Had the same thing happen years ago on my 68 GTX, put out so much voltage that it blew the head lights. Tried everything like you, turned out to be the battery, some issue internally with ground.

when I bring up the rpms I get 15.0 ti 15.2. Alan

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

You are probably getting close to the problem. Go back and read what I posted, concerning the path for the ignition/ regulator supply. THEY AMOUNT TO THE SAME WIRE. Dirty connections in the firewall connector or the ignition switch/ ign switch connector, or ANY loose connection in that path will cause these symptoms. It's called VOLTAGE DROP. When you start putting more and more load on a conductor, the voltage at the load end DROPS. Any poor connections, bad switches, broken wire strands, etc, will cause MORE drop.

CHANGING ALTERNATORS IS A WASTE OF TIME. If the alternator stops charging when you yank off either field lead, then there is NOTHING wrong with the alternator (in this case.)

So far as "another switched lead" there IS none. "Ignition 1" (the ignition supply/ regulator lead) only comes from one wire from the ignition switch---

You need to check/ repair the bulkhead connector, the key/ connector, etc, follow this path back.

Look at this diagram:

http://www.mymopar.com/downloads/1969/69ChargerB.JPG

Find the "alternator regulator" at the bottom, see the two "dark blue?" One of these goes up to the coil resistor, the other goes to the left, up the page, and to "N" on the firewall connector. Now see "N" on the left connector, "Dk blue-tr" goes off the left of the page?

See this diagram:

http://www.mymopar.com/downloads/1969/69ChargerA.JPG

Start at top right, count NINE wires from top right, says "DK- BLUE-TR" follow that to the left and then down

LOOK AT THAT!!!! Goes DIRECTLY to the ignition switch. So pull that switch out where you can get it, and check your meter there for voltage. Should be VERY close to battery. If not, you might have an ign sw/ connector problem, OR the problem might be further back.

Follow the red from the switch--NOTICE that there's an "in harness" splice, and then it goes to the ammeter--THAT could be a problem. I HAVE EVEN FOUND, in my day, at least 2 cars with "in harness" splices that failed. I'll tell you what, the owner was impressed (So was I) when we found that problem. On at least one car, I found a failed crimp connector on the ammeter!!

You have GOT to learn how to dig into this and chase things around. It's simply a matter of "where stuff goes."

I know it sound tough--you have to tear things apart, and lay them out so you can work on them.

When I found one of these harness problems, years ago--we were working inside the car--a '68RR in a driving rainstorm in a parking lot!!

440sixpack, at the bulkhead connector with the connector unplugged the dk-blue-tr wire has 12.4 volts from the ignition switch. so if I understand right power from the battery to the ignition switch and out to the bulkhead is ok. then the problem should be from the bulkhead connector to the regulator, ballast, ignition. I can't seem to find a problem in the wire. I think I'll run a new wire from the bulkhead connector to the reg,ign,ballast and see what happens. This sound right, thanks Alan

Most likely candidate is the sense line on the regulator or the field circuit between the regualtor and alternator.

Run a temporary jumper between the battery and the sense line of the regulator and see if the problem goes away. If so you know the sense line is reading low and causing the problem.
If so find the bad connection in that circuit (bulkhead???) and repair it

If not try another temporary jumper between the regaultor "field" connection and the alternator field connection. One of the two appears to be the problem. belw is a summary of how the system works



Chrysler did a bad thing to us when they set up their charging system. The biggest design issue is that they chose to run the main feeds from the battery and alternator through the firewall bulkhead connector and then onto the ammeter. Electronics 101A teaches one that every connection is a potential problem and this circuit is a prime example of that theory. In addition to running the main feeds through the bulkhead they also ran the regulator “sense” wire, which is susceptible to the same issues as the main feed wires.

Good Ground connections between the Battery, engine and body cannot be stressed enough. Failure to confirm these before proceeding will have you chasing your tail and bruising your forehead on the closest wall.

The basic function of the charging system is controlled by the regulator. The regulator case requires a good ground.

The pre 70 vehicles used a mechanical style regulator with one field connection on the alternator. The mechanical style regulator is considered to be inadequate by today’s standards and is best replaced by an electronic version, which is available from a number of sources. The mechanical regulators by design are not capable of maintaining a constant voltage and lead to problems with items such as electronic ignition conversions, stereos and a multitude of other accessories. A mechanical style regulator is easily identified by it’s resistors on the backside. Mopar performance offers an electronic replacement but it’s reputation is spotty. Wells also sells one through Autozone under part number VR706. This regulator functions by looking at the available voltage on the “sense” line and then varying the ground going to the field windings in the alternator thereby regulating to alternators output.




The 70 and later vehicles used an electronic style regulator with two field connections on the alternator. One of the field connections is tied to ignition switch/regulator voltage (sense line) while the other gets a variable ground signal from the regulator. By varying the ground the regulator is able to control the alternator output


How to check the system.

