1985 c800 Voltage Regulator
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1985 c800 Voltage Regulator
Hello All,
This may be a silly question, but where is the voltage regulator? My truck is not holding a charge and the 2 batteries are about 3 years old. I looked by the A pillar inside the cab and the Duraspark box is there and there is also a governor box there. But nothing else is hiding there. Would it by chance be internal to the alternator? The gauge is tilted just to the left toward discharge when running.
This may be a silly question, but where is the voltage regulator? My truck is not holding a charge and the 2 batteries are about 3 years old. I looked by the A pillar inside the cab and the Duraspark box is there and there is also a governor box there. But nothing else is hiding there. Would it by chance be internal to the alternator? The gauge is tilted just to the left toward discharge when running.
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1985 C800 Voltage Regulator
10316 = Alternator Voltage Regulator. Illustrated on left (drivers) side of cab in pic.
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Find the alternator. Trace each wire. Or, start at the battery and work back to the alternator. Gotta be somewhere between the two. Check the alternator and see if it is OEM or something else that may have the regulator built in. (wag alert)
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Still elusive. I have traced the heavy wires into the harness that travels
On top of the engine around and then parallel with the frame and then it
seems to head into the drivers compartment and disappear under the dash
into eternity.
The cab has now been swept out and nothing useful appears under the covers
on either pillar. I also looked under the wiper access panels and found nothing of interest.
On top of the engine around and then parallel with the frame and then it
seems to head into the drivers compartment and disappear under the dash
into eternity.
The cab has now been swept out and nothing useful appears under the covers
on either pillar. I also looked under the wiper access panels and found nothing of interest.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1,575
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From: Puyallup, WA
From the factory, or another way to put it, the factory location is on the inner fender of the left side, in front of the drivers wheel. It is in the engine compartment, not the inside of the cab. You can see it looking across the engine towards the front of the truck from the right side, access though is from the left side. It also has nothing to do with the heavy wires, all it does is vary the field voltage, which varies the field magnet strength the keep the voltage within a certain range. This only requires a 14-16 ga wire(s).
The heavy wires only go from the alt, to the ammeter, thru the main fuse and then to the battery. The output does not go thru the volt regulator.
David
The heavy wires only go from the alt, to the ammeter, thru the main fuse and then to the battery. The output does not go thru the volt regulator.
David
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Hidden voltage regulator...
I have to go to Detroit someday and slap the designer who thought this was a good place to place the regulator. Yesterday I went to the parts shop who has been quite patient and while they had my alternator being tested, they called Ford in Concord, NH who sent the pic that was posted earlier along with another that shows the regulator as you described. I got home last night and popped the cab and eventually found it. It is quite tucked away in this place behind your shins under the cab. So now comes the extrication and installation during whatever day light has to offer at the moment.
Thanks for having a place to post this so that others can find this in the future.
Thanks for having a place to post this so that others can find this in the future.
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Finishing up the project.
Well, the parts shop called the alternator junk. I removed the regulator and discovered wiring broken from the terminal strip. This may explain the alternator death.
I noted that there were only 3 connections made to the regulator and that the I connection was not used. Since there were only 3 connections at the alternator, Batt, Field and ground I left it that way.
It's all back together now and the truck is now charging in the realm of 14.5 volts at idle with no accessories/lights running. When they are added in, they drop the voltage by about a volt. At rest the truck is at 12.6v. I took it for a 20 mile spin and back into the driveway noting that the blinkers are no longer running slow. I shut it off and restarted without any concerns.
The meter on the dash has not changed behavior. It is still just slightly to the left of center, like it has always been. It would be nice if this was functional... There was nothing at the I connection on the regulator which is where I expected it to function from. So I am at a loss.
I tried to post pics but I am unable.
Thoughts?
I noted that there were only 3 connections made to the regulator and that the I connection was not used. Since there were only 3 connections at the alternator, Batt, Field and ground I left it that way.
It's all back together now and the truck is now charging in the realm of 14.5 volts at idle with no accessories/lights running. When they are added in, they drop the voltage by about a volt. At rest the truck is at 12.6v. I took it for a 20 mile spin and back into the driveway noting that the blinkers are no longer running slow. I shut it off and restarted without any concerns.
The meter on the dash has not changed behavior. It is still just slightly to the left of center, like it has always been. It would be nice if this was functional... There was nothing at the I connection on the regulator which is where I expected it to function from. So I am at a loss.
I tried to post pics but I am unable.
Thoughts?
