Alt over charging ?

[69chargerR/T]

 
I noticed the other day that my battery was making a sizzling sound, so I put a volt meter on it and its over charging a little 15.6 at idle and almost 16.0 at 1500/2000 rpm. So I thought it might be the regulator, I got a new regulator and it did not fix the problem I upgraded to the 70 and up charging system a while back so I was checking the wiring,  at the blue wire at the regulator I have 10.5 volts I thought It's suppose to have 12.5 volts or the same volts the battery has in it,  my battery has 12.5 volts in it  The regulator needs to read battery voltage right ?? to know when to charge the battery right ?? The blue wire comes from the ignition switch so isn't it suppose to have the same voltage as the battery has ?? and if it does not will that make the alt. charge all the time,or make it over charge I also have the same 10.5 volts at the green field wire is there suppose to be voltage at the green field wire ?? If any of you guys out there know the answer to these questions please chime in Thanks, Alan   

[no318]

If you have a voltage drop (caused by excessive resistance), it may only "see" 10.5 volts a the regulator and think it needs to keep charging.  It kicks the regulator off at +/- 14.5 volts (at the regulator), BUT the rest of the system has to put out 16.5 volts to get it there.  Check the circuit to the regulator for a poor connection, corrosion, frayed wires with only a few strands still flowing current, etc.

[69chargerR/T]

I was checking the blue wire and it looks fine.I unplugged the bulk head connector and I have 12.5 volts where the blue regulator wire plugs in. I unplugged the ballast resistor and now I have 12.5 volts at the blue regulator wire ? So I untaped the wire harness to make sure the blue wire is not on the resistor side and it's not. My car has the mp electronic ignition conversion kit on it ( was on car when I got it ) if I unplug the ignition box I get 12.5 volts at the blue regulator wire ?? The ignition box is hooked in to the blue wire that goes to the regulator and the ballast, could the ignition box be bad and causing my voltage drop to the alt regulator ?? Any ideas out there, Alan

[69chargerR/T]

Know one has any ideas on this Alan

[69chargerR/T]

Know one has any ideas on what could cause an over charging problem I tried another voltage regulator that didn't work, so I checked voltage at blue wire to regulator with key on I have 11.1 volts. I think it should have the same volts as the battery witch is 12.4 The voltage regulator,the ballast resistor,and the ignition box (orange box) get there power from the same blue wire. At the bulkhead connector with the connector unplugged at the blue wire I have 12.4 volts coming from the ignition switch. so the problem should be in the blue wire from the bulkhead connector,but I can't find a problem in the blue wire If I unplug the ignition box then I get 12.3 volts at the blue wire If I run a wire from the battery to the blue field wire on the alt it charges 14.5. I tried a new battery and it still charges 14.8 to 14.9 and if you bring the rpms up it charges 15.0 to 15.2 volts With the car running at the blue field wire at alt I have 14.8 volts I don't know if the alt is bad, or if the ignition box has a problem in it and thats why when I unplug ti it restores 12.4 volts to the blue wire I'll take any help out there,Alan   

[69chargerR/T]

 

[Nacho-RT74]

have you checked brush conditions ?... just a thought!

good ground on regulator ?

[69chargerR/T]

I have no idea what the problem is with my charging system, I tried another alt and it still charges too much I think My volt reading at the battery is 14.88 to 14.97 even with the lights on the volts read 14.7 !! I have never seen a mopar charging system charge the much with the lights on and idling !!! If I run a wire from the battery to the blue regulator wire at the alt my volt reading is 14.5. I have checked the blue wire and I can't fine a problem, my volt reading at the blue wire with the key on is 11.1 volts, the only time I can get battery voltage at the blue regulator wire is when I unplug my ignition box then I get 12.4 volts at the regulator wire and I don't understand why !! The ignition box the ballast and the voltage regulator get power from the blue wire, I'm thinking that I might try to put the ignition box on a different switched power, I shouldn't have to do this, or maybe I should make a new wire to run from the bulkhead to these systems I'll take any more ideas out there   Alan

[Nacho-RT74]

ground of ECU ?...

[metallicareload99]

I had overcharging trouble with some POS alternator from Schucks or some other parts store.  The kid behind the counter insisted it was the right alternator, but I was skeptical.  It was great in that it put out a lot of electricity, headlights were bright and battery never went dead.  I used it for about a year, but towards the end I noticed it was boiling my battery (over charging) and in that time my headlights burnt out.  I replaced that alternator with a stock isolated field (dual field) 45 amp alternator from 440 Source and everything has been good.

I believe, correct me if I am wrong, that the voltage regulator needs to be electrically grounded to whatever it is mounted to.  The last regulator I got was totally covered in paint so I sanded off all that was on the back and in the mounting holes.  It does seem that there is an issue with your ECU (ignition box) It also needs to be electrically grounded, maybe try a new one and see what happens?  Good luck

[71_deputy]

check the connection at the bulkhead of the dark blue wire- nice and tight- no corrosion, also check at the plug of the ing. switch at the colunm- it could be loose.

sounds like a loose connection causing a voltage drop- this can cause the voltage reg to see only a low voltage- so it then it wants to make the alt put out more voltage.

with everything connected- check the ing. switch connector- red should be + 12 volts as well as the dark blue wire- if it is not- there could be a problem with the ing. switch

[bakerhillpins]

The following two things caught my attention.

If I run a wire from the battery to the blue regulator wire at the alt my volt reading is 14.5. I have checked the blue wire and I can't fine a problem, my volt reading at the blue wire with the key on is 11.1 volts, the only time I can get battery voltage at the blue regulator wire is when I unplug my ignition box then I get 12.4 volts at the regulator wire and I don't understand why !!

The ignition box the ballast and the voltage regulator get power from the blue wire

Please pardon the general lack of aftermarket knowledge but it sounds like you have used the blue wire as a Switched Power Source for some aftermarket equipment (the ignition box if not other items). If this is the case I suspect that what is happening is a loading problem that removes itself when the ignition box (IB) is removed from the electrical circuit.

Here is my theory. Using the general rule of electricity... V=IR or the voltage drop across any component (including a length of wire) is equal to its resistance times the current through that component. The blue wire is the component in this discussion. When the IB is in the circuit it is adding a significant current load to the blue wire. Thus it increases the voltage losses that are experienced over the length of wire to such a point that by the time you reach the regulator it causes it to drop to 11 volts. Thus the regulator ups its output to compensate because it thinks it is undercharging the battery. If you remove the IB the current in the blue wire drops, and subsequently the voltage loss over the length of the blue wire is decreased and the regulator once again sees 12 volts.

The resistance of the blue wire over its distance can be affected by several factors: its gauge (wire size), length, and that it runs through some (probably marginally bad) connectors on its trip to the regulator. All of these things will increase the resistance and adversely affect the voltage at the other end. Because vehicles run on 12v systems they have heavier current loads. For every 12 watts of power used 1 amp is pulled through the wire. So your losses can go up FAST. A 24 watt draw will double your losses.

Anyhow, I suggest finding a new switched source for the IB. I would even go so far to suggest its own fresh circuit.

Bryan

[NMike]

the regulator NEEDS to see battery voltage. that is the only way it knows to increase or decrease charge rate. i would suspect the ignition system is wired in incorrectly. all the wires from the switch should get the same power.

is the ballast cracked and grounding? is the ECU properly grounded? is there a good ground from the body to the battery.

stop spending money on the charging system until you find the cause of the voltage drop.