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It is normal.
Craig

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For you doubters do you realized that all the current from the Mopar alternators goes through the amp gauges on all Mopars ? That being the case what amount, in amperage, does the Mopar electronic ignitions need to run on, same thing on the engines gauges, how many milli amps do they draw? How many amps does the radio and clock use

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DO YOU HAVE SOME EXTRA DEVICE/ACCESORy hooked up to the batt side ? the load reading could be feeding that and not really a charging reading... which when revving up, batt also will demand the power lost when sourcing the acc, then the big charging reading

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Check the ground path(s) also on low (20 volt) scale. alt case to batt neg post/reg case to batt neg post (batt neg post is your reference point). As said break out your meter/check ALL terminals/connections. way less likely would be a batt cell going bad & subbing in another battery would ans that Q quickly. In almost all cases when an electronic reg goes bad it either goes open or full fields

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I am 99.9% sure all my grounds are as good as it gets. I have ground jumpers run from the VR to the firewall tied to the ground strap that goes to the engine block. I would think if grounding were bad, the system would be charging at more than 14.6V.

The battery is a deep-cycle Interstate and is at least 5 years old. It appeared in the engine bay sometime during when my Charger was in body shop hell. I had it tested 2 years ago and it was fine they said (Advance Auto FWIW). Granted this car doesn't get driven more than 1-2x a week but maybe it is time for a new battery.

I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who has seen this. I am electrically proficient (I'd like to think) so I wanted to see if this was normal as I have eliminated the "easy" stuff already.

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It is normal.
Craig

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For you doubters do you realized that all the current from the Mopar alternators goes through the amp gauges on all Mopars ? That being the case what amount, in amperage, does the Mopar electronic ignitions need to run on, same thing on the engines gauges, how many milli amps do they draw? How many amps does the radio and clock use

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Wrong. Look at a schematic.

normal operating loads are on the alternator side of the ammeter. You will NEVER see them in the ammeter. If you are seeing a slight charge on the ammeter odds are it's one of two things, someone added a draw to the battery or the ammeter is off.

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CORRECT!!!



The ammeter indicates current flow to and from the battery. A constant charge indication means the battery is constantly receiving current and potentially being overcharged. This could be due to a draw on the battery side of the circuit or voltage drops between the battery, alternator output and voltage regulator sense line. As designed the battery supplies current when the alternator is not sufficient due to low idle speed, high draw accessories, or when starting.

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Battery voltage is 14.6V at idle or when revving the motor.

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I check my charging voltage and it is closer to 14.9V which is higher than I'd like. I traced the voltage drop to the neg battery cable itself which read ~2.5 ohms.

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I check my charging voltage and it is closer to 14.9V which is higher than I'd like. I traced the voltage drop to the neg battery cable itself which read ~2.5 ohms.

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That is ONE HELL of a lot of resistance if correct.

But don't try to shoot bad grounds and voltage drop with resistance, do so with voltage tests

Just picture in your mind the path that current takes. "th juice" going to the regulator comes off the battery, through the bulkhead and ammeter, through the ignition switch, harness, etc, back out the bulkhead and feeds to the regulator

There are a couple of places, there, namely the bulkhead connector, the ignition switch and the connector on the switch, that can create drop

Turn the key to "run" but with the engine not running

If you have breaker points ignition, make sure the points are closed, and make the test rapidly

Compare battery voltage to voltage feeding the regulator. On a 69 and earlier regulator check right at the regulator ignition terminal

On 70 and later this is harder. you can check at the blue field on the alternator. If you can get to the "key" side of the coil ballast, check there

What you are looking for here is the difference between battery and that point feeding the regulator. You want less, that is "zero" is perfect. If you come up with more than, say 3/10 of one volt, find out why.

Same with ground only this time, check with engine running fast enough to charge. Put your voltmeter on very low DC volts. Stick one lead to the battery NEG post. Stick the other lead to the regulator mounting, "the case." Here again, zero volts is perfect. Anything more than a 1/10 volt or so, you need to work on grounding.

