[T2] Bosch alternator with internal regulator

[Robert Mann]

               Bosch alternator with internal regulator

     My early ('73) alternator has the regulator internally, with 1 wire
thru a hole in the casting at the top front.  I gather Bosch changed design
surprisingly often, so that some details will vary.   The regulator turns
out to be a literal black box, sealed, no apparently user-serviceable
parts, Made in Australia, brand Ingram.  I assume this is a replacement
part, tho' Bosch had an Australian factory I believe  ...

      The senior auto electrician George had concentrated on VW from
earlyin the peak region of their air-cooled history.  He has accumulated a
dozen 36mm nuts!  Visible defects he found included muck impeding the
spring-loaded brushes, easily cleaned and likely to collect more current
from the slip rings.  Sure enough, on his classic bench test rig, 50 A is
delivered, and the discharge warning light goes off at high revs and stays
off at idle.  On those criteria, we have my problem fixed.  However, the
copper is largely worn from the slip rings and George thinks they may serve
only a short mileage.  We wonder if anyone has electroplated new copper
onto slip rings.  The rotor of which they're a part looks to be removable
(term 'armature' reserved for generators with those plurry commutators we
came to dislike  -  not to mention the pesky DC regulators  – vibrating
iron angle-irons with sparking points).


I suppose I could slap on The Samba an illustrated jotting about early
alternators.  Anyone cooperate in making it much fuller than I can?


Robt Mann
'73 1600dp Devon