~~Alt or Voltage Regulator~~
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New User
Joined: Oct 2009
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~~Alt or Voltage Regulator~~
Well...where to start...I have a 1974 Highboy w/ 390. Went to my local auto store to get my charging system tested. Battery is rated for 600 crank amps and it was reading 440 amps, turn off the truck and started it and waited a few seconds for the guy to tell me the battery is not getting a charge. Went home took off the alt. and got it tested, and it tested good. The guy told me it could be the voltage regulator, so I bought a new heavy duty one. Ran test again, and not getting a charge. Looking at the plugin I dont have a wire going to the "I" on the voltage regulator, for the ignition/coil. was told it should still be charging the battery though?? you tell me....? open to all questions...Would it be possible to hard wire it to the alt. directly for my votage regulator box?? Fresh and new?? LOOKING FOR HELP BEFORE BY BATTERY DIES!!!! LOL
Senior User
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 286
Likes: 1
From: Medford, Oregon
Not to insult your intelligence, but are the connections clean? It's always worth a laugh when poeple think those cheesy bolt together battery cable ends are a permanent fix. Sears put those things on my mom's car when installing a new die hard, surprise surprise, they corroded after about two months, stranding a 60 year old woman at night. Thanks guys!
MSEE
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 10,386
Likes: 35
From: Austin, TX
I find it odd that your ALT light is staying on if the I terminal of the regulator is disconnected - that means someone has grounded it out upstream of the harness. The only path to ground that the ALT light should have is internal to the regulator, through the I terminal. The I terminal receives keyed power from the ignition switch through the ALT light. There is a shunt resistor in parallel with the ALT light so that the regulator can still receive power in the event that the bulb burns out. When the alternator begins to produce current, the field relay puts 12 volts downstream of the ALT light, which shuts it off to let you know the battery is being charged.
You need to trace your wiring; if you have an ALT light the I terminal shouldn't be disconnected.
You need to trace your wiring; if you have an ALT light the I terminal shouldn't be disconnected.
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