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1,575
Likes: 11
From: Puyallup, WA
Well, the parts shop called the alternator junk. I removed the regulator and discovered wiring broken from the terminal strip. This may explain the alternator death.
I noted that there were only 3 connections made to the regulator and that the I connection was not used. Since there were only 3 connections at the alternator, Batt, Field and ground I left it that way.
It's all back together now and the truck is now charging in the realm of 14.5 volts at idle with no accessories/lights running. When they are added in, they drop the voltage by about a volt. At rest the truck is at 12.6v. I took it for a 20 mile spin and back into the driveway noting that the blinkers are no longer running slow. I shut it off and restarted without any concerns.
The meter on the dash has not changed behavior. It is still just slightly to the left of center, like it has always been. It would be nice if this was functional... There was nothing at the I connection on the regulator which is where I expected it to function from. So I am at a loss.
I tried to post pics but I am unable.
Thoughts?
I noted that there were only 3 connections made to the regulator and that the I connection was not used. Since there were only 3 connections at the alternator, Batt, Field and ground I left it that way.
It's all back together now and the truck is now charging in the realm of 14.5 volts at idle with no accessories/lights running. When they are added in, they drop the voltage by about a volt. At rest the truck is at 12.6v. I took it for a 20 mile spin and back into the driveway noting that the blinkers are no longer running slow. I shut it off and restarted without any concerns.
The meter on the dash has not changed behavior. It is still just slightly to the left of center, like it has always been. It would be nice if this was functional... There was nothing at the I connection on the regulator which is where I expected it to function from. So I am at a loss.
I tried to post pics but I am unable.
Thoughts?
That said, to restate what I posted earlier, the alternator output does not go thru the regulator. The ammeter is in series with the alternator output so you will find nothing on the voltage regulator that ties directly into the ammeter.
Sounds like you need a new ammeter gauge. They do occasionally fail.
If you also have the optional (or standard on larger C series) light warning system as well, then that could be controlled by the voltage regulator.
David
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Ammetering
The ammeter being dead. I had not thought of that. That is something to chew on. It doesn't seem like a lot of work to dig it out. I would have to test it out of circuit. Then if dead go from there. This could be a nice "over the winter project" as the truck sits all the way through until a dry day occurs in March or so.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1,575
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From: Puyallup, WA
The ammeter being dead. I had not thought of that. That is something to chew on. It doesn't seem like a lot of work to dig it out. I would have to test it out of circuit. Then if dead go from there. This could be a nice "over the winter project" as the truck sits all the way through until a dry day occurs in March or so.
Which is certainly possible, as these trucks age, resistance due to flexing, vibration and corrosion builds up, and can cause charging issues so many time these higher amperage wires which pass a fair amount of current are the first to show signs of issues and are bypassed. Especially on the C series as the dash is on the opposite side of the battery and alternator mounting location on most engines which means a extra long wire run.
Another thought is that the main fuse blew, someone unfamiliar or uneducated could not find the issue and just ran a wire from the alternator output directly over to the battery, in which case if you replace the main fuse and reestablish the oem wiring, everything should work as intended.
Something I could check and correct in short order if I had the truck in my hands, but a little harder to work thru over the net!
David
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Another thought is that the main fuse blew, someone unfamiliar or uneducated could not find the issue and just ran a wire from the alternator output directly over to the battery, in which case if you replace the main fuse and reestablish the oem wiring, everything should work as intended.
I will give thanks to the fact that this truck is in good shape and considering it's age and lack of mileage(98k) it is rather unmolested. I did not see an alien wiring other than mine for the electric trailer brake functionality I installed for the camper. It also holds air quite well for a long period. This truck was an eBay special and no one seemed interested in bidding on it, so it was a steal. I was told to bring batteries and plates and drive it home... After the carb cleared it's crud, it was a happy driver from PA to NH.
So, I will ponder the ammeter over time and also likely add a voltmeter under the dash for cheap insurance.
Thanks for the help!
I will give thanks to the fact that this truck is in good shape and considering it's age and lack of mileage(98k) it is rather unmolested. I did not see an alien wiring other than mine for the electric trailer brake functionality I installed for the camper. It also holds air quite well for a long period. This truck was an eBay special and no one seemed interested in bidding on it, so it was a steal. I was told to bring batteries and plates and drive it home... After the carb cleared it's crud, it was a happy driver from PA to NH.
So, I will ponder the ammeter over time and also likely add a voltmeter under the dash for cheap insurance.
Thanks for the help!
Last edited by n1bnc; Oct 5, 2013 at 03:11 PM. Reason: adding a line
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