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Bus electrical problem

Hey all, I have a perplexing problem with my '65 Bus. The electrical system doesn't work. I checked the battery and it is putting out 12 volts. I get 12 volts to the fuse box but then when I turn the ignition the voltage drops to next to nothing. I get this problem mainly if the car has been sitting for a few days. I tried bypassing the headlight switch and running the wiring from the fuse box direct to the ignition switch but I still get a major drop in voltage. After a few seconds with the switch off the voltage is back up to 12 but it still will not turn the starter. I also tried bypassing the igntion switch by "hot wiring" the bus but get the same results. Any advice out there?? Thanks,

--Dan E

Reply to
Braukuche
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Just 'cause a battery (even a "AA" one) shows full voltage, it doesn't mean that battery is any good. Pull it out and get it tested at a good shop... I think you'll be told that the battery needs to be retired.

Reply to
Red Bug

Your battery is dead. A dead battery will almost always read close to 12v until you put a load on it.

Jim SR Racing

Reply to
Jim

Shorted battery. Any load makes it short itself, but with no load it puts out the nominal 12V. Or maybe it's just low charge. Or low on water/acid.

Jan

Reply to
Jan Andersson

What I meant: try using a known good battery from another vehicle to eliminate one possibility: the battery itself.

Jan

Reply to
Jan Andersson

Turns out it was the positive clamp. I took the battery out to take it to the FLAPS to have it load tested and when I went to reintall noticed that the clamp had been drilled out except for the top 1/8 inch. So when it was tightened the contaqct suirface area was about 1/8 inch which was apparently not enough. I drilled the rest of the clamp out, tightened it down and wooooom, it started right up. Own enough of these old things and you discover more and more about what makes them work or in this case not work. Thanks all.

--Dan E

Reply to
Braukuche

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