The other day I was replacing my $100 VW spark-plug wires when the nifty metal sleeve on the plug wire hit the poles on the back of the alternator, (ZAP!).  The next day when I started her up the battery charge light came on fully.  The van had started a bit sluggishly but oh well.  A couple days before I had installed some fog lights and had disturbed the printed circuit ribbon under the speedo cover and I figured that there must have been something wrong there.
As this last week went by I figured I had a faulty charge light, BUT NOOOOOOOOO.  Today I started it up and it didn't.  Had to try and try until it started and later in the day all the accesories started to fail, wipers sloooow, lights dim, any load started to affect the gas pump function.  Well, now it's dead.
I have removed the battery and the alternator to be tested tomorrow, (both replaced last year).  Any ideas as to why this has happened, and if it is the alt. why is the van blazing through $225 alternators?

What have I done???!!!

------------------------------------------------------
Get Your Internet Access at http://www.1stUp.com