Back to your neg cable. Here again, best way to check cables "bad" or not is under starting current loads. This is made easy with access to a "load tester." But you can "cheat" by just running the starter, ignition grounded. Check voltage across the cables during cranking.

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The voltage from the battery leaves it on the negative side just like all batteries and returns through the positive side, the alternator charges from the alternator through the engine wiring harness to the bulkhead connector and then through the under dash wiring harness through the amp gauge and back through the same harness and then goes to the battery to keep it charged. Come on you guys, GET THE BASICS correct before intentionally or unintentionally misleading those that don't know D.C. current flow

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I check my charging voltage and it is closer to 14.9V which is higher than I'd like. I traced the voltage drop to the neg battery cable itself which read ~2.5 ohms.

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That is ONE HELL of a lot of resistance if correct.

But don't try to shoot bad grounds and voltage drop with resistance, do so with voltage tests

Just picture in your mind the path that current takes. "th juice" going to the regulator comes off the battery, through the bulkhead and ammeter, through the ignition switch, harness, etc, back out the bulkhead and feeds to the regulator

There are a couple of places, there, namely the bulkhead connector, the ignition switch and the connector on the switch, that can create drop

Turn the key to "run" but with the engine not running

If you have breaker points ignition, make sure the points are closed, and make the test rapidly

Compare battery voltage to voltage feeding the regulator. On a 69 and earlier regulator check right at the regulator ignition terminal

On 70 and later this is harder. you can check at the blue field on the alternator. If you can get to the "key" side of the coil ballast, check there

What you are looking for here is the difference between battery and that point feeding the regulator. You want less, that is "zero" is perfect. If you come up with more than, say 3/10 of one volt, find out why.

Same with ground only this time, check with engine running fast enough to charge. Put your voltmeter on very low DC volts. Stick one lead to the battery NEG post. Stick the other lead to the regulator mounting, "the case." Here again, zero volts is perfect. Anything more than a 1/10 volt or so, you need to work on grounding.

Back to your neg cable. Here again, best way to check cables "bad" or not is under starting current loads. This is made easy with access to a "load tester." But you can "cheat" by just running the starter, ignition grounded. Check voltage across the cables during cranking.

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The voltage from the battery leaves it on the negative side just like all batteries and returns through the positive side, the alternator charges from the alternator through the engine wiring harness to the bulkhead connector and then through the under dash wiring harness through the amp gauge and back through the same harness and then goes to the battery to keep it charged. Come on you guys, GET THE BASICS correct before intentionally or unintentionally misleading those that don't know D.C. current flow

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The voltage regulator needs a positive ground.

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The voltage regulator needs a positive ground.

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While I agree with your post, just a note, "a positive ground" in this case DOES NOT mean to ground the positive terminal on the battery.

What it means is a good, solid, clean path to ground.

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Wow I didn't mean to set off a firestorm here. I was originally curious as to if a dying battery would just show the constant charge which ended up being the case. My ammeter is DEAD center now with the new battery.

I am very familiar with the charging system of this car. All grounds are super good as I added a dedicated jumper from the regulator case to the engine ground strap. Voltage drop measured from regulator case to alternator case is just a few mV...my gauge shows 0 ohms. The only resistance I see is from one end of the negative batt cable to the other. When I wiggled it the resistance changed and so did the charging voltage (dropped).

My wiring is all MH reproduction harness including the bulkhead connectors. I packed them in dielectric grease so no corrosion at all.

I just wanted to report back and let you know what the problem was instead of disappearing like so many here do. Maybe somebody else can reference this thread now and fix their mess more easily.

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My wiring is all MH reproduction harness including the bulkhead connectors. I packed them in dielectric grease so no corrosion at all.

I just wanted to report back and let you know what the problem was instead of disappearing like so many here do. Maybe somebody else can reference this thread now and fix their mess more easily.

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Good job

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My wiring is all MH reproduction harness including the bulkhead connectors. I packed them in dielectric grease so no corrosion at all.

