Once again killing voltage regulators
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Sep 2020
Posts: 110
Likes: 6
Once again killing voltage regulators
A while back I swapped to a 3g alternator in order to simplify the charging circuit. The stock charging setup was also not charging but even harder to track down issues.
So I killed 2 3G regulators and then I made some changes:
1: added dedicated ground cable from the back of the case of the alternator to the hood
2: moved the sensing wire to the battery side of the solenoid to potentially buffer it from spikes out of the alternator
3: installed a “heavy duty” regulator
These factors led my alternator to last much much longer this time but as of today I’m only seeing 11.80 volts at idle.
my questions are: how much of the rest of the wiring of the truck really affects the simplified charging circuit. Once upon a time someone completely butchered the wiring of this truck and at this point I’m considering just requiring the whole thing
im guessing that I just don’t have enough good grounds but the alternator is grounding through the block and now the hood.
Would a gm style 1 wire alternator be a better setup then a 3g anyway?
So I killed 2 3G regulators and then I made some changes:
1: added dedicated ground cable from the back of the case of the alternator to the hood
2: moved the sensing wire to the battery side of the solenoid to potentially buffer it from spikes out of the alternator
3: installed a “heavy duty” regulator
These factors led my alternator to last much much longer this time but as of today I’m only seeing 11.80 volts at idle.
my questions are: how much of the rest of the wiring of the truck really affects the simplified charging circuit. Once upon a time someone completely butchered the wiring of this truck and at this point I’m considering just requiring the whole thing
im guessing that I just don’t have enough good grounds but the alternator is grounding through the block and now the hood.
Would a gm style 1 wire alternator be a better setup then a 3g anyway?
Hotshot
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 10,796
Likes: 2,599
From: The Shenandoah Valley
The hood is a poor ground at best unless a dedicated ground is added between it and the frame or at minimum, cab firewall. Hinges and latch are insulated by either rust or grease ... and they move.
My '77 still has it's OEM alternator, but I did replace the original mechanical regulator with a solid state one as used on a later '80s or '90s model truck.
My '77 still has it's OEM alternator, but I did replace the original mechanical regulator with a solid state one as used on a later '80s or '90s model truck.
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Sep 2020
Posts: 110
Likes: 6
You’re right, I need to find a better permanent ground, the problem is trying to find enough clean metal to ground to on the frame. Does the galvanizing on the fenders/ body insulate electricity?
Lead Driver
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 5,217
Likes: 506
From: Pa.
No, the Zinc coating which is on the surface of galvanized metal of the inner fender is conductive and not insulative however when attaching things like the starter solenoid or voltage regulator since they both depend on their chassis to be grounded using a star washer or a bolt with a serrated head is important so to get the bite needed to maintain the ground.
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