| Forum Index -> HBB Off-Road -> Dune buggy wiring questions. | | View original topic: Dune buggy wiring questions. | | vwtom8668 | Mon Nov 02, 2015 8:41 pm | | okay, this my be a lengthy post, so I have a few questions about wiring up my dune buggy because im new to vw stuff and awful when it comes to wiring anything. I got it a couple months ago and I built a center console for it and im going through wiring it up and replacing all the old corroded wiring that was already on the buggy. my first question is, I have an alternator on my vw engine, so do I need a voltage regulator? also, when I wire up the D+ wire to my light on the center console so I know the system is charging do I run the D+ to the light and from the light to the Assecories side of the ignition switch or the ignition side? iv read both ways and wanna make sure lastly, or until I think of something else haha, for some reason if I touch the positive side of the battery with one finger and then touch metal with my other hand I get a constant small shock, and im not sure whats going on there, I didn't think DC electricity could shock you at all. | | | Dale M. | Mon Nov 02, 2015 8:56 pm | | Its no mystery or magic.... Current and common procedure is to connect it to IGN terminal of switch... If you have a AL-78 (4wire alternator) yes you need and external regulator... Normally low voltage dc will not shock a person BUT you may be more sensitive to the voltage than normal people... Dale | | | vwtom8668 | Mon Nov 02, 2015 9:09 pm | | Okay i have it wired up exactly like that, except my D+ is going to my light and then to the assesory side of my ignition switch. So i need to change that over. Would that cause the alternator to not charge the battery? Because the way it is now the light comes on when i turn the key, off while the motor is cranking and then back on when the engine starts and is running. I know its suppose to turn off, maybe the voltage regulator if bad? And i have the alternator style like whats in the picture you posted, so do i have an internal regulator? Because i dont find one anywhere on the buggy | | | vwtom8668 | Mon Nov 02, 2015 9:36 pm | | Actually. Iv had that D+ wire hooked to the ignition side of the key switch before. And the engine fired up but when i turned the key off it just kept running. When i ran it to the assocery side it works fine. But its not charging the battery now. And idk if it was charging when the D+ was on the ignition side or not il have to test again tomorrow. | | | Dale M. | Tue Nov 03, 2015 7:43 am | | If you experience "run on" (turning key off but engine still runs) here is a solution... Dale | | | vwtom8668 | Tue Nov 03, 2015 9:30 am | | Okay, might be a dumb question. But what kind of diode do i use? Or is there one kind? Im changing the D+ over to the ignition side today so wel see what happens. | | | vwtom8668 | Tue Nov 03, 2015 1:18 pm | | Okay. So now i have the D+ wire ran from the ign side of the start switch, to my green light, and from there to a 30amp fuse then back the my alternator, all 12 gauge wire. When i turn the key one notch to turn on power the green light does not come on. And when i actually start the buggy the green light is still off, but the alternator is not charging. When i use my multimeter i have good continuity from the ign switch to my green light, but when i check for volts it says nothing is running to it. But i know i have power there because my coil wire is there and the buggy will start just fine. I checked the 30 amp fuse and it is good, Also i tested the green light and it does work. So im thinking my alternator is bad or the internal regulator is bad maybe. Im not sure. If i turn my key switch to the on position and back to off really fast i can see the green light kind of flicker. Possible bad key switch? And if i take the alternator end of my D+ wire and try to ground it, it still wont light the green light. Im confused | | | Dale M. | Tue Nov 03, 2015 3:34 pm | | Yep... Your description indicates a bad switch... Key on to first notch should make alt light come on and put 12 volts to coil and any other item that uses keyswitched 12 volts to operate... For your anti run-on diode go to Radio Shack and get minimum 3amp 50piv diode, should be about $1.99 for two pack... Dale | | | vwtom8668 | Tue Nov 03, 2015 5:08 pm | | okay well I feel dumb, the console I wired up has two lights, a blue one to indicate brights are on, and the green light, well when I turn my brights on the light wouldn't work and I couldn't figure out why, so I got the idea to swap the power and ground wire on the spades, and boom the blue light came on, I thought that they were just power in and power out I didn't know they had specific sides, so I switched the green light as well and now whats happening is when I turn the key to the ON position the green light comes on, and after I start the engine the green light says on and the alternator still does not charge the system, and does the run on thing. BUT if I take one side of the green light off and touch it to the other side and then put it back on its own spade, the green light goes off, and the alternator starts charging the system like normal, and I can turn the engine off with the key. so whats the next step here? I was thinking maybe I hidden push button that if not pushed wouldn't allow someone to go very far if there not supposed to be in there. | | | Dale M. | Tue Nov 03, 2015 8:11 pm | | Sounds like your lights are LEDS and what circuit requires for alternator is either a incandescent bulb or a resistor across terminal of LED... For high beam indicator you are ok... Dale | | | vwtom8668 | Wed Nov 04, 2015 5:42 pm | | okay I think I got it then! you are awesome thank you! | | | vdubrookie | Wed May 24, 2017 1:24 pm | | Dale M. wrote: If you experience "run on" (turning key off but engine still runs) here is a solution... Dale GREAT THREAD. Thanks for the info! :D | | Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group |