Voltage regulator wiring
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4wd Low
Joined: Jul 2021
Posts: 13
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Voltage regulator wiring
I am reparing my wiring to clean up the engine bay. The new pigtail for the voltage regulator has some wires that do match. The older one has all yellow wires and only three of them connected. The new pigtail shows two yellow (with a female plug on one), two white, one black and one green. Where should these wires connect? Or only mimic the three that are there now, and heat seal the other closed? To add, I wanted to just get some safer wiring overall. Go with a basic universal kit ($300) or a full fledge specific one from Painless ($1,000)?
Tuned
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 308
Likes: 170
If you’re not sure, stick with what you’ve got, or try to match what’s there. Find specs for the unit and a wiring diagram to verify before you introduce voltage. There may be a resistance reading you can verify as well. You should have a multi-meter at the very least.
As for re-wire, you’ll need a better understanding of what you have before you cut it out to replace it. A painless kit would be a good option for a winter project, but if you’re not familiar with the basics of wiring, devices, circuit protection, voltage drop, resistance, etc. educate yourself first before spending money.
If you’re not ready for that, start with replacing headlight switch, ignition switch, and starter relay. Get some diagrams for your truck and familiarize yourself.
As for re-wire, you’ll need a better understanding of what you have before you cut it out to replace it. A painless kit would be a good option for a winter project, but if you’re not familiar with the basics of wiring, devices, circuit protection, voltage drop, resistance, etc. educate yourself first before spending money.
If you’re not ready for that, start with replacing headlight switch, ignition switch, and starter relay. Get some diagrams for your truck and familiarize yourself.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 1,005
Likes: 63
From: Eastern, Idaho
For your information. There are two different regulator pigtail configurations. One is for Dummy lights in the dash and the other for gauges (ammeter and oil pressure). Each one is wired differently and the main dash harnesses slightly differ.
Maybe you are dealing with one that doesn't match the truck originally. Anytime you are dealing with wiring i suggest you get to know and read these wire diagrams. https://www.fordification.net/tech/wiring.htm
Maybe you are dealing with one that doesn't match the truck originally. Anytime you are dealing with wiring i suggest you get to know and read these wire diagrams. https://www.fordification.net/tech/wiring.htm
Lead Driver
Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 9,591
Likes: 1,171
From: San Jose, CA
Yeah, this is something we’ve been running into for over 40 years. There were two different configurations from FORD, but probably six or seven different configurations from the aftermarket involving wire location, changes, number of wire changes, and wire color changes.
So as the others have already said, go by the position rather than the color.
Although, in your case, it sounds like yours was changed originally because three yellows is aftermarket. Original would’ve been one yellow, one green with a red stripe, one orange, and if you have dummy lights, one white with a black stripe.
And in the case of a yellow, there would’ve actually been two yellows, but they would’ve been splice together in one cavity of the connector. One was for voltage sensing, and the other short one would’ve gone to a radio noise suppression capacitor.
If your regulator has visible letters embossed in the lock where the wires go, you should see an F, an S, an A, and an I.
Which type of instrument cluster do you have? That with a light for the battery/charging system? Or an amp gauge/ammeter?
So as the others have already said, go by the position rather than the color.
Although, in your case, it sounds like yours was changed originally because three yellows is aftermarket. Original would’ve been one yellow, one green with a red stripe, one orange, and if you have dummy lights, one white with a black stripe.
And in the case of a yellow, there would’ve actually been two yellows, but they would’ve been splice together in one cavity of the connector. One was for voltage sensing, and the other short one would’ve gone to a radio noise suppression capacitor.
If your regulator has visible letters embossed in the lock where the wires go, you should see an F, an S, an A, and an I.
Which type of instrument cluster do you have? That with a light for the battery/charging system? Or an amp gauge/ammeter?
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