Soldering wires onto bushes of Valeo alternator - am I doing this correctly?

[Ric]

Currently fitting a Sterling Regulator to my MD2020. I have taken the back off the Valeo alternator, and can see the bushes. However, where do I solder the wires? Do I have to take out the bushes and solder them directly on the bushes? Or to the top of the springs? I found something that looked metallic that is above the bush (connected via a spring?) and managed to solder a wire to it - but have no idea if this is the correct place. (see pic) I will test with multimeter tomorrow.

View attachment 53097

 

[RichardS]

The brushes will normally be carbon so you can't solder directly on to them. There is usually an electrical connection to the actual carbon brush either through a spring or a flying lead which is fixed into the brush at one end and fixed to a soldered terminal or screw terminal at the other end. You can solder to any point on the electical connection, usually the flying lead. Or perhaps even fix the Sterling wire under the screw terminal without any soldering if you have this arrangement. I'm not clear about what the photo is showing.

As you suggest, a test with an ohm-meter will soon show you whether you have made good contact.

Richard

 

[Lon nan Gruagach]

As Richard says the bushes are carbon and will not take solder. Usualy there is a very flexible braided wire as part of them...

It looks like the stub of the braided wire is just below your wire in your picture, that would be the best place to solder to. The spring might be a bit thin for the current you expect to draw.

 

[pvb]

The spring might be a bit thin for the current you expect to draw.

There's very little current in the add-on regulator connection.

Rather than mess about, the OP would be better off just taking the alternator to any auto-electrical place, where it could be modified for a few quid.

 

[Ric]

As Richard says the bushes are carbon and will not take solder. Usualy there is a very flexible braided wire as part of them...

It looks like the stub of the braided wire is just below your wire in your picture, that would be the best place to solder to. The spring might be a bit thin for the current you expect to draw.

Thanks - yes I understand now and I think I have the one wire soldered on correctly on one stub. It just seems a strange way to build the bush housing as the stub seems to be somehow moulded into the plastic, and trying to solder it was making the plastic fume. I'll persevere tomorrow.

 

[Heckler]

Thanks - yes I understand now and I think I have the one wire soldered on correctly on one stub. It just seems a strange way to build the bush housing as the stub seems to be somehow moulded into the plastic, and trying to solder it was making the plastic fume. I'll persevere tomorrow.

IIRC there is two what look like SS bits the the brush pigtails attach to, I soldered in to them.
S

 

[<152587>]

Do NOT under any circumstances solder to the flexible wire that is moulded to the brush running inside the spring. Solder will wick down the braid and render the wire rigid thus useless.

 

[JumbleDuck]

Currently fitting a Sterling Regulator to my MD2020. I have taken the back off the Valeo alternator, and can see the bushes. However, where do I solder the wires? Do I have to take out the bushes and solder them directly on the bushes? Or to the top of the springs? I found something that looked metallic that is above the bush (connected via a spring?) and managed to solder a wire to it - but have no idea if this is the correct place. (see pic) I will test with multimeter tomorrow.

Does the last page of http://www.adverc.co.uk/cm/files/pdf/Adverc_installation_basic.pdf help?