'78 Bus Pulsing Lights

Westy78 · Post by **Westy78** » Tue Jul 06, 2010 7:03 am

Last night on the way home I noticed that all of the electrical in the bus was flickering/pulsing. Not extreme but definitely noticeable. I replaced the voltage regulator a couple weeks ago because the old one had been getting very hot. Haven't put a volt meter on the battery yet to see if there's an unsteady voltage while running. First thing I'm going to do is clean up all electrical connections and grounds. Any other suggestions? I really hope it's not the alternator. It was new about three years ago.

hambone · Post by **hambone** » Tue Jul 06, 2010 7:35 am

That does sound like the alternator or VR...

Post by **Amskeptic** » Wed Jul 07, 2010 8:02 am

If the pulsing occurs under demand, like a flasher or brake lights, it is usually a ground or supply connection that is not secure.

If it pulses steadily at idle, it is usually a blown diode in the alternator.

If it is a totally intermittEnt brightening and dimming, I never did figure that one out . . .

Colin

hambone · Post by **hambone** » Wed Jul 07, 2010 8:09 am

The intermittent thing, I had that happen with a Beetle alternator after it got rebuilt by a questionable electric shop. Consistently intermittent.

Post by **Amskeptic** » Wed Jul 07, 2010 8:16 am

hambone wrote:The intermittent thing, I had that happen with a Beetle alternator after it got rebuilt by a questionable electric shop. Consistently intermittent.

Thanks for enlightening me. It was rebuilt by a questionable shop.
Colin

twinfalls · Post by **twinfalls** » Sat Sep 11, 2010 3:06 pm

Amskeptic wrote:
hambone wrote:The intermittent thing, I had that happen with a Beetle alternator after it got rebuilt by a questionable electric shop. Consistently intermittent.
Thanks for enlightening me. It was rebuilt by a questionable shop.
Colin

I had the intermittent on a Golf Rabbit. High voltage surges. That was the regulator.
I had it too on a Golf GTI. High voltage surges. I simply changed the alternator ( with it's integrated VR ).
These failures were with original VW stuff.

vdubyah73 · Post by **vdubyah73** » Sun Sep 12, 2010 11:58 am

a bumpin' stereo will do that, in time with the bass beat. the bigger the amp the worse it gets.

LiveonJG · Post by **LiveonJG** » Sun Sep 12, 2010 2:24 pm

vdubyah73 wrote:a bumpin' stereo will do that, in time with the bass beat. the bigger the amp the worse it gets.

And if anyone's gonna bump it, it would be Jasan.

-John

Itinerant Air-Cooled

Itinerant Air-Cooled

'78 Bus Pulsing Lights

'78 Bus Pulsing Lights