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Sydney - 12V Generator - FIXED!!!

viiking - October 8th, 2018 at 08:14 PM

The field coils in my 68 Beetle generator have died and I cannot get replacements. Auto electrician cannot repair or source new parts.

I am looking for a functioning generator of the correct model type. I have a later year (but incorrect) spare which I can use but am looking for a correct one for my year correct restoration.

Model number is 211903031 and MUST have the push on terminals, not the screw on terminals. Please see photo.

Alternatively if you have one with OK field coils but damaged armature etc, I might be able to harvest the coils and rebuild.

Anything out there?

vw54 - October 9th, 2018 at 06:56 PM

try VVDS

AA003 - October 10th, 2018 at 06:03 AM

You can get the coils rewound.

vw54 - October 10th, 2018 at 09:36 AM

Quote:

You can get the coils rewound.

If you can find an Auto Elect who knows how to do it these days

viiking - October 10th, 2018 at 10:05 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by vw54

Quote:

You can get the coils rewound.

If you can find an Auto Elect who knows how to do it these days

That's the problem. My local one does do work for some VW guys but says that this one is a problem. It's not that the coils are shorted or damaged, but the coils lost their shape when the outer taping fell apart (when some idiot took off the coils to clean the inside of the casing from rust and gunk) and cannot be formed back into shape to allow the armature to fit.

I can find some coils from overseas, but I cannot find the correct ones by number to fit mine. There are two different coil numbers for each generator and I don't know if they are electrically different or if it is just the placement of the tail wire that goes to the terminal block. I've tried to find an on-line resource for Bosch parts but the ones I have found do not list the ones for my generator. So I don't know if I can use coils of the correct dimensions from another model to retrofit into mine.

The only other solution is to buy a new GR15 Bosch and transfer the guts over into my casing. It appears that the dimensions are the same but I would only know after buying one and dissasembling it , understanding that I just lost any warranty it might have. Yes I know it's a bit OCD but I want to maintain the matching number of the generator to its build date.

AA003 - October 10th, 2018 at 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by vw54

Quote:

You can get the coils rewound.

If you can find an Auto Elect who knows how to do it these days

Not an auto elec but a motor rewinding business. There was one in Roberts Rd, Peakhurst. Another in Enterprise Ave, Padstow.

AA003 - October 10th, 2018 at 10:31 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by viiking

It's not that the coils are shorted or damaged, but the coils lost their shape when the outer taping fell apart (when some idiot took off the coils to clean the inside of the casing from rust and gunk) and cannot be formed back into shape to allow the armature to fit.

Yes I know it's a bit OCD but I want to maintain the matching number of the generator to its build date.

I understand your analness.

These coils are usually bashed into shape with a wooden mallet so I can't understand why they can't be reformed. There used to be a lot of second hand generators around of this type. Maybe you can rob one for parts?

viiking - October 10th, 2018 at 11:14 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by AA003

Quote:

Originally posted by vw54

Quote:

You can get the coils rewound.

If you can find an Auto Elect who knows how to do it these days

Not an auto elec but a motor rewinding business. There was one in Roberts Rd, Peakhurst. Another in Enterprise Ave, Padstow.

OK I'll keep that in mind.

viiking - October 10th, 2018 at 11:24 AM

Quote:

Much to my chagrin I got a later version 211903031"D"" generator to do just that but discovered that within the same Model Number (but not suffix number) that there was a "short" and "long" case generator and the coils are too long. I don't want to repeat the same mistake and get another one that won't work. I do believe however that 113903031 model is the same dimensionally, but again not sure if there is something different about the coils. The numbers certainly according to http://oacdp.org the coils for my generator have unique numbers.

I like to do all the work myself and have no problems pulling generators, starter motors, gearboxes etc apart. But if you don't have the parts, it's difficult. It is part of the challenge of why I am doing the job in the first place. It's fun........ (sometimes not). It would be so much easier to just pay for someone else to do it, but hey that is not challenging me!

AA003 - October 11th, 2018 at 05:51 AM

You will have to get one the same to ensure the coils will fit.

southspark - October 14th, 2018 at 09:41 PM

I can repair your coils ,or replace them if necessary,(how quick they forget ,(DAVE) Give me a call 0407 296370.

Regards Paul

southspark - October 14th, 2018 at 09:47 PM

ps.AA003.In 45 yrs of repairing VW generator field coils I never had to bash one with a wooden mallet !Do you blokes just make up shit to sound as if you know stuff?

