<VV> no electrics

[BobHelt at aol.com]

In a message dated 5/12/2012 5:43:22 P.M. US Mountain Standard Time,  
sheridanma1966 at gmail.com writes:

Since I  posted my problem with electrics, I'm convinced it is the plastic
thingy.  I've been told to replace it with a fuse. But the amperage keeps
going  down. It started at 50, then 40 and the last suggestion was 30. So
what is  best?
 
GOOD GRIEF
 
Let's review the problem here......
 
Marc is driving along and he loses electric power. Later he is able to  
restart the engine and it runs normally. So he has lost electric power  
temporarily.
 
What could cause this?
 
Just one of two things. Either there was an open circuit from the  
battery/alternator to the car electrics
or
There was a massive short that routed the power to ground, thus preventing  
power from getting to the car electric devices, such as the ignition.
 
If the latter occured, then there would likely be a lot of smoke and burned 
 wires. I addition, there likely would be a somewhat SLOW loss of power as 
the  short sapped away the power.
 
Thus it was most likely the former reason. An open circuit
 
The cause was likely either in the main firewall connector that lost  
contact or possibly the so called HRPT.
 
The fix for the former is to wire a bypass around the connector.
 
But what about the HPRT???
 
It could be a poor connection there and it should be replaced....But with a 
 FUSE?  A fuse is designed to limit the maximum current passing thru it. 
But  this isn't a problem here with limiting the max current. It is a problem 
with a  poor contact. I.e., an open circuit. So a fuse does nothing to fix 
this  situation. Just replace the HPRT with a good part. A fuse does not fix 
the  problem. And it really serves little function since it will be 
difficult to push  60 amps (or pick a number) from an overload thru the normal 
Corvair wires anyhow  without first burning everything up.
 
And further, it appears that the function of the HPRT is not understood  
here. The HPRT is the electrical JUNCTION BLOCK mentioned in the shop manuals. 
 The junction block is designed to be the electrical point whose voltage 
from the  alternator is controlled to be a constant 14.2 volts (approx) no 
matter how the  normal electrical load varies. It is an important feature of 
the late model's  electrical system. So therefore if a fuse were installed, 
its amperage and thus  resistance would have no effect, and it would be 
compensated  for by the alternator voltage sense wire. 
 
And lastly, all 1967-69 Corvairs already have a fusible link protecting  
this and other circuits from overload.
 
Regards,
Bob Helt