Dumb Electrical charging question
#1173122
02/06/12 03:28 AM
02/06/12 03:28 AM
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Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 297 Oklahoma
TinCuda
OP
enthusiast
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OP
enthusiast
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 297
Oklahoma
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1971 Plymouth 'Cuda originally 383-4, now 440-6
OK, so I just got my engine running. In the process of overhauling and installing my engine, I bought a new wire harness from Year One. 440-6 electronic ignition harness. I had a Tuff brand single wire alternator that I installed. I am using a stock type voltage regulator on the firewall and just disconected the one on the back of the new alternator. Here is my problem. The harness has connections for a four post balist resistor. I got one down at autozone for a 1975 V8 truck. My alternator is putting out 16-16.5 Volts at the battery and I think it might be due to the wrong balist resistor.
Can anyone confirm this and maybe give me a part number that I can get at Autozone or O'Rielys, somewhere local.
Thanks.
.,
(O O {]{]{]||[}[}[} O O)
1971 Plymouth 'Cuda 440-6
{||O||}
2000 Yamaha V-Max
(O O [========= SRT] O O)
2011 Dodge Challenger SRT 392
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Making as big as a carbon footprint as I can!!!
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Re: Dumb Electrical charging question
[Re: TinCuda]
#1173126
02/06/12 04:48 AM
02/06/12 04:48 AM
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Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 297 Oklahoma
TinCuda
OP
enthusiast
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OP
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Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 297
Oklahoma
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In the interest of full disclosure, A buddy of mine wired it up for me. He told me that 16-16.5 Volts is fine. I am not buying it.
.,
(O O {]{]{]||[}[}[} O O)
1971 Plymouth 'Cuda 440-6
{||O||}
2000 Yamaha V-Max
(O O [========= SRT] O O)
2011 Dodge Challenger SRT 392
.
Making as big as a carbon footprint as I can!!!
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Re: Dumb Electrical charging question
[Re: TinCuda]
#1173128
02/06/12 05:22 AM
02/06/12 05:22 AM
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Joined: May 2008
Posts: 5,399 Aurora, Colorado
451Mopar
master
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master
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 5,399
Aurora, Colorado
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From that picture it looks like the black and green wires from the internal regulator on the alternator were disconnected, and wires from the new wiring harness were connected? Make sure the battery is fully charged, it it is low, it may charge at a higher voltage for a few minutes, but 16.5 sounds too high? I would start by disconnecting both wires from the alternator field connections and make sure the alternator is not charging. Then I think the blue wire should have +12 volts when the key is on. Connect that back up and if the alternator starts charging at 16+ volts, it might indicate the other field connection is shorting to ground. Disconnect the voltage regulator plug at the firewall voltage regulator, and ohm it out to make sure it is not shorted. If it is not shorted, connect it to the alternator field connection. With the key on the two sockets in the voltage regulator should have +12 volts (disconnected from the regulator.) Connect to the regulator and start the car and check the charging voltage. One last check before replacing the voltage regulator is to run a separate ground wire from the engine to the regulator case in case the VR ground reference is not the same as the engine?
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Re: Dumb Electrical charging question
[Re: TinCuda]
#1173129
02/06/12 11:09 AM
02/06/12 11:09 AM
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Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 36,041 Lincoln Nebraska
RapidRobert
Circle Track
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Circle Track
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 36,041
Lincoln Nebraska
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16+ volts will fry or damage every component that is "on". I'd not run it till we get the circuit figured out
Last edited by RapidRobert; 02/06/12 11:16 AM.
live every 24 hour block of time like it's your last day on earth
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Re: Dumb Electrical charging question
[Re: dvw]
#1173131
02/06/12 08:31 PM
02/06/12 08:31 PM
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Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 14,889 up yours
Supercuda
About to go away
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About to go away
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 14,889
up yours
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Never did like single wire alternators myself.
They say there are no such thing as a stupid question. They say there is always the exception that proves the rule. Don't be the exception.
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Re: Dumb Electrical charging question
[Re: dvw]
#1173134
02/08/12 05:25 AM
02/08/12 05:25 AM
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Joined: May 2008
Posts: 5,399 Aurora, Colorado
451Mopar
master
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master
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 5,399
Aurora, Colorado
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Quote:
When you disconnected the supplied regulator did you re insulate the brush holder nearest the alternator output stud? It states in the alternator instructions this brush must be grounded. If it is still grounded the regulator on the firewall will not regulate the field voltage. With the brush grounded the alternator is in the full output mode. Let me know. Doug
Looks like the regulator on the back of the alternator used the #1 terminal to ground the field and regulator. You need to pull the #1 field brush assembly, and re-install it with the fiber washers to isolate it from the case. Or you could just hook up the single wire regulator on the back of the alternator, and not use the factory wires?
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Re: Dumb Electrical charging question
[Re: 451Mopar]
#1173135
02/08/12 08:24 AM
02/08/12 08:24 AM
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Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 277 Palmyra, NY
63stabamatic
enthusiast
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enthusiast
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 277
Palmyra, NY
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Stay away from the little tin-box add-on regulator, it's cheap and will blow up. Get the correct isolated stator alternator, (2 wire), for the vehicle and wire it per the stock wiring diagram with correct regulator. The extreme high end of the voltage range for car operation at 70Amps is 15.6V. We used to test 10A mobile radios at 16.2V but just to make sure they wouldn't blow up. Nominal charge voltage for a 6 cell lead-acid car battery is 14.4V, a normal system shouldn't get much above 15V.
Last edited by 63stabamatic; 02/08/12 09:55 AM.
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Re: Dumb Electrical charging question
[Re: 63stabamatic]
#1173136
02/14/12 05:27 AM
02/14/12 05:27 AM
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Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 297 Oklahoma
TinCuda
OP
enthusiast
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OP
enthusiast
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 297
Oklahoma
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Well here is your update:
I bought a new externally regulated alternator.
It works great. 14.2 Volts at the battery.
.,
(O O {]{]{]||[}[}[} O O)
1971 Plymouth 'Cuda 440-6
{||O||}
2000 Yamaha V-Max
(O O [========= SRT] O O)
2011 Dodge Challenger SRT 392
.
Making as big as a carbon footprint as I can!!!
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Re: Dumb Electrical charging question
[Re: TinCuda]
#1173137
02/14/12 06:52 AM
02/14/12 06:52 AM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,376 NORTHERN CA
HUSTLESTUFF
pro stock
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pro stock
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,376
NORTHERN CA
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My first Tuff Stuff alternator was junk. Returned it to Summit and second one was OK. Mike
"Were in it to win it. Anything less will end up being..... A whole lot of fun doing!!" UNLAWFL RIP UN
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Re: Dumb Electrical charging question
[Re: TinCuda]
#1173138
02/14/12 08:23 AM
02/14/12 08:23 AM
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Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 3,285 West Coast, USA
jbc426
master
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master
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 3,285
West Coast, USA
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You may not know about the fix yet, but you probably still have the factory wiring problem of the output from the alternator being routed through the firewall then the amp guage and back out through the firewall to charge the batttery.
I'd look into resolving that next.
1970 Plymouth 'Cuda #'s 440-6(block in storage)currently 493" 6 pack, Shaker, 5 speed Passon, 4.10's 1968 Plymouth Barracuda Convertible 408 Magnum EFI with 4 speed automatic overdrive, 3800 stall lock-up converter and 4.30's (closest thing to an automatic 5 speed going)
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