Re: [ihc] Mean Green and some considerable rambling

[John Hofstetter <hofs@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Jul 20, 2004, at 10:28 AM, Ryan Moore wrote:

> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Joel M Brodsky" <jmbrodsky@domain.elided>
> To: "John Hofstetter" <hofs@domain.elided>
> Cc: <ihc@domain.elided>
> Sent: Tuesday, July 20, 2004 12:27
> Subject: Re: [ihc] Mean Green
>
>
> > Now, John,
> >       Aside from going out to the desert to talk to your Mexican 
> > friend
> > directly, how would we, the lowly IH owner, find such an animal as
> > a Mean Green replacement Diode trio?
> >
> > hee
> >
> > JoelB
> I thought he said previously that Mean Green started using the "new" 
> diode
> trio now so it shouldn't be an issue?
>
> -Ryan
I did say that, and I assume that Joel already knew that. partly 
because he knows of my 2 year battle with Mean Green to get the diode 
replacement reimbursed. I suspect that he hasn't begun to tell HIS Mean 
Green story.

Short recap on my MG story. I bought the MG alternator and starter, and 
the alternator failed. As per MG's instructions I returned it  to them 
and got it back in a few weeks. It failed again. They told me to return 
it to them again.

Because I was kind of on the move in the desert and needed the Scout, I 
took it to a shop in Cathedral called Hernandez 2, where I was 
fortunate enough to get Mr. Hernandez in person.  He looked at the 
diode trio and told me that if MG had put 10 more of that particular 
trio in as replacements, I still wouldn't have a working alternator for 
very long. He put a different trio in and there was no more problem 
except getting my money from MG.

The problem turned out to be that I was talking to the wrong person, 
Paul, the nominal boss. It was always no problem, he'd get a check out 
to me. On about the 6th call back there, I got Mrs.Paul instead. She 
listened to my story about her husband's promises, told me something 
like he means those things when he says them, just doesn't get around 
to doing a lot of them. She told me I'd have a check in my mail box in 
two days and I did.

Mr. Hernandez also told me to get rid of the resistance wire to the 
field as that old technology wasn't relevant to modern electrical 
systems. In the 1970's it was believed that  batteries should be 
charged at about 13.6 volts. All modern 12 volt systems are set to  
charge at about 14.4 volts and batteries do fine at that voltage and 
the rest of the electrical system is made to function at that voltage.

I did that, and among other things, I've gotten exceptional battery 
life and brighter lights. As you are probably aware, some folks on the 
BB, people that I respect by the way, insist on adding resistance to 
any replacement for the original field wire. Most often by adding an 
idiot light into the circuit. Old habits are hard to break. This one 
ranks in my mind with putting gear oil in the tranny and TC because the 
manual said to.

John


John Hofstetter
Ol' Saline
www.goldrush.com/~hofs