Pokeys fan issue resolved, keeping the bus, generator rebuild?

[Jeff Miller]

Series is the older method, and as Kerry mentioned the glow plugs
are each running at ~3Vdc in the series system, would be running at
12v in parallel which would require different plugs.

Series works, but as glowplugs age the resistance changes, and the
lower the resistance the less voltage-drop across it, so the heating
becomes inconsistent across cylinders. The other problem is that as
mentioned, if one burns out you have no glow plugs.

A parallel arrangement would be a nice upgrade for frequent cold-
weather starts.

- Jeff Miller
in Holland, MI


--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "davidkerryedwards"
wrote:
>
> The two different kinds (series/parallel or loop/pencil) that I am
> familiar with are on Mercedes diesels. The Series/loop kind are
> older and less efficient. The parallel/pencil type are newer and
> more efficient. On the series kind, 12volt is applied to the first
> plug, it flows thru the plug, heats the loop, out of that plug and
> on to the next one with very heavy gauge wire with the final plug
> grounded to the block. There are insulators at the top of these
> plugs to stop the incoming electricity from jumping over to the
> outgoing wire without passing thru the loop. These plugs lose a
lot
> of heat in the wires that join them together (you can see the wire
> glow red). If a loop burns out, all the plugs stop working. I am
> almost certain these are the style of plugs on my 82 Perkins.
> The pencil/parallel plugs each receive 12 volts independent of the
> other plugs and each is grounded to the block (I think). No heat
is
> lost in the wires that join them together. They are much more
> efficient and if one burns out, the others still function since
they
> are independently grounded.
> I converted my 77 Mercedes 300d from series to parallel and cold
> weather starting improved immensely.
>
> Kerry
> 82 FC35
> Denver