multiply by
2.5.
>Also if you are willing to run the battery complety flat that will give you
>more time.  (If you have electronic ignition not much longer, most
electronic
>systems quit and go home at somewhere between 9-10V)
>bottom line get the alternator fixed and motor on.
>Rick Ewald
>also a 67 MGB
>
>Thanks for all the quick responses to my stupid oil change question. I
>double checked the oil level and it's just slightly over max and the
>bubbles have disappeared. So I assume there isn't a problem. To answer
>some of the questions out there: I replaced the original multi-piece
>filter with a spin on filter adapter. The opening of the filter faces up
>(I'm not sure if that's inverted or not). And I've always filled the
>filter before putting it on. (I don't know where I picked it up. But it
>can't hurt.) Now the alternator question:
>
>I apologize for not paying attention to the recent alternator thread.
>Since I had a new Bosch alternator fitted about 2 months ago, I didn't
>think I had to.  Back then, the ignition light wouldn't go on. Now it
>won't go off. I checked the belt and it seems to be okay. Then hooked up
>the multi-meter, and even with the engine revving, the voltage still
>hovers around 12.75 volts. Shouldn't that sucker be pumping out at least
>14? I noticed that the regulator on the back of the unit is a Lucas,
>which means it's probably the old one. Am I in for a new regulator or
>does the whole thing have to go? And can I drive it for a couple of days
>without fear of running out of juice on the road? (That's the stupid
>question I was promising you.)  Thanks in advance.
>
>Joseph
>67 B Roadster
>


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