I just wanted to report back and let you know what the problem was instead of disappearing like so many here do. Maybe somebody else can reference this thread now and fix their mess more easily.

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Good job

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X2

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I check my charging voltage and it is closer to 14.9V which is higher than I'd like. I traced the voltage drop to the neg battery cable itself which read ~2.5 ohms.

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That is ONE HELL of a lot of resistance if correct.

But don't try to shoot bad grounds and voltage drop with resistance, do so with voltage tests

Just picture in your mind the path that current takes. "th juice" going to the regulator comes off the battery, through the bulkhead and ammeter, through the ignition switch, harness, etc, back out the bulkhead and feeds to the regulator

There are a couple of places, there, namely the bulkhead connector, the ignition switch and the connector on the switch, that can create drop

Turn the key to "run" but with the engine not running

If you have breaker points ignition, make sure the points are closed, and make the test rapidly

Compare battery voltage to voltage feeding the regulator. On a 69 and earlier regulator check right at the regulator ignition terminal

On 70 and later this is harder. you can check at the blue field on the alternator. If you can get to the "key" side of the coil ballast, check there

What you are looking for here is the difference between battery and that point feeding the regulator. You want less, that is "zero" is perfect. If you come up with more than, say 3/10 of one volt, find out why.

Same with ground only this time, check with engine running fast enough to charge. Put your voltmeter on very low DC volts. Stick one lead to the battery NEG post. Stick the other lead to the regulator mounting, "the case." Here again, zero volts is perfect. Anything more than a 1/10 volt or so, you need to work on grounding.

Back to your neg cable. Here again, best way to check cables "bad" or not is under starting current loads. This is made easy with access to a "load tester." But you can "cheat" by just running the starter, ignition grounded. Check voltage across the cables during cranking.

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The voltage from the battery leaves it on the negative side just like all batteries and returns through the positive side, the alternator charges from the alternator through the engine wiring harness to the bulkhead connector and then through the under dash wiring harness through the amp gauge and back through the same harness and then goes to the battery to keep it charged. Come on you guys, GET THE BASICS correct before intentionally or unintentionally misleading those that don't know D.C. current flow

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you can take your two cents and you can go stick it somewhere

i simply IN SIMPLE TERMS described the CURRENT PATH. the PATH that the current takes, JUST ENOUGH of the description to ILLUSTRATE THE POINT which is the "direction" in which most people probably "think."

It matters not, oh engineering xpert, "which way" the current flows, and by the way, it wasn't all that long ago (in the 20's) when people believed there was "current" going from plus to minus.

I WAS ATTEMPTING TO ILLUSTRATE IN NOT TOO TECHNICAL TERMS how voltage drop occurs. The probability is, if someone is wondering what the drop is "doing" that they will be measuring and troubleshooting "from the positive end" of the system rather than the "ground" end. That is all I was trying to illustrate. THE WAY THAT VOLTAGE DROP HAPPENS

NOW I NOTICE that YOU the ENGINEERING XPERT "did not" attempt to illustrate anything helpful, anything factual, anything concrete. I notice that you made NO helpful contribution AT ALL.

You did not suggest, for example, that the voltage regulator must be held that is "grounded" very very close to the battery NEG and therefore to remove, clean, and retighten the VR mounting bolts. I notice you DID NOT suggest, as an example, to examine and to check the VR connector(s) and to be sure they are clean and tight. I further notice, as yet a further example, that you did not suggest how to functionally go through the checks for bulkhead, ignition switch, and it's related connector. I NOTICE that you did not SUGGEST ANY of this.

Don't you feel "helpful?"

"I'd bet money" I've been involved with things electrical and electronic longer than you. Statistically, it's "bettable."

