I've looked at the brushes and they appear to have plenty of length and spring tension to maintain contact with the commutator.
Mike On Mon, Dec 14, 2015 at 12:58 PM, Andy Evans <[email protected]> wrote: > Generators and alternators both have carbon brushes. These brushes are > connected electrically by a length of braided copper. As the brushes wear, > these brushes become physically shorter. Springs keep them in contact with > the rotating parts (the rotor). At the end of the brushes life, the braided > copper is not long enough to allow the springs to keep the brushes firmly > against the rotor. > > At the time this is beginning to happen, the generator or alternator > output becomes intermittent. > > On Sat, Dec 12, 2015 at 9:59 AM, <[email protected]> wrote: > >> [email protected] >> <https://groups.google.com/forum/?utm_source=digest&utm_medium=email#!forum/vintagvw/topics> >> Google >> Groups >> <https://groups.google.com/forum/?utm_source=digest&utm_medium=email/#!overview> >> <https://groups.google.com/forum/?utm_source=digest&utm_medium=email/#!overview> >> Topic digest >> View all topics >> <https://groups.google.com/forum/?utm_source=digest&utm_medium=email#!forum/vintagvw/topics> >> >> - Generator Light Issue on 72 Bug >> <#151a1dbf7b01cc1b_15196eb24c9c5bf8_group_thread_0> - 1 Update >> >> Generator Light Issue on 72 Bug >> <http://groups.google.com/group/vintagvw/t/135e09ae966063e0?utm_source=digest&utm_medium=email> >> Ray <[email protected]>: Dec 11 11:28AM -0500 >> >> Perhaps a bearing is getting tight and the heat makes it worse causing >> belt slippage? >> >> >> Sent from my Verizon Wireless 4G LTE smartphone >> >> -------- Original message -------- >> From: Mike Morehouse <[email protected]> >> Date: 12/11/2015 9:54 AM (GMT-05:00) >> To: VintagVW <[email protected]> >> Subject: [vintagvw] Generator Light Issue on 72 Bug >> >> Good morning. >> I need a little advice with a generator light issue on my stock 72 Bug >> with generator. I drive my Bug mostly short trips in town - errands, >> church, work, etc...both day and night driving. Car is stock with OEM >> generator. No added accessories. Battery was replaced in 2012 and starts >> car fine. >> I never have any generator light issues on normal trips in town. Last >> night I took it up the interstate on about a 22 mile trip at about 65 mph >> and at the 20 mile mark the gen light came on. Car contined to run fine. >> Got to my destination and picked up a play script and got back in the car >> to make the 22 mile trip back home. Gen light stayed on the whole time. >> FYI, I did notice left and right turn signals were flashing very rapidly >> when I put them on on way home. >> As I got close to home it did appear that headlights were getting dimmer. >> Made it home OK. Pulled in garage and left engine running to look at >> headlights. They did look dim. Shut engine off. Checked fan belt. It was >> intact and seemed to have plenty of tension. I connected my Harbor Freight >> trickle charger to battery and left it on over night. It is still charging >> this am. If I do start car this am, headlights seem fine and there is no >> gen light on. >> IIRC, the last time I made his same length trip, the same thing happened. >> Why would I have gen light issues on a 20 mile trip at 65 mph when I >> never see that around town? >> Would a 30 or 35 minute trip cause a gen problem that a 10 minute trip >> around town might not? >> I guess what I am saying is no gen light occurrences on numerous local >> trips but 2 consecutive light issues on 30 min trip up interstate. >> I'd welcome your thoughts as this makes me wary of taking an road trips >> in the Bug. >> If I didn't give enough info on symptoms please let me know as I do need >> some help. >> Thanks Mike Morehouse in Alabama >> >> >> >> -- >> >> Visit the VintagVW archives at >> http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] >> >> --- >> >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "VintagVW - Air Cooled Volkswagen Discussion List" group. >> >> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an >> email to [email protected]. >> >> To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. >> >> Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/vintagvw. >> >> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. >> Back to top <#151a1dbf7b01cc1b_15196eb24c9c5bf8_digest_top> >> You received this digest because you're subscribed to updates for this >> group. You can change your settings on the group membership page >> <https://groups.google.com/forum/?utm_source=digest&utm_medium=email#!forum/vintagvw/join> >> . >> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it send an >> email to [email protected]. >> > > -- > Visit the VintagVW archives at > http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] > --- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "VintagVW - Air Cooled Volkswagen Discussion List" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/vintagvw. > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. > -- Visit the VintagVW archives at http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "VintagVW - Air Cooled Volkswagen Discussion List" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/vintagvw. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
