[Vwdiesel] alternator light :(

[Pam & Doug Boes]

After responding to Roger, I took the dash out again and turned the LED
around. I also compared the other LEDs that are the oil pressure, glow
plugs, etc. and it looked like the flat side of the LEDs were opposite of
what I had been trying.
It worked! Even though it defies logic and looks backward, the alternator
LED lights with the negative side toward the turn signal LED when the blue
wire is grounded to the negative battery post. This is contrary to my
understanding because this means that all LEDs are powered from a common bus
and each one lights when the ground circuit is completed.
I could not get the alternator LED to light when the blue wire is attached
to the alternator and the key is turned on.
Time for a new new alternator!

-----Original Message-----
From: James Hansen [mailto:jhsg at sasktel.net] 
Sent: Sunday, July 30, 2006 4:45 PM
To: Pam & Doug Boes
Cc: vwdiesel at vwfans.com
Subject: Re: [Vwdiesel] alternator light :(

remove the alt light wire from the back of the alternator, ground it 
(the wire), the dash light should come on. It's the little one, not the 
one to battery, or the W terminal wire.
If no dash light, from the connection you hold to ground to the light is 
the circuit you are chasing.
Roger raises an excellent point as well.
-James

Pam & Doug Boes wrote:
> The alternator light on my 85' Golf diesel quit working. I replaced the
bulb
> but it still doesn't work. The alternator was recently replaced and at the
> D+ terminal and at the end of the blue wire both read 12+ Volts when the
key
> is turned on. The rest of the indicator lights seem to be working fine.
I've
> disassembled the dash 3-4 times to verify the light is installed correctly
> and the led actually lights. I've pulled the fuse and it looks OK. I've
> grounded the blue wire to the negative battery post and still no
alternator
> light. 
> 
>  
> 
> What else would be keeping the alternator light from lighting when the key
> is turned on? If I'm looking for a broken connection, where would be the
> place to start?
> 
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