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In hindsight I probaly should have used either Supercuda or TJP post to illustrate that in my opinion they don't understand D.C. Current flow. This post was not intended to put you down in anyway, UNDESTOOD Your posts was the next one available to respond to Now as far as your knowledge in electricity and trouble shooting as well as helping and leading people I think your responce tells me all I need to know about you and your skill sets As far as who has worked with electricity longer I started working for a telephone company in 1964 as a aprrentice lineman, I transfered into installation and maintenance 18 months later and did that work for 16 yrs before being promoted into management. I started taking classes at the local Jr college in 1968 and ended up having to stop from 1975 to 1981 due to the heavy work schedlue and overtime needs of the company. I finally recieved a A.S. degree in electronics in January of 1984, I did that to improve my knowledge of electricity and all things in electronic to help me transition from the transitors and resitor world to the solid state and semi conductor world. No offence meant or intended to you, SIR
What say you now?

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Cab old buddy, I'll put my knowledge of DC theory up against your 13 year old girlie emoticons any day.

I have not said anything that isn't true in my posts. You think different, well you know what they say the first thing to go is.

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Speaking of focus, what is it with you and 13 yr old girls

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The sensitivity on those gauges vary from year to year and make and model, some of needles in my mid 80's trucks wouldn't even move but I had a 1968 Dart that the needle was always flopping all over the place especially with a turn signal on

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I had my gauges professionally done by Instrument Specialties but I have found that the gauge ranges from around -40amps (discharge) to 40 amps (charge). Everything in between should be pretty linear.

If your needle is bouncing when the blinker is on, that means your alternator isn't keeping up and you have steep charge/discharge cycle every time the blinker blinks. I'd be willing to bet if you revved the motor a bit with the blinker on, the bouncing needle would go away.

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Cab old buddy, I'll put my knowledge of DC theory up against your 13 year old girlie emoticons any day.

I have not said anything that isn't true in my posts. You think different, well you know what they say the first thing to go is.

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Speaking of focus, what is it with you and 13 yr old girls

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You emote like one, it's damned annoying.

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The sensitivity on those gauges vary from year to year and make and model, some of needles in my mid 80's trucks wouldn't even move but I had a 1968 Dart that the needle was always flopping all over the place especially with a turn signal on

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The voltage regulator needs a positive ground.

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While I agree with your post, just a note, "a positive ground" in this case DOES NOT mean to ground the positive terminal on the battery.

What it means is a good, solid, clean path to ground.

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Wow I didn't mean to set off a firestorm here. I was originally curious as to if a dying battery would just show the constant charge which ended up being the case. My ammeter is DEAD center now with the new battery.

I am very familiar with the charging system of this car. All grounds are super good as I added a dedicated jumper from the regulator case to the engine ground strap. Voltage drop measured from regulator case to alternator case is just a few mV...my gauge shows 0 ohms. The only resistance I see is from one end of the negative batt cable to the other. When I wiggled it the resistance changed and so did the charging voltage (dropped).

My wiring is all MH reproduction harness including the bulkhead connectors. I packed them in dielectric grease so no corrosion at all.

I just wanted to report back and let you know what the problem was instead of disappearing like so many here do. Maybe somebody else can reference this thread now and fix their mess more easily.

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Replaced negative battery cable, now charging at 14.6V. 22mV drop from VR case to negative battery terminal.

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Cab old buddy, I'll put my knowledge of DC theory up against your 13 year old girlie emoticons any day.

I have not said anything that isn't true in my posts. You think different, well you know what they say the first thing to go is.

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Speaking of focus, what is it with you and 13 yr old girls

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You emote like one, it's damned annoying.

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I'm glad you expressed your displeasures on my post, GET USE TO IT This is the U.S.A, many freedoms granted to us Enjoy life and pick your battles carefully

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Cab old buddy, I'll put my knowledge of DC theory up against your 13 year old girlie emoticons any day.

I have not said anything that isn't true in my posts. You think different, well you know what they say the first thing to go is.

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Speaking of focus, what is it with you and 13 yr old girls

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You emote like one, it's damned annoying.

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I'm glad you expressed your displeasures on my post, GET USE TO IT This is the U.S.A, many freedoms granted to us Enjoy life and pick your battles carefully

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