Charging issues

Post your E12 technical questions and comments here. Please, no off-topic posts.

Moderators: Mike W., Pierre

bkbimmer
Posts: 204
Joined: Tue May 20, 2008 5:03 am
Location: Milwaukie,Or.

Post by bkbimmer »

Lenny D. wrote:
bkbimmer wrote:Thanks guys, I still have not found the issue, I am thinking of taking it to an electrical shop to get it fixed, because if it keeps it up I will end up smashing the car into pieces :x
Are you sure the bulb hasn't burned out? Just sayin'...'cause it has to be there (and work) for happy electrons (and drivers)!
I'm positive.
Brent

'75 e12
User avatar
1st 5er
Posts: 991
Joined: Sat Jan 10, 2009 10:43 pm
Location: Cypress, Texas
Contact:

Post by 1st 5er »

bkbimmer wrote:
Lenny D. wrote:
bkbimmer wrote:Thanks guys, I still have not found the issue, I am thinking of taking it to an electrical shop to get it fixed, because if it keeps it up I will end up smashing the car into pieces :x
Are you sure the bulb hasn't burned out? Just sayin'...'cause it has to be there (and work) for happy electrons (and drivers)!
I'm positive.
...and seated good?

Just askin'.
Sherman

TexFest LSB&F V

95 525iT (Her DD)
92 ///M5 (????)
91 ///M5 (T donor)
88 ///M5 (Das Beast)
86 535i (Snob)
79 528i (1st 5er)
User avatar
Blaise
Posts: 917
Joined: Wed Apr 21, 2010 4:01 pm

Post by Blaise »

I just read this string and thought this may be of some help, even if only a little.

I have a 1973 R75/5 BMW motorcycle that also uses the same sort of charging light. At low rpms, the light is on and charging is not taking place. As the rpms go up, the light is supposed to turn off. If the light bulb burns out, the charging system no longer works. Some people with this system have added a resistor to the bulb socket to make sure that the system always works.

On my motorcycle, I have had the charging lamp slightly glow on a few occasions. The fix has always been the same. My bike has a diode board on it. Some of the diode solder connections seem to come loose. I simply resolder them and all is well.

I am new to the world of E12 (2 weeks), so have yet to learn about the car's charging system. But, I wonder if it is similar to my bike.

In the case of my newly acquired car, someone added a jumper wire in the engine compartment, bypassing the generator light. That light is not working currently. I am guessing that the bulb was out and the bonehead working on the car did not know that it was needed for the charging system to work. I plan to fix it shortly, but this is lower on my list priority list of repairs.
1977 BMW 530i
1973 R75/5 BMW (motorcycle)
Post Reply