Regards Paul

vw54 - October 15th, 2018 at 01:29 PM

OPPS

Sorry Paul forgot you can do this precision work and have the correct equipment and correct size wooden mallet

Send your unit to Paul in Victoria

AA003 - October 17th, 2018 at 05:44 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by southspark
ps.AA003.In 45 yrs of repairing VW generator field coils I never had to bash one with a wooden mallet !Do you blokes just make up shit to sound as if you know stuff?

Regards Paul

I worked with bigger coils.

What do you do if they need reshaping?

southspark - October 17th, 2018 at 06:10 AM

Hi Phill
I usually pre tape to keep the shape and form with a special mould shaped as the pole shoes.(and a lot of manual dexterity)

Paul

AA003 - October 17th, 2018 at 06:49 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by southspark
Hi Phill
I usually pre tape to keep the shape and form with a special mould shaped as the pole shoes.(and a lot of manual dexterity)

Paul

I can't remember winding anything that small. Some of the coils I did were like winding welding rod. Then you had to belt them into shape or they wouldn't fit. They would be taped in asbestos tape and then painted with a red insulating paint.

It's good to know that a proper tradesman is still around.

viiking - October 17th, 2018 at 08:50 AM

I've made contact with Paul and will send him my generator to see what he can do. Thanks for the lead.

It's a real pity that the artisans of yesterday, like Paul, and cobblers and real fitters and turners and coopers, and blacksmiths and bricklayers who can do something other than stretcher bond, are fast being replaced by the "there's an app" for that generation who just replace it rather than know how to fix it. It just means that our old cars are going to be more difficult to maintain in the future.

AA003 - October 17th, 2018 at 10:54 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by viiking
I've made contact with Paul and will send him my generator to see what he can do. Thanks for the lead.

It's a real pity that the artisans of yesterday, like Paul, and cobblers and real fitters and turners and coopers, and blacksmiths and bricklayers who can do something other than stretcher bond, are fast being replaced by the "there's an app" for that generation who just replace it rather than know how to fix it. It just means that our old cars are going to be more difficult to maintain in the future.

It has become a big problem already.

REDKG - October 21st, 2018 at 07:31 PM

Nothing an iPhone can't cure. Just ask them. A country that once could manufacture or improvise anything and all we do now is export expensive "dirt".
If you get desperate I think I may have spotted one of those generators recently. I will chase it up.

viiking - October 28th, 2018 at 07:23 AM

Quote:

I have sorted my problem field coils out with Paul aka Southspark.

Paul received my original (from day 1) generator body and lousy field coils to see if he could get them reinserted into the generator body. He subsequently found that one of the coils was damaged, so he proceeded to rewind new coils for me, wrap them with the correct tape, re-varnish them to ensure electrical isolation and keep them in shape and then reinstall them.

Can't thank him enough and grateful that someone with the skills to do this still exists. Luckily I had already had the armature retested before and it was all OK, so now I will have a functional and perfect generator for my "correct" restoration.

Paul also advised me that he can do work on starters, possibly wiper motors and other electrical work as he currently does some work now for a long established icon of the VW community and fellow aussieveedubber. So he must be good.

Thanks Paul.

viiking - October 28th, 2018 at 07:29 AM

Here's a photo of the original full of crud generator before I pulled it apart and cleaned it. Note the field coils had lost most of their taping.

viiking - October 28th, 2018 at 07:30 AM

Other pictures showing how the field coils were repaired.

viiking - October 28th, 2018 at 07:32 AM

Field Coils retaped

viiking - October 28th, 2018 at 07:33 AM

Revarnished and Reinstalled

bussboy - October 28th, 2018 at 10:17 AM

Paul (Southspark)It is truly sensational to see some old school work,over the years so many old crafts have disappeared, good Job.

hulbyw - October 29th, 2018 at 08:24 PM

Top job southspark. Great to see
Cheers.........Wayne

AA003 - October 30th, 2018 at 05:45 AM

Great to see that there are still proper tradesmen around.

What's going to happen in the future?

vw54 - October 30th, 2018 at 07:29 AM

We are going to throw every thing away and buy a new Chinese one

AA003 - October 30th, 2018 at 10:07 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by vw54
We are going to throw every thing away and buy a new Chinese one

That's already started with the T3 people.

southspark - October 30th, 2018 at 07:46 PM

Thanks blokes, eve though I retired I do miss the vw work which I always found a pleasure to do. So if anyone has electrical problems ,the advice is free .

regards Paul