What can kill a voltage regulator?

External Since: Jul 11, 2008 Posts: 1

Ok, I got a '67 bug and my generator light came on. Both the generator
and regulator were new (the whole car was restored from the ground
up...just got it out the shop 3-months ago...and although both gen &
reg were built new (not rebuilt) by BOSCH, they were built in Mexico,
so...

Anyway, I checked the generator max voltage (ground the DF, disconnect
the D+ and measure the voltage from that to ground) and got .4V to .
8V, so it looks like the generator is gone. Funny thing is, ever since
I got the car out the shop, the reading on my voltmeter (VDO) has been
up and down -- pegging out at 16V on the highway, but dropping to 11V
at idle...down in the red. Just before it died it was down to 10V at
idle (minumum for this gauge is 8V). So I think the regulator burned
out the generator. I guess I should have paid more attention to it,
but I'm still getting use to the quarks of this bug (I had a '68 for
23-years, but that's another story).

So I ordered a new gen & reg, but I'm wondering if there is anything
that could have caused the regulator to malfunction? I'm thinking this
thing is like a fuse: it shouldn't just blow for no reason, right? But
then again, it is made in Mexico, and it uses solid state parts and
you can't crack this thing open and look for burns like the old ones.

Assuming the new stuff I get is good, should I worry about anything?
Something outside the generator-regulator system that could damage
either?

Ken H

External Since: Jul 12, 2008 Posts: 2

I have tried one of those Bosch solid state volt regs with success on a '71
Bug. Well until a piece of metal fell on it shorting it out. lol I suggest
always having a back seat in place! Wink

I prefer the one with contacts in it!
Sounds like yours was malfuctioning from the beginning! 16V is too high!
I usually polarize the generator and suggest you do that to your current one
before replacing it. It is a good way to see if it still works too!

JMHO
--
later,
(One out of many daves)

"Ken H" <hunt1962.RemoveThis@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:f54c1511-39ea-43dd-9cbc-6f3e94b72155@c58g2000hsc.googlegroups.com...
> Ok, I got a '67 bug and my generator light came on. Both the generator
> and regulator were new (the whole car was restored from the ground
> up...just got it out the shop 3-months ago...and although both gen &
> reg were built new (not rebuilt) by BOSCH, they were built in Mexico,
> so...
>
> Anyway, I checked the generator max voltage (ground the DF, disconnect
> the D+ and measure the voltage from that to ground) and got .4V to .
> 8V, so it looks like the generator is gone. Funny thing is, ever since
> I got the car out the shop, the reading on my voltmeter (VDO) has been
> up and down -- pegging out at 16V on the highway, but dropping to 11V
> at idle...down in the red. Just before it died it was down to 10V at
> idle (minumum for this gauge is 8V). So I think the regulator burned
> out the generator. I guess I should have paid more attention to it,
> but I'm still getting use to the quarks of this bug (I had a '68 for
> 23-years, but that's another story).
>
> So I ordered a new gen & reg, but I'm wondering if there is anything
> that could have caused the regulator to malfunction? I'm thinking this
> thing is like a fuse: it shouldn't just blow for no reason, right? But
> then again, it is made in Mexico, and it uses solid state parts and
> you can't crack this thing open and look for burns like the old ones.
>
> Assuming the new stuff I get is good, should I worry about anything?
> Something outside the generator-regulator system that could damage
> either?
>
> Ken H