Low voltage

[Huw Powell]

I didn't say to avoid remans *at all*.

I just wanted more voltage so I tried another regulator.

The reason I bought the reman was my alternator itself had finally died.

- Huw

On 10/30/2015 10:34 PM, Peter Golledge wrote:
> I second avoiding remans... helped a few folk with reman alts failing in
> not many miles.  I've have good luck with both the Hella and URO
> VR/brush units:
>
> http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000VU7E1M
>
> If you are really keen you can split the case, replace the bearings and
> you've got basically a new Alt with some warn contact rings... they seem
> to last over 300k miles this way.
>
> If the voltage is not what you would like with the new VR you can bend
> up the ground tab, solder a power diode inline to ground and kick things
> up another 0.5 V.  Search for Bosch alternator voltage hacks in google.
> Batteries tend to like a bit more volts than the default Bosch output
> particularly after the drop in the bloody long battery cable going back
> to the battery under the seat in the big body cards. :-)
>
> Check the wiring on the blue field wire while you are in there,
> diagnosed a few "sometimes charges, sometimes don't" back to corroded
> connections there also.
>
> Regards
>
> On Fri, Oct 30, 2015 at 8:07 PM, Huw Powell <audi at humanspeakers.com
> <mailto:audi at humanspeakers.com>> wrote:
>
>     You've done 99% of the work and diagnostics.
>
>     Your brushes are worn out, you need a new VR assembly (or if you
>     really want to get gritty, new brushes to solder in).
>
>     About 15 months ago I bought a reman alternator, wasn't happy with
>     the voltage, and bought "URO" one, on Amazon I think, which gave me
>     .5 volts more.
>
>     I also like to replace the mounting bolts with S/S phillips head ones.
>
>     Your battery is definitely in good shape if you were able to drive
>     on it that long, with the lights on!  Worn brushes will often
>     generate "some" current, though, when they aren't quite completely
>     gone yet.
>
>     I'd put a trickle on it to bring it back to a full charge ASAP, though.
>
>     - Huw
>
>
>     On 10/30/2015 9:14 PM, Christopher Gharibo wrote:
>
>         I have a '91 coupe. I got a low voltage warning as I am about to
>         start the car but the car started. The voltage gauge went from
>         10 to 12v.
>
>         As I am driving I noticed the lights are not that bright and the
>         voltage gauge reads 10v and is dipping. I got another low
>         voltage warning. Somehow I got home and started checking the car.
>
>         Alternator belt is tight. Battery is two years old and has never
>         died. I pulled the alternator voltage regulator and the brushes
>         have 1/4" and 1/16" length left. Clearly unevenly worn.
>
>         What should my next step be? I am thinking either swap the
>         voltage regulator or the alternator.
>
>         Thank you in advance.
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