gauge test question

[fireguyfire]

Hi guys;
Finally getting around to testing my gauges before putting the cluster back together; I have been using lilwendal's excellent gauge rebuild thread throughout the process.
My question is about the voltage regulator;(I am assuming the voltage regulator is the same one on the engine side of the firewall that has one blank blade connection, and on the other side a screw connection marked "field"; the famous little black box).
I am using a new 6v flashlight battery to do my testing, and I know I need to get the voltage down to 5v to test effectively.
With my volt meter the battery reads 6.3v, so I hooked up the voltage regulator both ways with no gauge involved just to see if it is reducing to 5v; no matter which direction I run the 6.3v throught the voltage reguator I get the same 6.3 volts coming through on the voltmeter.
I have the voltage regulator on the lead from the + side of the battery, and am running back to the negative off of the other side.
My question is; am I putting the voltage regulator in line properly to get the voltage reduced to 5v?
If I am doing it right, I guess the old regulator is pooched?
(I have not used the differnet "ohm" resistance leads yet that will help me go from the 5v when I get it , to the gauge)
Any help sorting this out would be great!

[jlatessa]

The voltage regulator you need to go through is the one plugged into the PC board behind your gauges.
I've made a solid state one per some thread using parts from Digikey. They sent me enough to make two units for about $9.00.

I then set up the resistors per Lillenthal and was able to set gauges perfectly.

Key in Digikey in the search block and see if you get to that thread, If not post a reply and I'll try to find where it was.

Joe

[fireguyfire]

Thanks for the clarification; the terms werewhat was confusing me; in his thread he referred to the voltage regulator, where as I beleive the one in the circuit board behind the dash is called the voltage limiter?

Sooooooo, how do I use the limiter to kick the voltage down? Mine has two blade connections on the bottom, and one off of the short side that points to the bottom also; do I just run the 6v through the 2 bottom blade connections? Is this thing directional?(can it work either way or not)

Sorry to keep firing the questions, but I couldn't get the voltage to drop earlier from the limiter either.

[fireguyfire]

Also; no luck finding Digikey thread.

[jlatessa]

Finally found the thread..
http://www.allpar.com/history/mopar/electrical2.html
Scrolldown and you'll find it.

not hard to do ,get a small soldering gun and be patient,
Joe

[Troy]

The limiter is on the back of the gauge cluster. You need to supply 12 volts to the limiter/cluster. (I use a battery charger). The factory part supplies 5 volts to the gauges by "pulsing" (so, it actually supplies 12 volts but at short intervals). The solid state versions supply a constant 5 volts. I have a tester here that I made with an LED that shows this perfectly but I haven't shot a video of it yet. I'll have to take a peek at it today to see how the posts are wired.

I believe the limiter you have is good (I tested all of mine I think). The gauges are a different story as they are hardly "right" even when new.

Troy

[fireguyfire]

Thanks Troy; I have completely painted and refaced the gauges; once I can deliver 5v I will reset them and reinstall in the full restored dash.