A quick check is to hook up a DVM across the terminals of the battery with the engine running at about 1500 RPM. Ideal conditions will give a reading of 13.8 to 14.2 V although readings as low as 13.5 and as high as 14.5 are acceptable.
While observing the meter turn on high draw accessories such as the head lights and blower motor. You may observe a momentary dip in the reading as the system adjusts for the additional load requirements. If the system is functioning well, the readings will be very close to the previously measured numbers. If not prepare for a trouble shooting session.

Most problems in the charging circuit usually result in one of the following conditions

1. Flickering ammeter. Usually due to intermittent connections in the circuit or a flaky mechanical regulator. Bad grounds or lack of a body to engine ground cable can also contribute to this condition.
2. Undercharging. Move the DVM to the BAT terminal of the alternator and check the reading.
a. If it is still low then look for a bad alternator, regulator, grounds or poor connections between the alternator field connections and the regulator
b. If it is higher than the reading obtained at the battery, look for faulty connections anywhere between the alternator BAT terminal and the battery positive post.
3. Overcharging. Move the DVM to the “sense” terminal of the regulator and check the reading
a. If the reading is still high you have either a bad regulator, alternator, problems in the field connections or a ground problem
b. If it is substantially lower you have a poor connection between BAT terminal of the alternator and the sense line. This is causing the regulator to think it needs more output from the alternator which results in the overcharging.

Most likely causes for the above can be found in the following areas.

1. Corroded or loose contacts at the bulkhead connector. The main feed lines carry a lot of current and dirty or loose connections create resistance impeding the flow of the current.
2. Dirty or loose connections at the Ammeter
3. Worn ignition switch contacts or poor connections at switch
4. BUBBAFIED wiring harnesses. IE: Butt slices, improperly crimped dime store connectors, u haul connectors etc. Any repairs made to the main feed line(s), regulator sense line or alternator field connections should be soldered and shrink tubed.
5.Crappy replacement battery terminals.
6.Bad alternator/regulator or both
Keep us posted
Tim

there are two filed wires in the alt that go to the vr. one is system voltage (ie sense) the other is regulated by the VR to tell the alt how much to put out. if that line opens, theres no field current and no alt output. if that line SHORTS to ground, you go full field and full output.

something to check

I had the electronic replacement for the old style
point type regulator on my 66 Dart. It screwed up and boiled my battery dry. It also blew about every bulb in the car. It was charging at 24.8 volts. I went back to the old regulator. toolmanmike

This is what I have for volt readings.

battery 12.5
starter relay 12.5
red wire at ign.switch 12.2
red wire at Ign. with key on 11.5 ??
DK-blue-TR wire at Ign.switch with key on 11.3
at DK-blue wire at alt with wire plugged in alt 11.0
at DK-blue wire at alt with wire unplugged from alt 11.6

the only thing I see is the voltage drop with the key on at red Ign wire,but with the key on the battery reads 12.0,so thats only a 1/2 volt drop ? Maybe the amp gauge is causing the voltage drop, should try bypassing the amp gauge and recheck my volt readings. Alan

Alan voltage drop values are correctly read when the system is running with everything connected. Can you put it at 1500 rpm & repeat all those readings. You're not quitting with this so neither can I. You have a known good battery in there?? & with all this overcharging there should be no possibility that it isn't fully charged! so jump again from the batt positive to the blue field wire AT the alt keeping it(the blue wire) plugged in to the alt male field terminal so that everything there gets batt voltage & at 1500 see what it charges at. and did you state earlier that you had tried another VR?(after the original conversion)

Make sure the regulator is grounded.

I did some more checking. 440sixpack,I double checked all my readings what ever the battery reads 12.5,12.8 what ever with the key on (draw)the battery drops about 4 to 5 volts. I'm now thinking ignition switch because every time I check these readings I get different readings so I'm thinking that some times the ignition switch has good contact and some times it doesn't. some times it charges 14.6 and some times its 14.8 and keeps climbing the longer the car runs some times up to 15.0 to 15.1. If I run a 14 gauge wire from the battery and piggy back it to the blue wire at the alt it charges 14.2,14.3 at idle and 14.4,14.5 at 1500 rpm. I don't even know if you can get an ignition switch for a 69 charger anymore. I like the idea of putting a relay in the ign.1 wire I may try that.If I put a relay in should I also power the ballast and the Ign. box with the relay. Thanks alot guys for all your help Alan

RapidRobert,I did try a brand new battery,did the same thing no change. And I did replace the regulator, that was the first thing I did and my readings where the same as the one I took off. Alan

Alan you might just jump across the ign sw from the red(input) to the blue(ign 1(run) & see if that takes care of it. You should be able to obtain another switch but if not for the small amt of current you would not need a relay just a switched 12V line from the red ign input to the blue line & could feed the module/ballast/alt field all at the same time.

as stated, with key in RUN, you have consumption by regulator, ballast/coil/Ignition module and electric choke if you have... also gauges. Ammeter just register that consumption and is not the cause of the power decay.

Ign switch could it be the cause ?... is a point to check... internals could it be worn. If thats the case, then prongs could it be overheating too and melting the plug