[Vwdiesel] Flashing alternator light and windshield washer

[LBaird119 at aol.com]

> Curious why the light did not go on and stay on, or am I
>  misunderstanding what the light actually means. I thought it was a
>  charging light, but it appears if the battery is fine it will stay off.
>
  AN alternator light isn't your grandfather's "idiot light".  ;-)  You can
do a
lot of diagnosing with the silly little things.  EC had a very good article
on
it years ago.  It really opened my eyes to what a tool it is!  If the light
glows
dimly, generally only visible at night, then look for a bad connection.
Usually at the alternator or one of the small + wires to the battery.  If
it comes on at higher rpm I think that meant brushes.  Not going off until
higher rpms were hit was dirty connections again I think, or diodes.  A
steady dim glow I think is diodes.  The first glow I mentioned tends to
vary with rpm.
  The idiot light is simply in the electrical path of power to the field.
With no power to the field and alternator just can't get excited.  ;)
Although I found with high enough rpm they will self excite.  The
B+ (field) wire broke off the connector on my Rabbit.  I though the
bulb had burned out at first.  It would still charge but you had to
wind it way up to get it to.  Once the alternator starts charging, it
no longer is taking power through the idiot light so it goes out.
     Loren