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When wiring a VW Campervan 1979 mark 2, does the alternator connect straight to the battery terminals?

12 January 2009 6 Comments
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RuthlessM asked:


Is it simply a case of running a cable from my alternator straight to my battery??

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6 Comments »

  • ChappySteg said:

    Sounds like you should leave it to someone who knows what they are doing (:

  • dels replies said:

    Oh no . Alternator is AC whereas battery is charged with DC, Are you sure it’s an alternator, not a generator ? If AC has to be a rectifier in the circuit to change it to 12v DC..

  • UK Dad said:

    I agree you should leave it to someone who knows what they are doing.
    These old VWs can burn if wired wrong.

  • blackcloud said:

    Not quite as simple as that,the major large gauge cable/s run direct to the battery,but the small one is powered through the ignition switch and then through the warning lamp bulb circuit to the small gauge wire to energise the electromagnet of the alternator.no current through the bulb down to the alternator means the unit will not charge,its essential.

  • Zed said:

    1st you`ll need to determine if the alternator has a built in voltage regulator or not.
    easiest way to tell is if it`s a built in regulator it will have a black box around an inch and a half long on the back secured by 2 slot headed screws,if this is the case you need to connect the B+ terminal to either the main feed cable at the starter motor or the +ve battery terminal.use fairly heavy cable “120″ gauge is recommended

    the 2nd terminal to use is marked D+ this is the warning lamp cable.it should go to the warning lamp on the dash and from there to an ignition fed +ve cable(usually black on vw`s)

  • nosdda said:

    No! the red terminal goes to the starter solenoid. The black goes to earth. The connections for the alternator go through a relay.

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